Corfu, Ionian, Greece

Colovri Rock

Colovri Rock, also rendered Kolovri, is a pyramidal pinnacle that rises from the open Ionian Sea off the west coast of Corfu, near Paleokastritsa. The pinnacle climbs from a sandy bottom at around 40 metres to break the surface as a small islet, allowing wall-diving from the surface to 35 metres on its outer face and a circular dive plan around its perimeter. The walls are heavily fissured limestone with overhangs, cracks and small caverns, colonised by sea fans of Eunicella cavolinii in the deeper sections and yellow cluster anemones in the shaded recesses. Resident species include dusky grouper, brown meagre, Mediterranean moray, scorpionfish, common octopus and slipper lobster, and the open-water position attracts pelagic visits from amberjack, bonito and seasonal barracuda schools. Currents can be moderate to strong because the pinnacle is fully exposed on the open Ionian, and the dive is reserved for advanced open-water divers with drift experience. Visibility regularly exceeds 30 metres.