Scuba diving in the marine Park in Pianosa - Buoy SP5

Scuba diving at the buoy SP5 has only been allowed since March 2017. Not only is the area "new" for those divers who already know the seabed within the park but it is also the perfect chance to visit yet another area in this paradise.

The buoy SP5 is just off the scoglio della Scola, just past the nineteenth century port of the island so practically opposite the Roman port.

Your scuba diving here starts at the tip of the sandbank at a depth of 4 metres. Head eastwards and you will get to the sheer, cliff-like rocks that reach a depth of 30 metres.

As you swim down, at a depth of approximately 11-12 metres, you will be able to admire the entire flora and fauna population typically found in the pre coral areas.

Deeper down you will see the large yellow sea fans (Eunicella cavolinii).

Once you reach the bottom of the wall, at a depth of 42 metres, just look east/south-eastwards and you will clearly see the pyramid shaped rock formations that are several metres high.

The entire area that faces north/north-east is rich in Red Sea Fans (Paramuricea clavata). Once you have fully explored these rock formations and you feel it is better if your tour ends here we suggest you head back to the wall in a northwards direction so that you can reach the entrance to the grotto that is at a depth of 20 metres; from here you can swim upwards until you see the buoy and end your tour here, allowing yourself enough time to stop for a break.

What makes this tour so unique is the fact that the area consists of numerous grottos with different entrances and exits, all at different depths, and all wide enough to swim through very easily.It is highly unlikely that you will manage to visit them all during a single tour so visiting them on 2 different occasions would probably be better.

There is a very wide variety of fish to be seen all around, above all large groupers and hundreds of barracudas but also spider crabs, umbrinas, redfish, different species of crabs and much, much more,

Photographs: Morino Diving Elba BOAT