Marciana, Tuscany, Italy

Punta Polveraia

Punta Polveraia is one of the most representative dives of Elba's wild northwestern coast, dominated by granite cliffs and low population density. The dive site is a series of granite walls and ridges that drop from a shallow ledge near 10 metres to roughly 40 metres on a sandy and rocky base. Below 25 metres the walls support patches of red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata), with yellow Eunicella cavolini fans shallower up, encrusting red sponges, orange Astroides calycularis on shaded faces and yellow Parazoanthus axinellae studding the rock. Resident wildlife includes dusky groupers, brown meagre, octopus, moray eels, scorpionfish, salema and damselfish schools, sea breams and the occasional barracuda or amberjack passing in the blue. Visibility is generally 15–25 metres in summer; currents range from weak to moderate depending on exposure. Within the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, Punta Polveraia suits intermediate divers and is a good complement to the deep pinnacles of Pomonte further south.