Cigliata di Punta Papa

The site lies a few hundred metres from Punta Papa on the north-west side of Ponza. The dive takes place along the wall, and how it runs depends on the depth you choose: the wall rises from 40 m over two ledges, so the deep part of the profile is on the face itself, working along the crevices and dens. Moray eels, conger eels and groupers sit in the ravines at every level, and the lobsters are deeper down, which is what draws the more demanding divers. Pelagic fish pass the wall often, so look out into the blue.

The reason the dive lasts is the plateau. There is a vast plateau at 5 m, and the usual plan is a multilevel dive with 45 to 60 minutes in the water: the deep section on the wall first, then a long, slow climb along the face and a wide, shallow finish over the plateau that doubles as the safety or decompression stop, spent looking for trumpetfish, octopus and small groupers. Watch the gauge on the wall, since the depth is what limits the dive, and let the plateau give the time back at the end.