Nardò, Apulia, Italy

Secca di Santa Caterina di Nardò

Secca di Santa Caterina di Nardò is an offshore limestone shoal on the Ionian coast of Salento near Nardò, within the Porto Cesareo Marine Protected Area. The shoal rises from a sandy and Posidonia oceanica plain at about 30 metres to a top near 12 metres, with stepped rocky terraces and small swim-throughs. The Posidonia meadows surrounding the shoal are remarkably extensive and protected as a habitat of community interest. The walls below 18 metres support yellow Eunicella cavolini fans, encrusting orange Astroides calycularis on shaded faces, yellow Parazoanthus axinellae and red and yellow sponges. Resident species include dusky groupers, brown meagre, octopus, moray eels and scorpionfish; salema and damselfish schools, sea breams and ornate wrasses are common; pipefish, juvenile bream and the occasional seahorse inhabit the Posidonia. Visibility is typically 12–22 metres; currents around the shoal are moderate. Boat access only.