Secca della colombara

At about 500 meters from the northern coast of the island, there is another of the most spectacular sites of Ustica: a shoal with a cap at around 3 metres which is what remains of one of the volcanic cones that have formed the island of Ustica. Its location and its shape provides a natural habitat for a multitude of different organisms. Also here we can visit multiple locations depending on the level and licences: for the more experienced divers we can propose a beautiful wall which falls down from 12 to 42 meters! The wall is completely covered by astroides, parazoathus and sponges, and there are also some nudibranchs hidden hither and thither. Within many splits, it will not be difficult to discern blue lings, congers, groupers, morays and slipper lobsters. Arrived at the end of the wall, you will find a beautiful cone-shaped sponge, very rare in the Mediterranean sea, and with a bit of luck we can photograph inside it a shrimp or an anthias! Here you will find reefs covered with gorgonians and, depending on the current, we will be able to admire some faux black coral branch: Gerard savaglia! Returning towards the rubber boat, you will certainly linger to see clouds of black seabreams, sargos, salps and the unavoidable groupers who seem to have found their favorite meeting place. But also golden groupers, snappers and red porgies, the majestic amberjacks and barracuda whirlpools. And all this in a single dive! Furthermore, since about ten years there is also the wreck of a merchant vessel carrying marble blocks, stranded and broken right near the shoal.