Portovenere, Liguria, Italy

Scoglio Ferale del Tinetto

Scoglio Ferale del Tinetto is a submerged shoal off Tinetto, one of the three small islands at the southern end of the Portovenere coast in eastern Liguria. The shoal rises from a base around 40 metres to a top near 14 metres, with limestone walls, ridges and small swim-throughs. The walls below 22 metres support yellow Eunicella cavolini fans, encrusting orange Astroides calycularis on shaded faces, yellow Parazoanthus axinellae and a varied sponge community, with patches of red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) in the deeper sections. Resident species include dusky groupers, brown meagre, conger eels, octopus, moray eels and scorpionfish; salema and damselfish schools, sea breams and ornate wrasses are common, with barracuda and amberjack passing occasionally. The Portovenere area is part of the UNESCO Cinque Terre site. Visibility is typically 12–22 metres; currents around the shoal are moderate.