Explore Arenzano
Diving in Arenzano, nestled along Italy's Ligurian coast, offers a captivating experience for both recreational and technical divers. The deep, azure waters of the Ligurian Sea serve as a gateway to an underwater world teeming with history and marine life. A standout feature is the Haven oil tanker wreck, accessible to recreational divers, which lies beneath the waves as a silent giant. This wreck, alongside numerous others, provides a unique glimpse into the past, with remnants of merchant and military vessels hailing from Italy, France, and Germany.
Arenzano's two dive centers cater to a range of diving preferences, ensuring that both novices and experienced divers can find their niche. One center extends its services with a dive resort experience, partnering with local hotels for convenience and offering courses for all skill levels. The other specializes in technical diving courses, perfect for those looking to explore deeper sites. Whether embarking on a shore dive or setting out on a boat, divers are met with relatively good visibility and a diverse marine ecosystem. Seasonal changes bring in varied marine species, offering surprising encounters with the inhabitants of these historic waters.
Dive Activity
Diving in Arenzano
In Arenzano, the majority of diving is technical diving, descending onto wrecks that range from 60 meters/197 feet to 115 meters/377 feet deep. The Haven Wreck can be explored by divers who have the advanced and deep diver specialty certification, where they can reach depths of 40 meters/131 feet. There is also a unique underwater gym set up specifically for dive courses, exercises, and equipment tests. The gym consists of 25 concrete cubes, cylinders, and pyramids at a depth of 15 meters/49 feet to 25 meters/82 feet, available to divers of all levels.
Top Wildlife Sightings in Arenzano
The star of the show while scuba diving in Arenzano are the wrecks themselves however a myriad of small fish also flit around the ship’s ruins. Encrusted with coral and anemones, the wrecks are an excellent refuge for scorpionfish while occasionally, barracuda and large groupers can be witnessed patrolling the wrecks.
Descending down onto the deep wrecks, divers can observe the vessel’s machine control rooms and swim through the body of the wreck, which is devoid of light, with only their torch to guide them. The vessels range from an oil tanker, steamship as well as vessels that once belonged to the German Navy.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 200
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 300
Octopus
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 250
Grouper/Basslets
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 110
Snapper
The best Months to Dive in Arenzano
Scuba diving in Arenzano is best during the summer months, from July to September, when the water reaches a maximum temperature of 28°C/82°F. However, if you don’t mind the cold and wearing a thicker wetsuit, the minimum water temperature is in January and reaches around 18°C/64°F. While scuba diving at the Haven Wreck, visibility is almost always good, no matter what time you visit.