Ponza & the Pontine Islands · Italy · Wreck
Relitto Kastell Luanda
A 6 m wreck with propeller and rudder on show, snorkelled as often as dived
Area photo: Seba Sofariu from Dublin, Ireland · CC BY 2.0
The Kastell Luanda is a shallow wreck at 6 m in Cala dell'Acqua on the west face of Ponza. It cannot be entered, but the propeller and rudder are on show, and groupers, sea bream and octopus shelter in what the dive centre describes as an old mining ship. Reached by dinghy, it is used for try dives and snorkelling as much as for logged dives.
Where it is and how deep
40.9253° N, 12.9677° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dinghy drops you over the wreck in Cala dell'Acqua and you drop straight onto it: the whole thing lies at 6 m, so a snorkeller sees it from the surface and a try-scuba diver reaches it in seconds. There is nothing to enter, so the dive is a slow circuit of the outside. Head aft first for the pieces that still read as a ship, the propeller and the rudder, which are the features the source singles out.
Despite the shallow depth there is a fair amount of life in and around the hull. Groupers and sea bream use the structure for shelter and octopus hide in the gaps, so look into every hole rather than swimming past. Bottom time is effectively unlimited at 6 m, which is why the site is used for first dives, and the ascent is simply a matter of swimming up to the dinghy. Go in calm conditions when the surface is flat; this is a site that is about light and a slow look.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Kastell Luanda
- Type
- Old mining ship, as described by the dive centre
- Cause
- Not published by the source used for this record
- Lies
- On the bottom at 6 m in Cala dell'Acqua; no penetration, propeller and rudder visible
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Octopus & cuttlefish
| 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 around 26–27 °C in August and is down to 14–15°C in March–April. Naples ferries are summer-only.
Questions divers ask
Can you snorkel the Kastell Luanda wreck?+
Yes. The wreck lies at 6 m in Cala dell'Acqua and the dive centre uses it for snorkelling and try-scuba sessions; the propeller and rudder are visible from above.
Sources
- Relitto Kastell Luanda — Scubago
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