Mediterranean · Italy
Ischia & Procida
Gorgonian and red-coral walls inside Campania's largest marine reserve
Ischia, Procida and the islet of Vivara lie in the Gulf of Naples inside the Regno di Nettuno, a marine protected area decreed in 2007 and the largest in Campania. The headline sites are the volcanic pinnacles of the Secca delle Formiche di Vivara between the islands, the Punta Sant'Angelo wall on Ischia's south side and Procida's Punta Pizzaco wall, all hung with gorgonians and red coral, plus the sunken Roman settlement of Aenaria.
About diving in Ischia & Procida
Dives run from boats and dinghies that go out to the site and drop divers straight in. Centres sit a few metres from the harbour in Forio on Ischia's west coast, where one base operates all year, and at Ischia Ponte beside the Castello Aragonese. The Secca delle Formiche di Vivara and the waters around the promontory of Punta Sant'Angelo are no-take zones of the Regno di Nettuno, where any dive not authorised by the reserve's manager is banned; diving in the reserve is regulated, and authorised centres run the dives.
A wide Posidonia meadow surrounds the islands, Ischia above all. On Procida's Punta Pizzaco wall the life changes with depth: a rocky bottom at 10 to 15 m holds octopus, moray eels, needlefish and hermit crabs among the Posidonia, yellow gorgonians take over between 15 and 20 m, red gorgonians between 25 and 35 m, and red coral grows at 45 m. The volcanic Formiche pinnacles shelter gorgonians, morays, scorpionfish and white sea bream.
Guided dives at Ischia Ponte range from first-level outings to technical dives, with Trimix, Nitrox and oxygen fills on site. Currents on the Formiche can be strong and unpredictable. Divers drawn to history have Aenaria, a Roman settlement whose buildings and structures sank through volcanic action, as they did at nearby Baia.
Best time to dive Ischia & Procida
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
One centre on Ischia operates all year, so winter diving is possible, but February brings the coldest water at about 14 °C (57 °F). From May the sea warms and visibility is generally good, and May to October is the best season. The water peaks in August at about 26 °C (79 °F). Late in the season and midweek, conditions are often ideal and a diver can end up the only client.
Dive types & marine life
Schools of amberjack, tuna and barracuda come to the Formiche, drawn by the pinnacles' exposed position in open water. On Punta Sant'Angelo, red coral (Corallium rubrum) grows among yellow gorgonians and sea daisies, with the false black coral Gerardia savaglia, which is actually bright yellow.
- Wall
- Seamount
- Barracuda
- Tuna
- Trevally & jacks
- Octopus & cuttlefish
Best dive sites in Ischia & Procida
- 1
Secca delle Formiche di Vivara
Volcanic pinnacles rising from 50 m to within 15 m of the surface, walls thick with red coral and golden zoanthids.
- 2
Punta Sant'Angelo
Wall off Ischia's south coast that drops beyond 100 m, more demanding than the Formiche.
- 3
Punta Pizzaco
Procida wall from a cove at about 5 m, sloping to about 80 m.
- 4
Aenaria
Shallow Roman site with a long mole, walls and part of a seaside villa.
Site guides
Wall
Yellow then red gorgonian belts, with red coral at 45 m
Seamount
Volcanic pinnacles where amberjack, tuna and barracuda school
How to get to Ischia & Procida
The nearest airport is Naples International, with the Alibus or a taxi to the harbour. Ferries and hydrofoils run from the Naples harbours and from Pozzuoli, which is neither cheaper nor faster, to Ischia Porto, Casamicciola or Forio.
Dive videos
Baia - Ischia - Procida - 18-19 luglio 2020 · Acquatica Scuba ASD on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can divers visit Secca delle Formiche and Punta Sant'Angelo on their own?+
No. Both lie in no-take B zones of the Regno di Nettuno, where dives not authorised by the reserve's manager are banned, so they are dived with an authorised centre.
What certification does Secca delle Formiche di Vivara need?+
Open Water is the minimum, and Advanced Open Water is strongly recommended: the pinnacles rise from about 50 m and the currents can be strong and unpredictable.
Where is the underwater archaeology around Ischia?+
Aenaria, a sunken Roman settlement, lies shallow in Carta Romana bay between the Scogli di Sant'Anna and the Castello Aragonese, inside the Regno di Nettuno.
Sources
- Ischia Diving Agency — ASD Diving Agency Ischia
- ANS Diving Ischia — ANS Diving Ischia
- Immersioni subacquee Ischia — Freedome
- Ischia average sea temperature — seatemperature.org
- Secca delle Formiche di Vivara — DivePlanner Pro
- Punta Pizzaco — SSI
- Scuba diving in Ischia — Manawa
- Ischia — Wikivoyage
- Area marina protetta Regno di Nettuno — Wikipedia
- Area Marina Protetta Regno di Nettuno — Italia.it
- ASD Diving Agency Ischia — dive.site
- ANS Diving Ischia — vvanat.fr
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