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Dive Review of Sea Point Centro Subacqueo/N/A in
General Travel/Other Locations/Naples, Italy

Sea Point Centro Subacqueo/N/A: "Bigger than Pompeii and not nearly as crowded!", Aug, 2019,

by Ellen Marie Smith, MN, US (Sr. Contributor Sr. Contributor 24 reports with 12 Helpful votes). Report 11284 has 1 Helpful vote.

Photos Submitted with this Report


Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions

Portus Julius Pillars Villa A Protiro Villa A Protiro Emperor Claudio�s Sunken Nymphaeum
Villa A Protiro Villa A Protiro Emperor Claudio�s Sunken Nymphaeum Emperor Claudio�s Sunken Nymphaeum Naples Bay
Naples Bay Naples Bay

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations N/A Food N/A
Service and Attitude N/A Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments The reason to dive in Baia is to see underwater archeological sites that date back to 200 BC.
More info about the sites here: [parcoarcheologicosommersodibaia.it link]

Here are the sites that we dove (we did all 3 in one afternoon). We had snorkelers above us on 2 dives but I didn’t even notice them while in the water. I had only my 3 mil along (we were on the way to the Red Sea) and I got cold by the end of the dives. Very friendly divestaff: owner Edo, his wife Angelica, and Marco (divemaster who is also a dentist in town). My husband spoke Italian with them and they had no problems speaking English with me.

Portus Julius Description: Diverse pillars presumably providing protection to Portus Julius. (Julius Villa and bath) The pillars are richly colonized with abundant flora and fauna. There are numerous active fumaroles (bubbles coming up from the ocean floor from volcanic activity) that attest the volcanic origin of this area. The fumaroles are columns of gaseous bubbles that escape from the sea bed depositing sulfur which covers the surrounding seafloor. More here: [seapointitaly.it link]

Emperor Claudio’s Sunken Nymphaeum: Submerged remains of Emperor Claudius' nymphaeum (the original statues are on display in the Phlegraean Fields' Archaeological Museum in the Aragonese Castle in Baia, the ones at the dive site are replicas). At the site, view the reconstruction of the marble statues, the main street Herclanea, and the surrounding thermal bath complex. In January 2010 the restoration work on the rooms of the ancient nymphaeum and on a section of the Herculaneum street was completed; copies of the statues were placed in the rooms that originally housed them. There are underwater explanatory panels, which leads to the statue of little Ottavia Claudia and two figures of the god Bacchus, then to Baios carved in the act of filling the cup with Ulysses so that he can offer it to the Cyclops.
The dive continues along a stretch of the extraordinary Via Herculanea (Herculanea Street, lined with bathhouses). The mosaic floors are covered in rubble; the divemasters uncover them so that you may photograph and them recover them to protect them. More here: [seapointitaly.it link]

Villa A Protiro description: This site (which was my personal favorite) is representative of the urban structures in ancient Baia: a road with several taverns and a private villa. The Protiro Villa has a series of rooms with a central atrium to provide them with light. There are wonderful mosaics made up of black and white tiles laid in a hexagonal pattern. The name Protiro translates as a "colonnaded doorway" and comes from the villa's particular little colonnade. Once again, the divemasters uncover the mosaics - they are dedicated to preserving these beautiful relics for generations. More here: [seapointitaly.it link]
Websites Sea Point Centro Subacqueo   N/A

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving Red Sea (North and South), Galapagos, Hawaii, Caribbean (Cozumel, Belize, Turneffe, Utila, Turks & Caicos, St. Martin, Nevis & St. Kitts, Roatan), California (Catalina), False Bay (South Africa), Cocos Island, Socorro Islands, Baia & Ustica (Italy), Yap, Palau, & Truk, Thailand (Surin Islands).
Closest Airport Naples or Rome Getting There Baia is located near Naples in the Bay of Naples. We drove from the Rome Airport (about 3 hours each way)

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 77-77°F / 25-25°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 30-40 Ft/ 9-12 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile ?
Enforced diving restrictions The Parco Archeologico Sommerso di Baia sites are very shallow (max 35 ft or so, most less) and the only reason to come up is the cold! Generally an hour or so.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available?

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales None
Corals N/A Tropical Fish N/A
Small Critters N/A Large Fish N/A
Large Pelagics N/A

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments None on the boat, rinse with hose at dive center near the pier. Boat ride is 3-5 min tops!
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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