Destinations > Regions > Mediterranean > France > Scuba safari in Corsica
Diving adventures with plane wrecks and porpoises
Working with local guides and agents, YACHTZOO can create a tailored programme of fascinating scuba dives to some of the most celebrated sites in the world, located off the coast of Corsica.
The medieval citadel of Calvi is one of the most prominent landmarks of the north Corsican town, but what many yacht charterers who visit this charming port do not realise is that just 27 metres below the water’s surface lies a historical WW2 dive site. The wreck of a Boeing B-17 bomber plane, shot down by enemy forces, sunk to the seabed and made for an eerie spot to explore. Although there has been some deterioration of the plane’s fuselage, its main shape including the wings and engines remain in relatively good condition.
The aircraft wreck is located on the edge of the remote Scandola Nature Reserve, which covers roughly 1,000 hectares of water in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Gulf of Porto, as well as 900 hectares of difficult-to-reach terrain. The reserve is located on the site of a volcano that collapsed into the sea, leaving the Scandola Peninsula with its ochre-red rocks jutting out of the water around this scrubby landscape. It is a fantastic place to take your charter superyacht in Corsica, with common sightings of local seal and dolphin colonies as well as osprey, bald eagles and Peregrine falcons.
Diving within the reserve is also recommended, and those who explore under the water will likely see many of the 125 recorded species of invertebrates, coral, gorgonians, grouper, moray eels, tuna and swordfish.
Head south to the Lavezzi Islands Nature Reserve, located between Corsica and Sardinia, to discover the reserve’s 80,000 hectares by scuba diving. A particular highlight of this area is “Grouper City”, an area of rocks between 17 and 31 metres below the water’s surface which is famous for this gargantuan fish species that can reach up to 100 kilos and 1.5 metres in length. For those who are not trained scuba divers, the Lavezzi Islands also offer some great snorkelling spots teeming with colourful fish.
Photo credit: Arnaud Abadie
