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Calm blue bay with low rocks near shore, small boats moored offshore, a flowering agave and green shrubs in the foreground — Santa Maria Navarrese & Arbatax

Santa Maria Navarrese & Arbatax · Italy · Reef

Ascensore

Moray eels, hermit crabs and catsharks in one deep band

Area photo: Fabio Pani · CC BY-SA 4.0

Ascensore is one of the deeper dives off Arbatax, on the Ogliastra coast of eastern Sardinia, and it stays within a band only a few metres tall. Its draw is the bottom life, with moray eels, paguro bernardo hermit crabs and catsharks all part of the dive.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Ascensore: typical dive 23–27 m (75–90 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit23 m27 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

No published position for this site — the map shows Santa Maria Navarrese & Arbatax and its other sites; operators know the mooring.

The dive

The dive takes place between 23 and 27 m, with the whole route held inside that narrow band. Moray eels are the residents to look for, along with paguro bernardo, a particular type of hermit crab, and a few catsharks, the small sharks of these bottoms.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Ascensore
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairGoodGoodGoodPrimePrimePrimeGoodFairFair

Season follows Santa Maria Navarrese & Arbatax: The Arbatax boats run from April to October; July to September has the warmest water of the year.

Questions divers ask

What certification does Ascensore need?+

The dive runs between 23 and 27 m, past Open Water limits, so it needs Advanced Open Water or equivalent deep training.

Sources

  1. Fare immersioni ad Arbatax - Sardegna — Viaggiare da Soli

More dive sites in Santa Maria Navarrese & Arbatax

Pinnacle

Arianna

The shoal off Arbatax known above all for its barracuda

to 19 mintermediate

Wreck

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