Zadar & Dugi Otok · Croatia · Wall · Cave & cavern
Veli Garmenjak
A funnel canyon with caves at 23 m and 42 m
Veli Garmenjak is an islet in Telašćica Nature Park whose dive follows a wall into a funnel-shaped canyon with two caves on the way. It is one of only four places in the park where scuba diving is allowed, and the caves hold lobsters, forkbeard, scorpionfish and dusky groupers.
Also known as Garmenjak Veli, Garmenjak Veli islet.
Where it is and how deep
43.8683° N, 15.1828° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Diving starts from the buoy, with an easy descent down its anchor chain. Divers then cross to the wall and follow it toward the island, gradually entering a funnel-shaped canyon.
At 23 m, in the narrow part of the funnel, a semi-cave about 10 m long opens. Greater forkbeard wait at its entrance with groups of striped red mullet near the bottom, and inside are common lobster, red scorpionfish, white seabream and dusky groupers.
From the canyon the route runs on to a second, smaller cave at 42 m, home to red lobster, red scorpionfish and forkbeard. The dive then climbs along the wall to a plateau at 15 to 10 m, rich in octopus, Mediterranean morays and common dentex, which leads back to the start.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Octopus & cuttlefish
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Zadar & Dugi Otok: Scuba diving is permitted at four sites in Telašćica Nature Park, this one included, from April to November.
Dive videos
Kod gorgonija doma · Danijel Kanski on YouTube
Sources
- Nature Park Telašćica: diving — Telašćica Nature Park
- Fauna - Nature park Telašćica — Telašćica Nature Park
- Diving Spots — Kornati Diving Center
- OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap
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