Zakynthos · Greece · Reef
Marathonisi
A jackfish school works the back of a rock inside the marine park
Photo: Alexey Seleznev · CC BY 3.0
Marathonisi, the turtle-nesting islet in Laganas Bay, is south Zakynthos's easy protected dive. The boat parks in a small bay on the back of the island and the dive circles a single rock breaking the surface, 21 m at its deepest with no current, past a resident school of jackfish, inside the National Marine Park of Zakynthos.
Also known as Turtle Island.
Where it is and how deep
37.6826° N, 20.8743° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The boat parks in a small bay on the back of the islet, and the dive is a simple anti-clockwise circle of the huge single rock that breaks the surface just off its shore, returning to the bay where the boat waits. The listed profile averages 12 m with a maximum of 21 m, there is no current, and visibility is rated excellent at better than 30 m.
The area right under the boat is the macro patch — nudibranchs, triton shells and octopus are usually found there — while the back of the rock holds a big school of jackfish that the Keri operator sees often. The monk seal has been met here a couple of times too. Marathonisi sits inside the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, and its beach is the loggerhead nesting ground that gives the islet its Turtle Island name.
Marine life and season
- Trevally & jacks
- Nudibranchs
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Seals & sea lions
| 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.
Photos from Marathonisi
Christaras A · CC BY 3.0
Maesi64 · CC0
dronepicr · CC BY 2.0
Questions divers ask
Is Marathonisi good for beginner divers?+
Yes — the dive circles a single rock from a sheltered bay with no current, averaging 12 m and reaching 21 m, with visibility rated better than 30 m.
Sources
- wannadive.net — Marathonissi — wannadive.net
- Turtle Beach Diving Center — Diving Places — Diving Center Turtle Beach
- scubago — Turtle Island - Marathonisi — scubago.com
- Wikipedia — National Marine Park of Zakynthos — Wikipedia
Photo credits
- White cliffs of Marathonisi island rising above turquoise water, with a tour boat and swimmers near the shore. by Alexey Seleznev, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Marathonisi island seen from the sea, showing the western side of the island. by Christaras A, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Marathonisi island viewed from a hillside overlook, framed by shoreline vegetation. by Maesi64, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A sea cave and cliff face at Marathonisi island, with small boats anchored below. by dronepicr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Wall
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