It’s one of the most spectacular, various and rich in biodiversity dive site of the “Costa Viola” (that means Violet Coast). We reach the site by boat, which usually stops in a small bay, on the beach of which is built a little church dedicated to St. Elias.
At the beginning of the dive, we go down along a landslide of big boulders, which brings us close to a wide gully opened between 28 m and 33 m of depth, characterized by a spectacular rock pillar. The interior walls are covered with sponges, long-spined sea urchins (Centrostephanus longispinus) and yellow flower corals (Leptopsammia pruvoti), among which there are numerous nudibranchs.
After getting out from this “gully-cave”, we are on the top of a vertical wall, that runs down up to over 60 m
and it’s thickly covered by large purple gorgonian fans (Paramuricea clavata), as well as numerous species of colorful sponges, encrusting or branching. Everything is animated by shoals of pinkish Anthias anthias, plus the presence of two-banded seabreams, saddled breams and groupers.
The visibility is generally good and there may be currents coming from the Strait of Messina.
Place | Bagnara calabra, along the Thyrrenian “Costa Viola” |
---|---|
Dive type | By boat. Descend along the anchor line. |
Bottom type | Big rocks, gully-cave, vertical rocky wall |
Depth (min/max) | 25/60 m |
Fondale | Scogliera a paramuricea con grotta passante |
Currents | Weak or absent current, but sometimes intense |
Dive Path | In circle, with roundtrip parallel to the coast, passing through a gully |
Biodiversity | High, with the presence of coelenterates, especially large purple gorgonians |
Peculiarities | Cave-gully with two passages and a majestic rocky arch. Numerous other small caves opened along the natural walls. |