Secca Sant'Elena
Dive site
An offshore seamount south of the Baronie Coast rising to 18 metres below the surface, Secca Sant'Elena is a magnet for open-water species. Large schools of barracuda spiral above the summit in summer, while dusky grouper occupy every ledge on the slopes. The surrounding deep water means pelagic encounters — including large Atlantic bluefin tuna on autumn passage — are not unusual.
Conditions
Depth
18 to 55 m
Advanced depths
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
25 to 40 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
12 to 28°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 20 | 16 | 13 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 15 |
| Current | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Dusky grouper
Photo: Billy Bensted-Smith · CC BY-NC
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Conger eel
Photo: Kevin Bryant · CC BY-NC-SA
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
European barracuda
Photo: Christian Amador Da Silva · © all rights reserved
Rare
Now and then
Atlantic bluefin tuna
Rare
Now and then
Field journal
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