naturalistic
archaeological
Naturalistic and archaeological
Browsed itineraries of Sicily and discover the wonders above and below the water of a timeless island
Giafante
The saddle, the rocks, and the terraces
Not far from the Secca Giafante shoal, two different itineraries can be found: the first involves the circumnavigation of the entire sea stack, and the second consists of a visit to a nearby rocky shoal further offshore. With the slope of the terrain, the Giafante sea stack forms a large saddle a little less than 10 metres deep, which is an ideal spot for anchoring and beginning the dive. It is recommended to descend on the east side: the seabed in this area primarily consists of large stacked boulders, which slide downwards to create large terraces. The depth at the foot of the landslide is 33 m. Continuing counter-clockwise towards the outer tip of Giafante, you have two possibilities: head for the large underwater pyramid that can be seen far about thirty metres away (the Giafante shoal), or else continue exploring close to the wall itself. After leaving the shoal, head back to the sides of the sea stack, where you can continue exploring the western side until you have returned to the anchor point.
Browsed itineraries of Sicily and discover the wonders above and below the water of a timeless island
RELITTO DEI CANNONI
The barbary pirate ship of Punta Libeccio
Just north of Punta Libeccio, at about 100 m from the coast, a site known as the “Relitto dei Cannoni” (the “Wreckage of Cannons’’) can be found at a depth of 15 m. The gently sloping seabed, which is characterised by naturally split rocks alternating with clearings of sand and gravel, contains traces of an ancient shipwreck: eight cannons of uniform size and characteristics, six of which are lying in disarray along a vaguely rectilinear axis, while the other two are offset by about 20 m to the west. The total distance between the farthest cannons is about 30 m.
Browsed itineraries of Sicily and discover the wonders above and below the water of a timeless island
PUNTA FALCONIERA
The archaeological and naturalistic dive
The northern tip of Punta Falconiera is characterised by a rocky wall that is interrupted to the east, at a depth of about 15 m, by a sandy valley with banks of sea grass. In this direction, you will descend to a depth of about 30 m, where you will encounter a steep slope made up of sand and organogenic debris. Following the guiding rope, you will come to a slightly sloping plateau at a depth of 20 m. Continuing southward, you will descend to a depth of 30 m, where the seabed consists of a series of sloping steps with large isolated rocks and banks of sea grass, while beyond the escarpment the sea floor is sandy and covered by debris. Nearby, you will find a rocky wall covered by crevices that you can follow to reach the dive’s end point.