Christ of the Abyss - Portofino & Liguria
Dropping into San Fruttuoso Bay to see the Christ of the Abyss is more than just a dive, it’s a moment. The statue itself, a serene bronze figure reaching towards the surface, rests at 17 metres. We love how the light plays on it, especially on a sunny afternoon, dappling through the water and giving it an almost ethereal glow. It’s a straightforward dive, perfect for beginners, or anyone who appreciates a unique photo opportunity. We usually find schools of salema circling the statue, and if you look closely amongst the rocks nearby, you’ll spot corb, curious wrasse, and sometimes even a grumpy sea scorpion camouflaged against the stone. Don't expect huge pelagics or walls of coral here; this is a dive about atmosphere and history, set against the backdrop of the Mediterranean's unique beauty. Our favourite time to visit is early morning before the tour boats arrive, making the experience even more peaceful.
- Location
- Portofino & Liguria, Italy, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 44.312000, 9.171000
- Maximum Depth
- 12-17m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Fondali Monte Portofino
Nearby Dive Sites in Portofino & Liguria
- Abyss Diving Center (wreck)
- Accademia Blu Diving Center
- Airplane Wreck WWII (wreck)
- ALFREDO CAPPELLINI - 7m (wreck)
- Ancorone
- Andrea Ghisotti (ex Scoglio del Raviolo)
- Argentarola Caves - 10-30m (cave)
- ARMATAN III - 22m (wreck)
- ASD POSIDONIA
- Baia di Castiglioncello - 10m
- Bettolina - 30m
- Biboz - 49m
- Bigo - 26m
- BOLZANETO - 55m (wreck)
- BR20
Nearest Dive Centres to Christ of the Abyss
- 2.0 Diving - ["PADI"]
- 7 Perle ASD - ["PADI"]
- A 2.0
- Abissi s.r.l.
- Accademia Blu Diving Center
- ACQUA ACADEMY ASD - SSI
Marine Life in Portofino & Liguria
Home to 73 recorded species including 37 reef fish, 9 sharks & rays, 8 whales & dolphins, 4 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 hard corals, 3 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Bushy Coral (Cladocora caespitosa) - Hard Corals
- Damsel fish (Chromis chromis) - Reef Fish
- Red coral (Corallium rubrum) - Soft Corals
- Sunset cup coral (Leptopsammia pruvoti) - Hard Corals
- Corb (Sciaena umbra) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Scarlet Coral (Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) europaea) - Hard Corals
- Pink Sea Fan (Eunicella verrucosa) - Soft Corals
- Razorback (Balaenoptera physalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Common Spiny Lobster (Palinurus elephas) - Crabs & Lobsters
- mauve stinger (Pelagia noctiluca) - Jellyfish
- Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
- Painted Comber (Serranus scriba) - Reef Fish
- Salema (Sarpa salpa) - Reef Fish
- Garrupa (Serranus cabrilla) - Reef Fish
- Moonfish (Mola mola) - Reef Fish
- Cuvier's Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris) - Whales & Dolphins
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- conger (Conger conger) - Reef Fish