Christ of the Abyss
Dive into a Sacred Underwater World at Christ of the Abyss
Located on the eastern side of the bay of San Fruttuoso, just outside Zone B of the Portofino Marine Protected Area, this dive site is both scenic and deeply symbolic. The bronze statue of the Christ of the Abyss was commissioned by Duilio Marcante, a pioneer of scuba diving, to honour and protect divers and seafarers. It was originally placed on 29 August 1954 atop a large concrete pedestal, then restored and repositioned on a new base on 17 July 2004. Today, the statue rests with its base at -12 metres and its head rising to -8 metres, welcoming divers from around the world.
The dive itself offers much more than a spiritual encounter. Surrounded by a breathtaking underwater landscape, divers can explore coral-covered walls, deep cracks, pinnacles, and large boulders where groupers, lobsters, and pelagic predators often roam. While not officially within the protected zone, the area remains a favourite among divers and is best enjoyed in calm seas with good visibility—especially when conditions prevent access to more exposed sites in the reserve.
🔴 RED ROUTE (down to -40 m)
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After the pre-dive check, we’ll descend beneath the boat, which is moored fore and aft to the two buoys closest to the statue.
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During the descent, we’ll pass beside the statue but save time to observe and photograph it on our return.
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Our objective is to visit the stunning wall rich in red coral and gorgonians, full of cracks and crevices where conger eels, lobsters, forkbeards, and other marine life take shelter.
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After passing between a large boulder on the left and a pinnacle on the right, we’ll descend along the wall, keeping it on our left.
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At -36 m, we’ll find a wide vertical crevice—shine your torch inside for the best view.
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Once we reach -40 m, we’ll begin to ascend through a recessed area scattered with large rocks.
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At -20 m, we’ll continue south-east along a rocky plateau covered in Posidonia seagrass, where predators often appear from the blue. Large brown groupers swim undisturbed through this area, often coming quite close to divers.
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Ascending further to about -13 m, we’ll begin making our way back toward the bay, now with the wall on our right.
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Giant boulders stacked on top of one another create striking natural passageways.
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Maintaining a depth of around -12 m, we’ll arrive at the base of the Christ of the Abyss statue.
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Young groupers often peek out from the small rocks surrounding the large pedestal, watching divers with curiosity.
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We’ll take a few minutes to photograph the statue before performing our 3-minute safety stop at -5 m, swimming near the wall behind the statue.
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During the final ascent, it’s very important to stay close to our boat. As this site lies outside the Portofino Marine Protected Area, it is not fully protected from passing motorboats, even though regulations require vessels to stay at least 100 metres from dive boats and switch off their engines near the statue’s buoys.
🟢 GREEN ROUTE (down to -18 m)
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After the pre-dive check, we’ll descend near the mooring buoy chain.
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We’ll be close to the statue but will take time to admire it on the way back.
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At -18 m, we’ll pass through a small canyon formed by a large boulder on the left and a pinnacle on the right.
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We’ll glide over a stretch of Posidonia seagrass, where large brown groupers often appear to welcome us.
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Looking out into the blue, we may see schools of hunting dentex weaving through the clouds of damselfish.
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Once we reach 100 bar, we’ll turn back, zigzagging through enormous boulders stacked along the return path, creating stunning natural passageways.
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At around -12 m, we’ll reach the base of the statue and take a few minutes to capture some memorable photos.
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Our 3-minute safety stop at -5 m will be done near the wall behind the statue in the bay.
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As we ascend to the surface, we’ll stay close to our boat due to the presence of motorboat traffic, which may still pass through despite the regulation requiring a 100-metre buffer around dive vessels.
Dive Christ of the Abyss with Diving Group Portofino
- Location: San Fruttuoso Bay (just outside Zone B of the Portofino Marine Protected Area)
- Access: Boat dive
- Best conditions: Calm sea, good visibility
- Depth: 18 m (Green Route) | 40 m (Red Route)
- Difficulty: From beginner to advanced
Ready to explore one of the most iconic and meaningful dive sites in the Mediterranean? Book your dive at Christ of the Abyss with Portofino Diving Group today!
