SAN FRANCESCO DI CATONA - Kornati Islands
The San Francesco di Catona is an accessible little wreck, sitting shallow at just 5 meters off the Kornati coast. It’s a 1977 stranding, a motor vessel that went down near Ancona, and now it’s a pretty easygoing dive. You’ll find the hull largely intact, and while there aren't massive schools of fish, it's a good spot to poke around for small crabs and nudibranchs making a home in the crevices. We often suggest it for a second dive or if you're looking for something calm, perhaps a refresh on wreck penetration in a non-threatening environment. It’s a nice, gentle introduction to wreck diving.
- Location
- Kornati Islands, Croatia, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 43.560700, 13.606533
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 5m
Best Time to Dive in Kornati Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Kornati Islands occur in August, averaging 25.6°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 14.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 15.3°C
- February: 14.3°C
- March: 14.1°C
- April: 14.7°C
- May: 17.6°C
- June: 21.8°C
- July: 24.7°C
- August: 25.6°C
- September: 24.0°C
- October: 21.4°C
- November: 19.5°C
- December: 17.1°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Kornati Islands
- Alains cliff - 15-40m (wall)
- Amfiteatre dive - 25m
- Anchor dive
- "AQUANAUT" - 15-40m (cave)
- Aquanaut Diving Centar Murter - 5-30m (wall)
- Arta Vala
- AVALA - 10m (wreck)
- Babuljasi
- Balun
- Big Blue Diving - 20-40m (wall)
- Blue Lagoon - 14m (reef)
- Božava Diving - 10-30m (reef)
- Brbišćica - 10-25m (cave)
- Brbiscica Cave - 10-30m (cave)
- BRIGITTA MONTANARI - 30m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to SAN FRANCESCO DI CATONA
- Albamaris - SSI
- Ancora
- Anma Diving center - SSI, PADI
- Aqualis Diving Center Hvar - PADI, SSI
- "AQUANAUT"
- Aquanaut Diving Centar Murter
Marine Life in Kornati Islands
Home to 91 recorded species including 64 reef fish, 10 sharks & rays, 6 octopus & squid, 3 crabs & lobsters, 3 other, 3 hard corals.
Notable Species
- hake (Merluccius merluccius) - Reef Fish
- pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) - Reef Fish
- anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) - Reef Fish
- Capelin (Trisopterus capelanus) - Reef Fish
- Painted Comber (Serranus scriba) - Reef Fish
- blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) - Reef Fish
- Bogue (Boops boops) - Reef Fish
- Norway Lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- lesser argentine (Argentina sphyraena) - Reef Fish
- Mullet (Mullus barbatus) - Reef Fish
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- Thornback skate (Raja clavata) - Sharks & Rays
- megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) - Reef Fish
- Split (Scomber scombrus) - Reef Fish
- Gurnard (Trigla lyra) - Reef Fish
- dory (Zeus faber) - Reef Fish
- common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) - Octopus & Squid
- Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) - Octopus & Squid
- Frie's Goby (Lesueurigobius friesii) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for SAN FRANCESCO DI CATONA
Based on average water temperature of 19.2°C, currents 3 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 19°C water
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories