South of Livorno , nestled between the hamlets of Antignano and Quercianella, lies the Romito cliff.
The two ancient watchtowers, later transformed into Art Nouveau villas, are known by locals with the imaginative epithet of "castle": the "Castello del Boccale" and the "Castello del Sonnino" mark the ends of the cliff. The most famous (and accessible) dive spot on this part of the coast is undoubtedly the Calafuria cove , which is why all dives in this area are commonly referred to as "Calafuria" dives.
This is true even if you didn't start from land, but dived from a comfortable boat operated by one of the local diving centers . The cliffs are very high, in some places 15-20 meters above the sea, and thus offer evocative views. Calafuria Cove, on the other hand, offers a quiet inlet, where access to the sea is protected and easier.
Due to its unique features, the underwater section of the Romito reef, "Calafuria," is a magnet for all divers in the area. In particular, the rich benthic fauna found there is unique in its variety and quantity; for this reason, it is sometimes referred to as " The Magic Mile ."
The morphology
Above water, the reef extends for a couple of kilometers. Underwater, the wall extends almost 200 meters from the shore before reaching the bottom. The descent slopes down between crags and terraces until it reaches the seabed at 40-45 meters. The plateaus closest to the surface are covered by a long meadow of seagrass running southeast. Moving across the strip of underwater grass, toward the open sea, you reach the point where the rock walls reveal themselves, before descending to the maximum depth possible. Depending on the location, you may encounter pinnacles, terraces, or vertical walls, forming a variety of ravines and canyons that make every dive at Calafuria an exploration.
Biology
Each depth has its own peculiarities and inhabitants. The first biome is represented by the kingdom of Posidonia . It is one of the areas that particularly enchants this writer. We are not at abysmal depths and the sunlight easily penetrates the water, highlighting the green of the colonizing plant. We are in the depth range of 10 to 15 meters. It is an area frequented by inhabitants of the Mediterranean shallows. Large carousels of salema, damselfish, and white sea bream add color. Octopus and cuttlefish are easily found here, and looking among the schools it is easy to identify sea bream, common mullet, amberjack, and wrasse. Groupers and snappers are the super predators that dominate this bathymetry, but they are generally shy and not very confident, given that they are highly sought after prey for freedivers. Depending on the season and a little closer to the surface, you can also encounter barracudas, eagle rays, and schools of sardines.
The kingdom of red coral
Where the Posidonia ends, from 20 meters onwards, the kingdom of red coral begins , truly abundant even at unusual depths. In some places, coral colonies can be found at only 12 meters. The coral is shy, typically preferring vertical rocks less exposed to light, or crevices, or the undersides of rocks. The wall of the North-West dive site is very evocative, laden with branches formed by large colonies of these coelenterates. It is frequently found alongside schools of lobsters, which adorn the wall with their antennae. The coralligenous area is very rich and enriched by the presence of other life: yellow sponges, anemones, actinia, cerianthus, and many colorful nudibranchs . Parazoanthus, present in large colonies, also offers flashes of bright yellow that form a beautiful contrast with the red coral. If you pay attention, you can easily find nudibranchs, flabellinas, umbracula, and even Alicia mirabilis. The latter are strictly open only at night.
The red gorgonians and the deep wall
From 30 meters down, red gorgonians , Paramuricea clavata, begin to appear, which are undoubtedly the queens of these depths. The alcyonarians are frequently inhabited by astrospartus, the gorgon starfish, or crinoids, sea lilies. Specimens of Astrospartus mediterraneus, very common here, begin to appear from 20-30 meters down, where red gorgonians are present. These are usually accompanied by yellow or white eunicella or specimens of leptogorgia. Here we are in the deepest part of the reef, which reaches the bottom at 35-40 meters. Moray eels , conger eels , and forkbeards peek out from the cavities and watch the divers warily, while here and there scorpionfish rest, as if asleep, among the gorgonians. At times, aided by the darkness and that hint of narcosis afforded by the depth, the torchlit landscape seems to be made of the same substance as dreams.
Depending on the location, the seabed can be sandy or muddy. With a little attention, you can find slipper lobsters, but with greater difficulty, rays and soles, the latter being decidedly difficult to spot. Another complication is that good visibility in Calafuria isn't always a given.
Visibility and sea conditions in Calafuria
In fact, this area of Livorno is located south of the estuary of a large river, the Arno, and the Calafuria cliff rises from a seabed that is muddy at times and is backed by hills that, when it rains, discharge torrential streams into the sea.
For this reason, weather and currents can significantly affect visibility conditions, which generally tend to be better at intermediate depths of 10-20 metres and more “difficult” in the 30-40 metre range.
The truth is that visibility forecasts in Calafuria are a recurring topic among local divers, an inexhaustible source of speculation on how to predict it, an endless array of rules and regulations, all regularly violated, one way or another. To minimize risks, the author suggests relying on local diving centers , who, with years of experience, can recommend the best dive site and depth based on weather conditions. This is to minimize the risk of diving "into the milk."
Despite all this, it's not uncommon to find good, if not excellent, visibility, especially in summer. In these cases, it's possible to admire the majesty of the vertical walls or the plateaus covered in gorgonians and fully enjoy the vivid colors that the coralligenous sea offers.
The historical finds
Beyond its natural beauty, Calafuria has a history that intersects with the Etruscan and Roman eras , serving as a landing place and refuge for ships sailing the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is thought that the toponym likely derives from the fact that the cove could offer improvised shelter to ships caught in the fury of storms. The presence of ancient ships has left traces that are still visible today. Shards of amphorae and pottery, partially concretioned by time, are visible at many dive sites. Evidence of accidents and ancient shipwrecks demonstrates how the site was an important and significant location even in ancient times.
An ecosystem to protect
Having reached the end of this article, the author hopes to have conveyed the beauty and naturalistic importance of this part of the Tuscan coast. The Calafuria reef is an important and precious ecosystem . Its proximity to large urban areas (south of Livorno, north of Castiglioncello) also makes it fragile and constantly in danger. Abandoned nets damage the reef, improvised coral hunters, lobster trappers, and all those for whom the sea is essentially just a resource to be exploited, while there remains the opportunity. Unfortunately, we tend to neglect the things we have most readily available, forgetting that not all places are the same; some are magical and perhaps deserve special attention.
Photographs by Alberto Checchi.
