L Estartit, Catalonia, Spain

Medas Islands - Pedra de Deu

Pedra de Deu is the most celebrated deep dive of the Medes Islands marine reserve off l'Estartit on the Costa Brava, declared in 1990 and considered the best preserved area of the Spanish Mediterranean. The site is a vertical pinnacle topping out at 16 metres and dropping past 50 metres into the blue, with two main slabs separated by a swim-through arch around 40 metres. The walls are draped in dense colonies of red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata, yellow gorgonian Eunicella cavolini and red coral Corallium rubrum, with brittle stars climbing every fan. Resident dusky groupers, common in the reserve since spear fishing was banned, approach divers without fear. Other regular sightings include large schools of saddled seabream, bluefish, amberjack circling the pinnacle, John Dory, conger eels, scorpionfish and the occasional sunfish in the blue. Currents accelerate over the summit and the depth profile means the site is reserved for advanced divers.