Halkidiki — Sithonia, the area around Armatomenos

Halkidiki · Greece · Reef · Coral garden

Armatomenos

Yellow gorgonians from 30 m, red ones deeper, on to 90 m

Area photo: id.nfero · CC BY-SA 3.0

A deep gorgonian reef for advanced divers: yellow gorgonians fan out in circular formations from around 30 m, red ones appear as you go deeper, and the site continues to a listed maximum of 90 m. Gentle, steady currents run across the rock. Nothing here happens shallow, so the plan is set by certification and gas before the descent.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Armatomenos: typical dive 30–90 m (100–295 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit30 m90 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 110 m (361 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

39.9533° N, 23.9974° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

Nothing at Armatomenos happens shallow. The site begins at around 30 m, so the descent is straight down through open water to the first feature, and the dive clock is running from the moment you arrive. At 30 m the rock carries yellow gorgonians fanning out in circular formations, the feature the operator leads with; this is the band where a recreational plan spends its time.

Below the yellow fans the colour changes. As you descend deeper, red gorgonians begin to appear, and the site keeps going to a listed maximum of 90 m, far beyond any recreational profile; where the turn happens is decided by certification and gas, not by the reef running out. Gentle, steady currents move across the slope, which the operator credits for the marine life encounters here. The ascent is back up the same rock into open water, with the shallow stops the profile demands.

Marine life and season

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

Month-by-month season rating for Armatomenos
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Off-seasonOff-seasonOff-seasonFairGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodOff-seasonOff-season

Season follows Halkidiki: Boat trips and Try Scuba run April to October; courses are sold year-round, but the sea sits around 14 °C from January to March.

Know before you go

  • Depth: the shallowest feature is at 30 m and the rock continues to 90 m; fix a maximum and a turn pressure before descending, as there is no shallow reef to retreat to.

Questions divers ask

How deep is Armatomenos?+

The gorgonians start at around 30 m and the site has a listed maximum of 90 m. The operator rates it for advanced divers, and the deeper red gorgonians sit below recreational limits.

Sources

  1. Armatomenos - Scubago — Scubago

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