LA GIRAFE - Corsica
La Girafe, nestled off the Corsican coast, isn't your typical Mediterranean wreck. We’d classify it as an accidental art installation. This old sailing vessel, sunk sometime in the distant past, now lies in around 19 meters of water, perfectly upright, her mast still reaching skyward – a true rarity. It’s what earned her the name “the Giraffe.” Diving La Girafe feels like stepping back in time, the wooden hull remarkably preserved, covered in a tapestry of yellow cup corals that bloom like tiny fireworks. We love the eerie quiet here, broken only by the creak of your own regs and the gentle sway of the current. Schools of glinting damselfish dart in and out of the rigging, while resident moray eels peer out from dark crevices. Our favourite part is finning along the deck, imagining the sailors who once walked it, the sense of history palpable. It’s a dive that suits those who appreciate the quiet beauty of a well-preserved wreck and aren't chasing big pelagics. Visibility here is usually excellent, making for fantastic photo opportunities, especially on a sunny afternoon when the light filters down through the mast.
- Location
- Corsica, France, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 42.106262, 8.688753
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 19m
Marine Protected Area: Zones de quiétude du Balbuzard pêcheur
Best Time to Dive in Corsica
The warmest water temperatures in Corsica occur in January, averaging 13.9°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 13.9°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 13.9°C (air: 9.4°C)
- February: 13.9°C (air: 10.7°C)
- March: 13.9°C (air: 11.2°C)
- April: 13.9°C (air: 13.4°C)
- May: 13.9°C (air: 17.4°C)
- June: 13.9°C (air: 22.3°C)
- July: 13.9°C (air: 25.5°C)
- August: 13.9°C (air: 25.3°C)
- September: 13.9°C (air: 21.6°C)
- October: 13.9°C (air: 17.9°C)
- November: 13.9°C (air: 13.8°C)
- December: 13.9°C (air: 10.8°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Corsica
- A-20 Havoc, plane wreck - 21m (wreck)
- A Casaïola - 13m (reef)
- ADERNO - 55m (wreck)
- AFRICHELLE - 45m (wreck)
- Aile - 19m
- ALBERI (POSSIBLY) - 12m (wreck)
- Aquarium - 19m
- B-17 Bomber Wreck - 24-29m (wreck)
- Bagheera - 9m
- BAGLIETTO (PROBABLY) - 5m (wreck)
- Banc provencal - 40m
- Barakouda Diving Centre
- Benguigui
- BETTOLINA (POSSIBLY) - 12m (wreck)
- Cala dei Santi - 23m
Nearest Dive Centres to LA GIRAFE
- ACQUASPORT di Mazzi Stefano & C.S.n.c.
- A PIAGHJA DIVING CALVI - SSI, PADI
- Aquanautic Elba - SSI
- ARGENTARIO DIVERS SRL - PADI, SSI, UTD
- ARGENTARIO - OBI DIVING
- A.S.D. AMICI DI NEMO - SSI
Marine Life in Corsica
Home to 225 recorded species including 146 reef fish, 35 sharks & rays, 9 seagrass & algae, 8 whales & dolphins, 8 other, 5 hard corals.
Notable Species
- Mediterranean tapeweed (Posidonia oceanica) - Seagrass & Algae
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) - Reef Fish
- Moonfish (Mola mola) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Razorback (Balaenoptera physalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Corb (Sciaena umbra) - Reef Fish
- Scarlet Coral (Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) europaea) - Hard Corals
- Bushy Coral (Cladocora caespitosa) - Hard Corals
- Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
- Damsel fish (Chromis chromis) - Reef Fish
- Red coral (Corallium rubrum) - Soft Corals
- Blotched Picarel (Spicara maena) - Reef Fish
- Bogue (Boops boops) - Reef Fish
- Sunset cup coral (Leptopsammia pruvoti) - Hard Corals
- Painted Comber (Serranus scriba) - Reef Fish
- Ornate Wrasse (Thalassoma pavo) - Reef Fish
- Devil fish (Mobula mobular) - Sharks & Rays
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Salema (Sarpa salpa) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for LA GIRAFE
Based on average water temperature of 13.9°C.
- Wetsuit (5-7mm) - recommended for 14°C water
- Hood & Gloves (3-5mm) - helps retain warmth
- 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