Port-Cros & Îles d'Hyères · France · Wall · Drift
La Gabinière Est tombant
Barracuda shoal at 15–25 m on a wall dropping to 50 m
Area photo: Waielbi · CC BY-SA 3.0
The east face of the Gabinière islet is a drop-off running from the surface to 50 m, dived as a drift along the wall. La Gabinière is known for its profusion of groupers and for a barracuda shoal that generally swims between 15 and 25 m. The site is only slightly protected from the Mistral and is very exposed to easterlies.
Where it is and how deep
42.9882° N, 6.3968° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The east side of the islet is a single drop-off from 0 to 50 m, and it is dived as a drift: you enter on the wall and let the water carry you along it rather than swimming a fixed route. Depth is a matter of what you have planned rather than what the site hands you, since the face runs unbroken from the surface down to 50 m.
The barracuda shoal is the marker to look for and generally swims between 15 and 25 m, which places it on the way back up rather than at the bottom of the dive. Groupers are here in profusion along the face. Run the wall at your planned depth first, then finish the drift high on the drop-off where the barracuda hold.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Barracuda
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Port-Cros & Îles d'Hyères: Jun–Sep is the main season with the warmest water; mistral winds close the exposed wreck sites in any month.
Know before you go
- The east face is very exposed to the easterly wind and only slightly protected from the Mistral, so the site gets called off on the forecast and boats move to the sheltered western side.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Gabinière east drop-off?+
The wall runs from the surface to 50 m, so the site takes whatever depth you plan for it. Below 30 m it is beyond standard recreational limits and needs a deep qualification.
Where are the barracuda at La Gabinière?+
The shoal generally swims between 15 and 25 m on the east drop-off, shallow enough to work into the end of the dive rather than the deep section.
Sources
- La Gabinière Est tombant — Scubago
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