Zakynthos · Greece · Reef · Wall
Marathia
Octopus holes on the slope and lobsters on the drop-off
Photo: Christaras A · CC BY-SA 3.0
Marathia is the easy site of the Keri run: a rocky slope pocked with octopus holes, a wall, and a steep drop-off, all inside 20 m and free of current, with the boat parked in a shallow bay that suits snorkellers too. Big groupers and both spiny and Spanish lobsters live on the drop-off.
Also known as Käseecke.
Where it is and how deep
37.6616° N, 20.8589° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The boat parks in a shallow bay — pleasant enough that snorkellers come along for the trip — and the dive works out along a rocky slope whose many small holes are the octopus-spotting grounds. The listed profile is gentle: an average of 10 m, a maximum of 20 m and no current, with visibility rated at 10 to 30 m.
The slope leads to the site's wall and a steep drop-off, which is where the bigger animals hold: spiny lobsters and Spanish lobsters tucked into the rock, and big groupers alongside. Nudibranchs do well here too — the elegant dorid is regularly seen — so the return towards the bay is worth taking slowly with a light on the holes.
Marine life and season
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Groupers
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Zakynthos: Dive centres run trips May to October; the warmest water and calmest conditions come in summer, and the sea stays above 20°C into November.
Sources
- wannadive.net — Marathia — wannadive.net
- Turtle Beach Diving Center — Diving Places — Diving Center Turtle Beach
- scubago — Käseecke — scubago.com
Photo credits
- Tall white and reddish cliffs rising from the sea at Marathia cape, with two boats anchored below. by Christaras A, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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