Diving in Cala Martingana and Cala Rotonda
The seabed of Cala Martingana and Cala Rotonda in Pantelleria offer an interesting underwater itinerary.
The seabed in this area is characterized by an enormous flow of volcanic rock which forms two large and monumental walls which they rise from the sandy bottom and end a few meters below the sea surface. The two walls of the tongue of rock are full of ravines where moray eels, lobsters and, in the deepest cracks, shrimps find shelter. Of particular interest is the presence of double crown spirographs .
Cala Tramontana and the adjacent Cala Levante have also been used since ancient times as shelters and landings, in fact various archaeological emergencies due to the probable presence of at least three wrecks. On the seabed of Cala Tramontana, a treasure of about 4000 Punic coins and a considerable quantity of raw and worked red flint were found, which gave rise to the hypothesis of existence of a fourth wreck dating back to prehistoric times.
The underwater itinerary begins at a depth of about 8 meters on a seabed of oceanic posidonia that slopes gently towards a sandy plateau. At a depth of 18 meters you meet the wreck of a modern fishing boat beyond which the first archaeological finds are visible: fragments of Punic amphorae, lithic anchors, a stone anchor stump, and fragments of various pottery. Continuing on, you can find Punic amphorae, Greco-Italic amphorae, a stone mill, an imperial age amphora and a two-hole lithic anchor.
