VETOR SECONDO - Ustica

Ustica offers some seriously good diving, and the *Vetor Secondo* is one of our favourite shallow wrecks. This old tanker ran aground back in '93, but time and weather have really transformed it. You’ll find the bow section completely out of the water, a stark, rusty reminder of its past, but slip beneath the surface and a whole new world opens up. The stern lies around five metres deep, perfect for a long, relaxed dive or even a snorkel. We love how the metal has softened with marine growth; it’s not jagged and broken, more like a lived-in reef. Look for schools of juvenile barracuda shimmering around the structure, darting in and out of the holds. The light quality here is incredible, especially mid-morning, with shafts piercing through the water column and illuminating vibrant nudibranchs clinging to the corroded hull. It’s an easy dive, suitable for anyone, and offers a fantastic chance to really get to know a wreck intimately without any depth concerns.

Location: Ustica, Italy, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates: 37.991665, 12.411667
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 5m

Marine Protected Area: Stagnone di Marsala e Saline di Trapani - area marina e terrestre

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 VETOR SECONDO

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 VETOR SECONDO

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