Isola dei Cavoli

About this dive site

This dive site is located in the Isola dei Cavoli and is known as "The Roman Ship." The name originates from a distinctive granite rock resembling the bow of a ship. This area offers a rapidly sloping landscape characterized by numerous large boulders, providing diverse routes suitable for both shallow dives and explorations up to 40 meters deep. In brighter areas, the rocks are covered with a dense felt of Cystoseira algae, supporting a rich ecosystem including salps, mullets, damsels, thrushes, and other small fish that graze on the algae. Larger inhabitants like groupers, sea bream, and barracuda can also be found. Ravines host swarms of croakers, sometimes alongside red grouper. The rocks are home to extensive colonies of madrepores (Cladocora caespitosa). As depth increases and visibility decreases in less exposed areas, the algal cover diminishes, transitioning to environments dominated by invertebrates such as sponges, sea daisies, bryozoans, eunicella, and paramuricea.