Bergeggi, Noli, Spotorno & Finale Ligure, the area around Il Canalone

Bergeggi, Noli, Spotorno & Finale Ligure · Italy · Wall

Il Canalone

A yellow-daisy wall at 20–30 m with groupers and barracuda over it

Area photo: Franciop · CC BY-SA 3.0

A vertical wall on the north-east side of Bergeggi island, running from 8 m down to about 30 m, its face between 20 and 30 m covered in yellow sea daisies. The fixed growth — sponges, sea squirts, fanworms, bryozoans, anemones — shelters congers, morays, lobsters and octopus, with bream, dentex, amberjack, groupers and barracuda in the water above.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Il Canalone: typical dive 8–30 m (26–100 ft), deepest point 32 m (105 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit8 m30 m32 m maxtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

44.2352° N, 8.4463° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The site sits on the north-east side of Bergeggi island, inside the marine reserve, and the profile is simple: rock from 8 m at the top, a true vertical wall between 20 and 30 m, and a gentle slope running away to the west. You descend straight onto the top of the face and pick your working depth on the wall.

Between 20 and 30 m the face is at its best, covered in yellow sea daisies with sponges, sea squirts, nudibranchs, fanworms, bryozoans and anemones packed between them. Work the holes for congers, morays, scorpionfish, lobsters and octopus, then look up: great numbers of damselfish hang over the wall, with white bream, dentex, amberjack, groupers and barracuda moving through them. Finishing westward along the gentle slope makes an easy end to the dive; wannadive charts the site to a maximum of 32 m.

Marine life and season

  • Nudibranchs
  • Octopus & cuttlefish
  • Groupers
  • Barracuda
  • Trevally & jacks
  • Macro critters
  • Reef fish swarms
Month-by-month season rating for Il Canalone
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairGoodGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodFairFair

Season follows Bergeggi, Noli, Spotorno & Finale Ligure: No closed season — the cutoff is wind, with grecale above roughly 15–18 knots stopping diving. Water falls to 13°C in February and peaks near 24°C in August.

Sources

  1. AMP Isola di Bergeggi — Siti di immersione — Area Marina Protetta Isola di Bergeggi
  2. wannadive.net — Liguria region index — Wannadive.net
  3. Canalone (scubago) — Scubago

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