Kos & the Kefalos Peninsula · Greece · Cave & cavern · Wall
The Cave of the Black Rock
Schools of barracuda in the blue off a drop-off that falls to around 50 m
The Cave of the Black Rock lies just off the north-east part of Pserimos and combines ridges, plateaus and drop-offs with a large cave. Divers go for barracuda out in the blue off the first drop-off and for the cave itself, which opens off a sandy bowl ringed by rock walls.
Also known as The Cave.
Where it is and how deep
36.9558° N, 27.1657° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
In the first ten minutes the route crosses a ridge to the first drop-off, which starts at about 20 m and falls to around 50 m. Looking out into the blue from its edge, divers can see schools of barracuda. A second ridge drops off, and the dive glides with the current along a plateau at 18 m, past schools of sea bream and the occasional red sea star.
Following the bottom contour up and around leads to a large patch of sand surrounded by rock walls, with the cave at about 8 m. The entrance is around 7 m high and 5 m wide, and the cave stretches back about 25 m, tapering as it goes. Scorpionfish hide in the shadows.
Marine life and season
- Barracuda
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Kos & the Kefalos Peninsula: The St. Stefanos base at Kefalos is open daily from 25 April to 5 November, and the sea is warmest in August, near 26 °C.
Know before you go
- The cave narrows steadily over its 25 m length, getting smaller the deeper divers go into it.
- Weather and sea currents can change the visibility and the safety of the dive.
Questions divers ask
How big is the cave at The Cave of the Black Rock?+
The entrance is around 7 m high and 5 m wide, at about 8 m deep, and the cave runs back about 25 m, narrowing all the way.
Sources
- Dive Sites in Kos & nearby islands — Liamis Dive Centre
- Kos Island for Scuba Divers: The Best Diving Spots — Astir Odysseus Kos Resort & Spa
More dive sites in Kos & the Kefalos Peninsula
Reef
Volcanic activity of Kos showing itself on the seabed
Cave & cavern
Shallow caverns that keep the whole dive above 12 m
Pinnacle
A pinnacle rising to within 2 m of the surface
Reef
Amphora shards, some more than 800 years old, spread over the reef
Wreck
A loading crane that leads across the wreck to the bridge and propeller
Reef
Nudibranchs and Flabellina affinis grazing on the reef
Similar dives elsewhere
An air dome at the end of the first cave
A 5 m cave passage that comes out at Dofí Sud
A cave roof so riddled with holes that a torch is barely needed
A tunnel crossing beneath the Kabal Peninsula