Bergeggi, Noli, Spotorno & Finale Ligure, the area around Secca dei Marassi

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

Secca dei Marassi

A crack that sometimes hides an oversized conger on the 24 m shoal

Area photo: Franciop · CC BY-SA 3.0

A panettone-shaped shoal off Finale Ligure, not far from the port, rising to 24 m and bottoming at 35 m — an advanced-certification dive. A wall about 10 m high faces south-west while a gentle slope runs off to the north-west, and the crack-and-cave terrain holds congers, lobsters, forkbeards, morays and fanworms.

Also known as Secca di Marassi.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Secca dei Marassi: typical dive 24–35 m (80–115 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit24 m35 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

44.1702° N, 8.3856° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The shoal is a big rounded 'panettone' with its summit at 24 m, so the whole dive runs deep: you drop onto the top and choose a side — a wall roughly 10 m high on the south-west face, or the gentler slope falling away north-west toward the 35 m seabed.

The south-west wall is the richer line. A vertical crack sometimes houses a conger of notable size, and a little cave shelters small lobsters and forkbeards; following the face you pass handsome fanworm clusters, morays and prawns. When the plan says turn, climb back onto the 24 m summit and make your ascent from there.

Marine life and season

  • Macro critters
Month-by-month season rating for Secca dei Marassi
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. Secca di Marassi (scubago) — Scubago
  2. Divenjoy — Secca dei Marassi — Divenjoy SAS (dive centre, Noli)

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