COLOMBO DO FARO - Ustica

Colombo do Faro, oh, this one’s a beauty, but it asks for respect. This isn't some pristine, upright wreck, mind you. The Colombo, a merchant ship, sank in the 1930s, leaving behind a debris field of twisted metal and broken timbers scattered across a sandy seabed at 25 metres. We love how it feels like an archaeological site, each dive revealing a new piece of its story. Currents here can be a real factor, so we'd suggest picking a calm day, maybe late morning after the initial boat traffic has passed. You’ll find moray eels tucked into every crevice, often with their heads peeking out, watching you drift by. Schools of damselfish shimmer above the wreckage, and we’ve often spotted large dusky groupers cruising past the more intact sections of the hull. It’s a dive that rewards careful exploration, a slow journey through history rather than a quick peek. Our favourite part? Finding the scattered porcelain plates and old bottles, remnants of a life cut short, now home to tube worms and tiny crabs. This is for the divers who appreciate a wreck with a narrative, who don't mind getting a little sandy as they piece together the past.

Location: Ustica, Italy, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates: 37.917330, 15.783167
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 25m

Marine Protected Area: Spiaggia di Pilati

Best Time to Dive in Ustica

The warmest water temperatures in Ustica occur in January, averaging 15.5°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 15.5°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 15.5°C (air: 13.6°C)
February: 15.5°C (air: 13.5°C)
March: 15.5°C (air: 13.6°C)
April: 15.5°C (air: 15.0°C)
May: 15.5°C (air: 18.5°C)
June: 15.5°C (air: 22.7°C)
July: 15.5°C (air: 26.4°C)
August: 15.5°C (air: 27.0°C)
September: 15.5°C (air: 24.9°C)
October: 15.5°C (air: 21.6°C)
November: 15.5°C (air: 18.6°C)
December: 15.5°C (air: 15.3°C)

Nearest Dive Centres to COLOMBO DO FARO

Marine Life in Ustica

Home to 63 recorded species including 41 reef fish, 4 whales & dolphins, 3 other, 3 hard corals, 3 crabs & lobsters, 2 seagrass & algae.

Notable Species

loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
Salema (Sarpa salpa) - Reef Fish
Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
Ornate Wrasse (Thalassoma pavo) - Reef Fish
Painted Comber (Serranus scriba) - Reef Fish
Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) - Reef Fish
mauve stinger (Pelagia noctiluca) - Jellyfish
Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
Damsel fish (Chromis chromis) - Reef Fish
Scarlet Coral (Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) europaea) - Hard Corals
Garrupa (Serranus cabrilla) - Reef Fish
Bushy Coral (Cladocora caespitosa) - Hard Corals
Parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense) - Reef Fish
Mediterranean tapeweed (Posidonia oceanica) - Seagrass & Algae
Sunset cup coral (Leptopsammia pruvoti) - Hard Corals
Common Spiny Lobster (Palinurus elephas) - Crabs & Lobsters
Yellow Barracuda (Sphyraena viridensis) - Reef Fish
Pink Sea Fan (Eunicella verrucosa) - Soft Corals
Boarfish (Capros aper) - Reef Fish
Bellowfish (Macroramphosus scolopax) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for COLOMBO DO FARO

Based on average water temperature of 15.5°C.

Wetsuit (5-7mm) - recommended for 15°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