TOSCA - Ustica
Diving the *Tosca* on Ustica is a journey into a specific piece of wartime history. This steamship, sunk in 1943, rests upright at 51 meters, making it a dive for experienced wreck enthusiasts with appropriate training. We often find the visibility here can be excellent, and as you descend, the sheer scale of the ship becomes clear, covered in a patina of growth. Groupers, typically large and resident, patrol the deck, and we've seen schools of barracuda circling the mast structure. It’s a deep, contemplative dive, best enjoyed on a calm day when you can take your time to appreciate the wreck's structure and the sea life it now hosts.
- Location
- Ustica, Italy, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 38.192635, 14.897616
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 51m
Marine Protected Area: Riserva naturale orientata Laghetti di Marinello
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)
Nearby Dive Sites in Ustica
- ALMERIAN - 16m (wreck)
- AMICIZIA - 17m (wreck)
- Apogon
- Arenata - 1m (wreck)
- ARIADNE - 8m (wreck)
- ARIANNA - 3m (wreck)
- ARIS - 2m (wreck)
- ARTURO VOLPE - 10m (wreck)
- ASO - 30m (wreck)
- ATALIA - 5m (wreck)
- ATLA - 31m (wreck)
- Atlantis Bay (reef)
- AZZURRA SECONDA - 4m (wreck)
- Baia Verde
- Bellatrix (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to TOSCA
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 TOSCA
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