Olbia, Sardinia, Italy

Secca del Papa

Secca del Papa is the signature dive of the Tavolara – Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Protected Area in northeast Sardinia and one of the most famous offshore pinnacles in the Mediterranean. The seamount has two main peaks, the shallower one rising to about 14 metres and the deeper one to roughly 28 metres, joined by a saddle and dropping to the surrounding base around 42 metres. The walls and saddle support one of the densest red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) forests in Italy, alongside yellow Eunicella cavolini fans, encrusting orange Astroides calycularis, yellow Parazoanthus axinellae and a varied sponge community. The site is celebrated for its resident pack of large dusky groupers (Epinephelus marginatus), with multiple individuals over a metre long that approach divers fearlessly. Schools of barracuda, amberjack and dentex circle the peaks; brown meagre, conger eels, octopus and moray eels populate the cracks. Visibility regularly exceeds 30 metres in summer; currents are moderate but can intensify on exposed sides. Reserved for advanced divers due to depth and exposure.