Halkidiki — Sithonia, the area around Pagona Deep Gorgonians

Halkidiki · Greece · Reef · Coral garden

Pagona Deep Gorgonians

Gorgonian-covered seabed from 24 m, groupers and dentex

Area photo: id.nfero · CC BY-SA 3.0

The shallowest of Sithonia's deep gorgonian reefs, starting at 24 m with the seabed covered in gorgonians from that depth and descending to 70 m. The operator lists it as a Deep Diver site. Groupers are the usual company in these depths, and dentex are not uncommon along the reef.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Pagona Deep Gorgonians: typical dive 24–70 m (80–230 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit24 m70 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 80 m (262 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

39.9470° N, 23.9250° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

Pagona starts at 24 m, the shallowest of Sithonia's deep gorgonian reefs, and that 24 m is the top of the site rather than a stop on the way: the seabed is covered with gorgonians from that depth downward. You descend directly onto the fans and set up along the reef at the planned depth, because the rock then descends to 70 m and offers no shallow section to fall back on if the plan drifts.

The route follows the gorgonian-covered seabed at the agreed depth. In these depths you often encounter groupers, and it is not uncommon to spot dentex along the reef, both fish that reward the slow pace a deep profile demands. The turn is on depth or gas, and the ascent runs back up over the fans into the water column for the required stops.

Marine life and season

  • Groupers
Month-by-month season rating for Pagona Deep Gorgonians
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 gorgonians start at 24 m and the reef descends to 70 m; the operator calls it a challenging site, so agree a hard maximum and turn pressure before the descent.

Questions divers ask

How deep is Pagona Deep Gorgonians?+

The gorgonians begin at 24 m and the reef descends to 70 m. The operator lists the site as Deep Diver, and the recreational portion of the dive is the upper band of the fans.

Sources

  1. Pagona Deep Gorgonians - Scubago — Scubago

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