CANZONE DEL MAR - Naples & Campania
Canzone del Mar isn't a deep dive, not even close, but that's exactly what makes it special. We’re talking about a luxury yacht, sunk during a fire in 1975, now sitting in just two metres of water off Cape Palinuro. You can literally snorkel this wreck. Imagine gliding over the ghostly remains, the sun dappling through the shallow water, illuminating the twisted metal and the shadows it casts on the sand. We love how accessible it is. It's not a technical dive, it’s a beautiful historical encounter. Schools of damselfish shimmer around the superstructure, and if you look closely, you’ll spot octopuses tucked into crevices, their eyes watching you warily. The stern is particularly photogenic, with soft corals starting to bloom on the exposed sections. It’s a site that tells a story, perfect for a long, relaxed exploration, especially good if you're keen on freediving or just want to spend some serious time soaking in the atmosphere without worrying about bottom time.
- Location
- Naples & Campania, Italy, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 40.133335, 15.183333
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 2m
Wreck History - CANZONE DEL MAR
- Year Sunk
- 1975
- Vessel Type
- yacht
- Cause
- fire
The "Canzone del Mar," or "Song of the Sea," was a private yacht whose final moments were as dramatic as her name was poetic. On August 21, 1975, while sailing beneath the stunning cliffs of Cape Palinuro on the Italian coast, a fire broke out on board. The blaze raged out of control, and the vessel ultimately sank, resulting in the severe injury of one crew member. Her remains came to rest in exceptionally shallow water, where she was later classified as a dangerous wreck due to the hazard she posed to navigation. At just 2 meters deep, the site is not a scuba dive, but the wreckage can be explored by snorkelers and kayakers enjoying the beautiful Campanian coastline.
Marine Protected Area: Parco marino di Punta degli Infreschi
Nearby Dive Sites in Naples & Campania
- A. MAVONA - 6m (wreck)
- AMELIA S - 17m (wreck)
- ANNA MARIA JEVOLI - 10m (wreck)
- ANNUNZIATA MADRE - 14m (wreck)
- ASHANTI PALM - 5m (wreck)
- Baia Underwater Archaeological Park
- Banco di Santa Croce - 31m (reef)
- BETTOLINA (POSSIBLY) - 33m (wreck)
- BOA (Secche di Tor Paterno - 24m (reef)
- BOMBARDIERE - 30m (wreck)
- BONACCIA - 48m (wreck)
- Bracciano - 11m
- BRODNESS (PROBABLY) - 58m (wreck)
- Cala dei Turchi
- Cala della pergola
Nearest Dive Centres to CANZONE DEL MAR
Marine Life in Naples & Campania
Home to 142 recorded species including 91 reef fish, 20 sharks & rays, 5 hard corals, 5 other, 4 crabs & lobsters, 4 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- mauve stinger (Pelagia noctiluca) - Jellyfish
- Red coral (Corallium rubrum) - Soft Corals
- pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) - Reef Fish
- European fan-worm (Sabella spallanzanii) - Worms
- Bushy Coral (Cladocora caespitosa) - Hard Corals
- anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) - Reef Fish
- Mediterranean tapeweed (Posidonia oceanica) - Seagrass & Algae
- Herring (Sardinella aurita) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
- Common Spiny Lobster (Palinurus elephas) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Scarlet Coral (Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) europaea) - Hard Corals
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Garrick (Lichia amia) - Reef Fish
- Common torpedo (Torpedo torpedo) - Sharks & Rays
- Damsel fish (Chromis chromis) - Reef Fish
- Sunset cup coral (Leptopsammia pruvoti) - Hard Corals
- Spotted Dragonet (Callionymus maculatus) - Reef Fish
- Pink Sea Fan (Eunicella verrucosa) - Soft Corals
- eel (Anguilla anguilla) - Reef Fish
- Corkwing (Symphodus melops) - Reef Fish