Santorini, Cyclades, Greece

Tripiti

Tripiti, whose name means 'pierced' in Greek, is a rock formation off the southern coast of Santorini distinguished by a large natural arch that pierces the headland from one side to the other. Divers descend at around 6 metres on the western side, swim through the arch at roughly 12 metres, and continue along the eastern wall down to a sandy floor at about 25 metres. The arch itself is wide and well-lit, comfortable even for divers without overhead experience. The walls are heavily fissured volcanic rock dotted with sponges, sea fans, and occasional yellow cluster anemones. Fish life includes dusky grouper, common octopus, Mediterranean moray, painted comber, ornate wrasse, two-banded sea bream and damselfish, and schools of salema circle the upper plateau. Currents are usually weak in the lee of the headland, although the meltemi wind from the north can complicate surface conditions. The site is reached by boat from Vlychada or Akrotiri and is a popular afternoon dive paired with Akrotiri Reef.