Relitto Sarchiapone - Portofino & Liguria
The Relitto Sarchiapone isn't just a hunk of metal; it’s a time capsule, a casualty of World War II, lying just off Portofino. At 31 metres, it's an intermediate dive, perfect for those who've done a few deeper recreational dives and want something more substantial than a reef. We love the way the light filters down, illuminating the ship’s skeletal remains, particularly its bow. You'll fin down to the main deck, often finding big scorpionfish hunkered down, camouflaged against the rust. The stern, where the prop would have been, is our favourite section; it feels incredibly atmospheric, a silent testament to its past. Look for nudibranchs, often tiny jewels, clinging to the gorgonians that have started to colonise the wreck. Entry can sometimes be a bit choppy, so we’d suggest going on a calmer morning for the best experience. It's a proper wreck dive, offering that slightly eerie, incredibly rewarding feeling of exploring history underwater.
- Location
- Portofino & Liguria, Italy, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 44.335300, 9.248200
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 31m
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Marine Protected Area: Fondali Golfo di Rapallo
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 Relitto Sarchiapone
- 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