Reefwander
Reefwander
Full calendar

Destinations at their peak each month

  1. Jan167
  2. Feb183
  3. Mar192
  4. Apr216
  5. May186
  6. Jun272
  7. Jul307
  8. Aug313
  9. Sep296
  10. Oct180
  11. Nov119
  12. Dec145

Americas

Europe, Africa & Middle East

Indo-Pacific

Ischia & Procida · Italy · Wall

Punta Pizzaco

Yellow then red gorgonian belts, with red coral at 45 m

A sheer volcanic wall at Punta Pizzaco on Procida that slopes from a shallow cove into deep blue water. Divers come for the coloured bands of gorgonians that grow deeper down the rock, yellow ones first, then red, with red coral further below, plus octopus and moray eels in the shallows.

Also known as Pizzaco.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Punta Pizzaco: typical dive 5–45 m (15–148 ft), deepest point 80 m (262 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit5 m45 m80 m maxtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 90 m (295 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

40.7521° N, 14.0249° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The dive usually follows the right shoulder of the wall, or starts from the second point, Pizzaco II, and follows the left shoulder back to the small cove (baiette) at about 5 m.

Between 10 and 15 m the bottom is rock and Posidonia oceanica, home to octopus, moray eels, needlefish and hermit crabs. Yellow gorgonians take over from 15 to 20 m, red gorgonians cover the wall from 25 to 35 m, and red coral appears at 45 m. Below that the wall keeps sloping to about 80 m.

Marine life and season

  • Octopus & cuttlefish
Month-by-month season rating for Punta Pizzaco
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
GoodGoodGoodGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGood

Season follows Ischia & Procida: May to October is the best stretch, with warmer water and generally good visibility; one Forio centre keeps diving through the winter.

Know before you go

  • Strong currents can develop, calling for good buoyancy control and navigation.

Dive videos

Blu Shark - Procida, Punta Pizzaco 27/08/2008 · blusharknapoli on YouTube

Questions divers ask

What depth does Punta Pizzaco need for its red coral?+

Yellow gorgonians start at 15 m and red gorgonians at 25 m, but the red coral sits at 45 m, which calls for deep training. The wall itself continues to about 80 m.

Sources

  1. Punta Pizzaco – Procida — SSI
  2. Punta Pizzaco — DivePlanner Pro

More dive sites in Ischia & Procida

Seamount

Secca delle Formiche

Volcanic pinnacles where amberjack, tuna and barracuda school

15–50 madvanced

Similar dives elsewhere

Wall

Cap de Formentor

Mallorca · Spain

Vertical walls to 50 m with barracuda schools and hunting amberjack

to 50 madvanced

Wall

Colorado

Golfe de Valinco · France

A north-south drop-off from a 5 m rock head into 45 m

5–45 madvanced

Wall

Garden

Kornati Islands · Croatia

A step at 30 m falling to a fan-coral plateau at 45 m

30–45 madvanced

Wall

Altare

Portofino Marine Reserve · Italy

Probably the finest red coral colony in the reserve

30–50 madvanced