Tabarca & Santa Pola · Spain · Reef
La Nao
Stone arches and caves in clear, bright water to 14 m
A shallow islet dive in the outer waters of the Tabarca reserve, reaching 14 m among vaults, caves and natural stone arches. Clear water and strong light make it a photographers' site, with large groupers and barracuda over the rock and shrimps, gobies and nudibranchs in the cracks.
Also known as Nao, Islote de la Nao.
Where it is and how deep
38.1611° N, 0.4591° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
La Nao is an islet in the reserve's outer waters, known for clear water and the amount of light reaching the bottom. The seabed is the first thing to take in: sand, Posidonia seagrass and rock worked into vaults, caves, grottoes and natural stone arches that shelter the big fish of the area. The dive stays shallow, with a maximum of 14 m, along walls and crevices where fish gather.
Large groupers are the headline, along with barracuda and eagle rays. Small life is just as rich: shrimps, gobies, flatfish, nudibranchs, morays, hermit crabs and anemones are constant companions on the dive. The combination makes La Nao a favourite with photographers and with divers who want to see both large and small life in one shallow dive.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Barracuda
- Eagle rays
- Nudibranchs
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Tabarca & Santa Pola: The sea averages 14 °C in February, the coldest month, and 26 °C in August, the warmest.
Dive videos
Buceo en la Reserva Marina de Tabarca. La Nao · Anthias Santa Pola on YouTube
Sources
- Buceo - Vadum Maris — Vadum Maris
- Islote de la Nao - Scubago — Scubago
More dive sites in Tabarca & Santa Pola
Artificial reef
Anti-trawling concrete blocks turned into a 24 m reef
Reef
Big groupers in the corridor between two rocks, all within 14 m
Reef
Sheltered 8 m dive among rocks full of small, photogenic life
Reef
Remains of Tabarca's old tuna traps among grottoes and sand
Reef
A 50 m rock on a migration route, with schools of large groupers
Wall
A conger with cleaner shrimps in an old fishing boat's stern tube
Similar dives elsewhere
Stone columns and statues at 9 m in a shallow training bay
An 8 to 12 m plateau where big barracuda schools pass over nudibranch-rich rock
Two sea-carved amphitheatres joined over the top of a wall
Orange sponges, groupers and octopuses in a bay dived by day and night