Paros & Naxos · Greece · Wall
Tripiti Pirate Wall
A collapsed-cavern arch, then a steep wall with a soft-coral overhang from 8 m
Area photo: kallerna · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tripiti is a wall dive on Paros' south coast, 10 minutes out by boat, listed for all levels with a maximum of 20 m. The boat stops in front of an arch left by the collapse of an ancient land cavern; below it the rock slopes gently to 8 m and then turns into a steep wall with a large overhang covered in soft corals, and a main fissure between 18 and 6 m that holds sponges, coralligenous algae and Red Sea squirrelfish.
Also known as Tripiti.
Where it is and how deep
36.9770° N, 25.1731° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The boat stops about 10 minutes from port, in front of an arch formed when an old land cavern collapsed. Drop in and descend slowly and easily to 8 m, where the wall begins: huge rock formations turn into a steep face with a massive overhang, its underside full of soft corals and colour. On the bottom below are big boulders and a thick Posidonia meadow.
Follow the main fissure, which runs between 18 and 6 m. Its walls carry several species of sponge and coralligenous algae, and the Red Sea squirrelfish (Sargocentron rubrum) is often seen here. Look into the large monoliths for small lobsters and octopus, and along the rock for moray eels and scorpionfish. With 20 m as the site's maximum the whole dive stays shallow, and the upper part of the fissure at 6 m puts you close to the surface for the end of the dive.
Marine life and season
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Good | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Paros & Naxos: The Naxos centre opens mid-April to early November. The meltemi blows mid-May to mid-September, most constant in July and August, when boats keep to moorings sheltered from the north wind.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Tripiti Pirate Wall?+
The wall begins at 8 m, the main fissure runs between 18 and 6 m, and the operator lists 20 m as the site maximum.
What can you see at Tripiti?+
Soft corals on the overhang, sponges and coralligenous algae in the fissure, Red Sea squirrelfish, octopus and slipper lobster in the monoliths, moray eels and scorpionfish.
Sources
- Tripiti Pirate Wall — Scubago
- Les meilleurs sites de plongée de Paros — Cycladic Diving
More dive sites in Paros & Naxos
Pinnacle
A single rock out of a Posidonia meadow at 25 m, a hundred metres from Tripiti
Reef
A 50-minute lap of a rocky islet a mile off Alyko Bay
Wreck
A WWII heavy fighter at 33 m, found in 2007 after a year-long search
Wall
Amphorae from a pirate-era wooden wreck below a current-free wall
Wall
The area's big fish: barracuda and amberjack schools off a wall from 10 to 40 m
Reef
Canyons and a swim-through that fill with nudibranchs late in the season
Wreck
A 1981 cargo wreck whose crane still breaks the surface; the bow section rests at 24 m
Reef
Ridge tops at 5 m, a Classical amphora, and amberjack hunting over the reef
Similar dives elsewhere
Sea stacks five minutes from port: a wall from 4 m to 20 m, an arch and a swim-through
A hall under a surfacing stone, with conger in the holes
A crack at 12 m rising to a swim-through cave at 6 m
Overhangs and rock walls to 20 m, good for finding octopus