Punta Campanella & the Sorrento Coast · Italy · Wall
Punta di Montalto
Gorgonians in shades through to bright yellow below a tower cliff
Punta di Montalto is a sheer wall under a high cliff topped by an ancient tower, opening into a wide inlet past Scoglio Penna. The rock is rich in life from the surface to 55 m, and divers come for the gorgonians that colour the wall below 30 m.
Also known as Parete di Montalto, Montalto.
Where it is and how deep
40.5697° N, 14.3422° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The wall falls straight down from the surface, and depth matters less than usual because life covers it all the way. Groupers, sea bream and lobsters live on the rock, and from 30 m down the gorgonians take on unusual colours, up to bright yellow.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
Season follows Punta Campanella & the Sorrento Coast: Spring and autumn bring the most tuna and yellowtail to Li Galli; the sea warms from 14 °C (57 °F) in February to 26 °C (79 °F) in August.
Sources
- Immersione Parete di Montalto — Punta Campanella Diving Sorrento
- Diving Sorrento - Nettuno Residence Diving — Nettuno Residence Diving
More dive sites in Punta Campanella & the Sorrento Coast
Pinnacle
Five large rock pinnacles under protection since 1993
Cave & cavern
Surfacing inside the islet in a large chamber full of breathable air
A vertical shaft with a breathable air pocket inside the cavern
White gorgonians on a plateau, yellow sea fans down the wall below
A bronze Madonna placed by devout divers stands on the rock at 12 m
Pinnacle
A crack lined with colourful cup corals on the swim back to the boat
Similar dives elsewhere
Sponge-covered volcanic walls around an empty islet on the caldera rim
Amberjacks, tuna and barracuda along a steep open-sea wall
A yellow-daisy wall at 20–30 m with groupers and barracuda over it
Gullies at 30 m over a ledge past 50 m, with a cave entered by a siphon at 18 m