Rhodes · Greece · Cave & cavern · Reef
Anthony Quinn Bay
A marine cave to 19 m opening onto a reef that drops past 30 m
Photo: PawełMM · CC BY-SA 4.0
Anthony Quinn Bay is the marine cave dive on the north-east coast of Rhodes, listed by the dive centres as Seal Cave. The cave itself bottoms out at 19 m; outside it the reef drops past 30 m, and Trident Diving School quotes 35 to 40 m for the dive. It is dived from the bay for the cave first and the deep reef beyond it second.
Also known as Seal Cave, Cave of the Seal.
Where it is and how deep
36.3213° N, 28.2132° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive is in two parts and the operators sell it that way: the Cave of the Seal, then the deep reef outside. You enter from the bay and head for the cave, which H2O Diving Center describes as a marine cave combined with a deep reef. Inside, the maximum depth is 19 m, so the cave section sits comfortably within recreational limits and the time spent in it is decided by the guide's plan rather than by the depth gauge.
Outside the cave the reef falls away, and this is where the depth comes from. H2O puts the outside section at more than 30 m and Trident Diving School lists the average depth of the dive at 35 to 40 m, which is why the site is rated for experienced divers here. Follow the reef down to your planned maximum, work back up along the rock towards the cave mouth and finish the dive in the shallows of the bay.
Background
The bay takes its name from the actor Anthony Quinn. Trident Diving School records that it was originally owned by Onassis and later sold to Quinn after the filming of The Guns of Navarone. Divers know the site by the cave rather than the beach, as Seal Cave or the Cave of the Seal, and the operators list the dive under that name.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Rhodes: May to October is the season, peaking July to September; centres still run in October, charter flights stop after October, and very little is dived from November to March.
Know before you go
- The Cave of the Seal is an overhead environment: stay with the guide, keep to the briefed route and do not go beyond the daylight unless the dive was planned as a penetration.
- The reef outside the cave runs past 30 m and Trident quotes 35 to 40 m; agree a hard maximum before entering the water and watch the gauge on the outside section.
Photos from Anthony Quinn Bay
Ferengi · CC BY-SA 3.0
Questions divers ask
How deep is Seal Cave at Anthony Quinn Bay?+
The cave itself has a maximum depth of 19 m. Outside the cave the reef drops past 30 m, and Trident Diving School lists the average depth of the dive at 35 to 40 m.
Sources
- Seal Cave — Scubago / H2O Diving Center
- Dive Spots — Trident Diving School
Photo credits
- Anthony Quinn Bay's rocky headland enclosing clear blue water, Rhodes by PawełMM, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Wide view of Anthony Quinn Bay's cliffs and turquoise water at sunset by Ferengi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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