Ponza & the Pontine Islands · Italy · Wall · Cave & cavern · Night
Faraglioni di Punta della Madonna
Sea stacks five minutes from port: a wall from 4 m to 20 m, an arch and a swim-through
Area photo: Seba Sofariu from Dublin, Ireland · CC BY 2.0
The sea stacks off Punta della Madonna give wall and cave diving from 4 m down to a maximum of 20 m at the tip, and both sources pitch the site at every level of diver. Five minutes from the port, it is a dive of crevices, a large natural arch and a short swim-through cave: lobsters, slipper lobsters, groupers, moray eels, white bream, nudibranchs and octopus live on the rock, and needlefish hide in the posidonia.
Where it is and how deep
40.8945° N, 12.9739° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The boat moors beside the wall on a 6 m bottom, and the diving starts from 4 m, so there is no hurry on the descent. Follow the wall of the faraglione all the way to the tip, where the maximum depth is 20 m, and work the cracks as you go: this is where the lobsters and slipper lobsters sit, with moray eels in the deeper holes and groupers hanging back in the shadow. Octopus and nudibranchs are on the rock for anyone who slows down, and white bream move along the wall.
From the tip you come back along the far side to make the full circuit of the stack, passing through a large natural arch covered in parazoanthus, the yellow encrusting anemone, and then a short swim-through cave before you are back under the boat. Treat any other cave entry as an overhead: go only with a light, a guide and the exit in sight. On the posidonia meadow look for needlefish, the local cavallino. The site's closeness to the port and its calm water make it Ponza Diving's choice for night dives.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Nudibranchs
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Ponza & the Pontine Islands: Diving runs April to early November and all but stops December–February; water peaks at 23–24°C in August–September and is down to 14–15°C in March–April. Naples ferries are summer-only.
Know before you go
- The cave sections are overhead environments: enter only with a light, a guide and the exit in sight.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Faraglioni di Punta della Madonna?+
The wall runs from about 4 m to a maximum of 20 m at the tip of the sea stack, with the boat moored on a 6 m bottom. Both sources call the dive suitable for everyone.
Is Faraglioni di Punta della Madonna a beginner dive?+
Yes. The dive runs from 4 m to a maximum of 20 m and both sources say it is suitable for everyone; only true cave entries beyond the short swim-through call for overhead training.
Sources
- Faraglioni di Punta della Madonna — Scubago
- Punta della Madonna — Ponza Diving
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