Mediterranean · Italy
Pantelleria
Punic and Roman amphorae and gorgonian walls in the middle of the Strait of Sicily
Photo: Waielbi · CC BY-SA 3.0
Pantelleria sits in the middle of the Strait of Sicily, a volcanic island ringed by walls, current-swept shoals and archaeological sites. Cala Gadir, a shelter for Roman ships since antiquity, keeps a Roman anchor and Punic amphorae on its floor; the Faraglione di Punta Tracino and Cala Tramontana carry gorgonian fans, and Secca di Nikà draws barracuda. Each day's site is chosen to suit the sea and the wind.
About diving in Pantelleria
Most diving here is by day boat, with morning, afternoon and night dives on offer. Because Pantelleria is an island, there is always a site that suits the sea and wind of the day, and full days afloat are common. Martingana, on the south coast, can also be dived from land: divers climb down the lava flow to a small natural inlet, or reach it after a short boat ride.
The rock is volcanic, and at Punta Spadillo, on the north-east coast, the deepest water close to the island reaches 185 m. The walls carry encrusting sponges, pink coral and orange astroides, with gorgonian fans in the deeper water. Dentex, amberjack, seabream, grouper, lobster and moray eels fill the cracks and the blue beside the shoals, octopus and nudibranchs turn up along the walls, and meadows of Pinna nobilis appear on some dives. The sea floor at Cala Gadir is still being studied for its archaeology.
Centres take divers of every level, and some sites have two routes: at Punta Liscetto, less experienced divers stop on a ledge at 18 m while experienced ones follow the rockfall to 40 m. Punta Tre Pietre is an easy boat dive along a wall to about 20 m. Secca di Nikà is descended on the anchor line because the surface current is usually strong, Taglio di Scauri is a current dive, and Campobello is frequently swept by strong current and, in some periods of the year, by strong winds from the north and the south.
Best time to dive Pantelleria
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair |
Dives can be booked all year, with a minimum of three divers. From December to May the sea feels cool, and February is the coldest month at about 15 °C. By June the water feels quite warm, and July to September is the warmest stretch, peaking at about 25 °C in August; October still feels quite warm. Overnight ferries from Trapani run daily, more often in summer, when hydrofoils and direct flights are added.
Dive types & marine life
Barracuda are a frequent sight at Secca di Nikà, octopus are always present at Taglio di Scauri, and seabream, snapper and scorpionfish gather at the Arco dell'Elefante.
- Wall
- Drift
- Seamount
- Groupers
- Barracuda
- Trevally & jacks
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Nudibranchs
Best dive sites in Pantelleria
- 1
Faraglione di Punta Tracino
Volcanic sea stack with multicoloured gorgonians among fallen boulders and white sand at 38–40 m
- 2
Cala Gadir
Archaeological site with a Roman anchor and Punic and Roman amphorae from 16 to 30 m
- 3
Arco dell'Elefante
The island's best-known site, an arch with seabream, snapper and scorpionfish
- 4
Secca di Campobello
Shoal topping out at 12 m, with grouper, lobster and big morays among the rocks at 38 m
- 5
Punta Li Marsi
Gently descending south-coast wall with a Second World War mine at 32 m
- 6
Secca di Nikà
West-coast shoal where barracuda are a frequent sight; a demanding dive
- 7
Cala Tramontana
Wall lit by orange astroides at 15 m, with red gorgonian fans and sponges at 40 m
- 8
Martingana
Volcanic wall entered from the shore down a lava flow or by boat, running to 38–40 m
Site guides
Reef
A Roman anchor and Punic amphorae in an ancient harbour cove
Pinnacle
Multicoloured gorgonians on white sand beneath a towering sea stack
Wall
A Second World War mine at 32 m on a gently sloping wall
Wall
Tuna and skipjacks off a deep wall on the east coast
Seamount
Groupers and big moray eels on a current-swept shoal
How to get to Pantelleria
Pantelleria Airport, the island's only commercial airport, has daily flights all year from Palermo and Trapani. Overnight ferries sail daily from Trapani, and a hydrofoil runs twice daily from Mazara del Vallo. One of the island's dive centres is based at Cala Gadir.
Photos from Pantelleria
Gino Roncaglia (roncaglia on Flickr) https://www.flickr.com/people/roncaglia/ · CC BY 2.0
Dive videos
Pantelleria 2021 - Mare e Diving · Trovato Antonino Video on YouTube
SCUBA DIVING PANTELLERIA // 2017 · lorenzo fracella on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can Pantelleria be dived in winter?+
Yes. Dives can be booked all year with a minimum of three divers, though the sea feels cool from December to May.
Is there shore diving on Pantelleria?+
Most dives are by boat, but Martingana, near Punta Li Marsi on the south coast, can be entered from land by climbing down the lava flow to a small natural inlet.
Where are the Punic and Roman amphorae on Pantelleria?+
In Cala Gadir, an anchorage for Roman ships since antiquity. A Roman anchor and amphorae from the second century BC to the second century AD lie between 16 and 30 m.
Which Pantelleria dives need experience?+
Punta Rubasacchi is a dive for experienced divers, Secca di Nikà is a demanding dive in strong surface current, and the Faraglione di Punta Tracino is dived at two levels of difficulty.
Sources
- Diving Pantelleria - DIVE-X — Dive-X
- Immersioni - Dive-X — Dive-X
- Green Divers | Centro immersioni isola di Pantelleria — Green Divers
- Immersioni - Green Divers — Green Divers
- A silent universe, full of surprises — Abitare Pantelleria
- Pantelleria — Wikivoyage
- Pantelleria Average Sea Temperatures — SeaTemperature.org
Photo credits
- Shimmering water rising past a pale rock crusted with bright green algae and dark red weed, underwater by Waielbi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Steep layered volcanic cliffs in black, grey, cream and pink bands dropping to dark blue sea by Gino Roncaglia (roncaglia on Flickr) https://www.flickr.com/people/roncaglia/, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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