Capri, Campania, Italy

Grotta dei Gamberi

Grotta dei Gamberi, the 'Cave of the Shrimps', is one of the deepest and most atmospheric cave dives of Capri, on the island's southwestern wall. The entrance opens around 38–40 metres at the base of a vertical limestone cliff and continues into a shallow chamber. The cave is named for the red shrimps (Plesionika narval) that swarm on the walls and ceiling of the chamber, glittering when illuminated by torchlight. The walls inside and around the cave host encrusting orange Astroides calycularis, yellow Parazoanthus axinellae and red and yellow sponges; the outer wall above the entrance supports yellow Eunicella cavolini fans and patches of red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata). Resident species include slipper lobsters, conger eels, scorpionfish, octopus, moray eels and dusky groupers near the entrance. Visibility along the wall is typically 12–22 metres; currents can be moderate. Reserved for advanced divers due to depth and overhead environment.