Mediterranean · Italy
Santa Maria Navarrese & Arbatax
Sheer Ogliastra cliffs, a barracuda shoal and three wrecks
Photo: Fabio Pani · CC BY-SA 4.0
Santa Maria Navarrese and Arbatax are neighbouring harbours on the Ogliastra coast of eastern Sardinia, on the Gulf of Arbatax. The boats work the sheer cliffs of this shore, shoals, caves and three wrecks: the KT12 and the Nasello, sunk in 1943, and the cargo ship Levante in Portu Cuau bay. Arianna, a shoal known for its barracuda, and the three rock towers of La Cattedrale head the list of dives off Arbatax.
About diving in Santa Maria Navarrese & Arbatax
Dive boats leave from two harbours, the tourist port of Santa Maria Navarrese and the port of Arbatax. The Santa Maria Navarrese boats run a double dive in the morning, back by 1 p.m., and a single dive in the afternoon, every day the weather allows, and keep their groups small. From Arbatax there are three trips a day for certified divers, chosen from a pool of 40 sites that takes in shoals, walls, caves and wrecks.
The shore is a broken line of sheer cliffs, unexpected caves and natural arches, and underwater it carries on the same way, white rock dropping straight down. Three wrecks lie within reach: the German warship KT12 and the Italian cargo steamer Nasello, both sunk by the British submarine Safari in 1943 in the Gulf of Orosei, and the Levante, a cargo ship lost in a storm in Portu Cuau bay in 1963.
The sites sit at a range of depths and suit every certification level, so a newly certified diver has dives to choose from. Both centres teach PADI courses, for first-timers and for divers adding skills, and the Arbatax centre takes children into the water with scuba gear from the age of eight. Clubs and groups that travel with their own instructors can dive or run courses from the Santa Maria Navarrese base.
Best time to dive Santa Maria Navarrese & Arbatax
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
The Arbatax boats start their season in April, when the sea is still near 15 °C (59 °F). The water warms through May and passes 22 °C (72 °F) in June. July, August and September are the warmest stretch, with August near 25 °C (77 °F) and September still close to 24 °C (75 °F). October keeps the boats out with the sea around 21 °C (70 °F) and closes the Arbatax season. Through the winter the water cools, and February is the coldest month at about 14 °C (57 °F).
Dive types & marine life
Barracuda are the signature fish at the Arianna shoal, and slipper lobsters shelter in the dens of La Cattedrale. Moray eels, hermit crabs and catsharks turn up at Ascensore, between 23 and 27 m.
- Wall
- Wreck
- Barracuda
Best dive sites in Santa Maria Navarrese & Arbatax
- 1
Arianna
Shoal at about 19 m, known for its barracuda
- 2
La Cattedrale
Three rock towers rising in open sea, their dens holding slipper lobsters
- 3
Ascensore
Dive between 23 and 27 m with moray eels, hermit crabs and catsharks
- 4
Bia del Porticciolo
Gradually deepening bottom that ends at a wall at 22 m
- 5
Levante
Cargo ship lost in a storm in 1963 inside Portu Cuau bay
Site guides
Pinnacle
The shoal off Arbatax known above all for its barracuda
Reef
Moray eels, hermit crabs and catsharks in one deep band
A gently deepening bottom that ends at a wall
Wreck
The engine and bow of a storm-wrecked motor ship on sand
How to get to Santa Maria Navarrese & Arbatax
Tortolì Airport lies about 4 km from Arbatax, and ferries link the port with Civitavecchia and Olbia. Santa Maria Navarrese is on the same coast to the north, about 160 km south of Olbia and 150 km north of Cagliari.
Questions divers ask
Is the diving at Santa Maria Navarrese suitable for beginners?+
Yes. The sites lie at different depths and suit every certification level, and both centres teach PADI courses for first-time divers.
How many dives a day do the boats run?+
From Santa Maria Navarrese there are two morning dives, back by 1 p.m., and one afternoon dive. From Arbatax there are three daily trips for certified divers.
Can a club bring its own instructor to Santa Maria Navarrese?+
Yes. Associations and groups that want to dive or run courses with their own instructors can use the Santa Maria Navarrese centre's boats and support.
Sources
- Diving Center in Sardinia - Nautica Sea Service — Nautica Sea Service
- Diving Center - MondoMareArbatax — Mediterranea Diving Club
- Fare immersioni ad Arbatax - Sardegna — Viaggiare da Soli
- Nautica Diving Center - Tourism Baunei — Tourism Baunei
- Best time to swim in Arbatax — SeaTemperatu.re
- Arbatax — Wikipedia
- Santa Maria Navarrese — Wikipedia
Photo credits
- Calm blue bay with low rocks near shore, small boats moored offshore, a flowering agave and green shrubs in the foreground by Fabio Pani, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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