Ponza & the Pontine Islands · Italy · Wreck · Wall
Relitto LST 349 - Prua
The split bow of a WWII landing ship at the foot of a wall at 30 m
Area photo: Seba Sofariu from Dublin, Ireland · CC BY 2.0
The bow half of LST 349 lies at the foot of a wall at 30 m, in navigation trim but broken into two parts and partly penetrable. It is the deeper of the two sections of this Second World War landing ship and is reached by dinghy from Ponza; groupers, moray eels, octopus and white bream live between the wall and the wreckage.
Also known as LST 349 Bow.
Where it is and how deep
40.9292° N, 12.9642° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
You go down the wall rather than straight onto the wreck: the site is a rock face full of life, and the bow section lies at its base at 30 m. Descend along the wall and find the forward half of the ship sitting in navigation trim, upright, but divided into two parts. Work around the outside of both pieces first; the 30 m depth means bottom time is the limiting factor, so plan the tour before you drop in and keep an eye on the gauge.
The bow is partly penetrable. Treat any entry as an overhead and go only where the way out stays visible, with training and a guide. Between the wall and the wreckage the local species find shelter: groupers, moray eels, octopus and white bream. Seahorses, eagle rays and dolphins have been seen less often. When it is time to leave the bottom, come back up the wall, which gives a natural multilevel profile with something to look at all the way to the safety stop.
The wreck
- Vessel
- LST 349
- Type
- Second World War landing ship (LST)
- Sunk
- 1944
- Cause
- Ran aground off Ponza on 26 February 1944 and was lost
- Lies
- Bow section in navigation trim at the base of a wall at 30 m, divided into two parts; partly penetrable
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 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 bow lies at 30 m, so no-decompression time is short: agree a turn pressure and a bottom-time limit before descending.
- The wreck is broken into two parts and only partly penetrable: enter only with wreck training, a guide and a visible exit.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the LST 349 bow at Ponza?+
The bow section lies at the base of a wall at 30 m, which puts it on Advanced Open Water ground. The stern is the shallower section at 19 m and is dived separately.
Sources
More dive sites in Ponza & the Pontine Islands
A wall of dens rising from 40 m to a 5 m plateau, dived multilevel
Sea stacks five minutes from port: a wall from 4 m to 20 m, an arch and a swim-through
Wall
Gullies at 30 m over a ledge past 50 m, with a cave entered by a siphon at 18 m
A sheltered 17 m wall behind Punta Madonna used as a natural pool for courses
A 6 m wreck with propeller and rudder on show, snorkelled as often as dived
A WWII landing ship's stern, in navigation trim and partly penetrable at 19 m
Seamount
A meadow of red gorgonians on a current-swept shoal from 27 to 62 m
Seamount
A bank capping at 33 m and dropping to 58 m, with red gorgonians and a Roman anchor stock
Similar dives elsewhere
A small boat at 18 m with mast and boxes intact, two more hulls at 27 m
A 1981 cargo wreck whose crane still breaks the surface; the bow section rests at 24 m
Capsized 50 m wreck at the foot of an underwater cliff, 38–42 m
A wartime Flying Fortress upright on clean sand at 25–28 m