Safety · Destination Guide
Three marine parks, four coast clusters, and the vertical heart of Mediterranean diving
The main operational risks are current, cold exposure, boat traffic, rapidly changing sea state, depth, and the temptation to overreach for a famous site. Use an authorized local operator, make the first dive a realistic check dive, and accept site substitutions. For a suspected diving injury, provide oxygen when trained, call 112 for local emergency response, contact the Coast Guard on 1530 for maritime rescue, and involve DAN Europe. Do not drive a symptomatic diver to a chamber without medical coordination.
Liguria's specialist hyperbaric reference is at Policlinico San Martino in Genoa. Access should be coordinated through local emergency services and diving-medicine professionals rather than by self-referral after a suspected decompression illness or arterial gas embolism. Call 112 first for life-threatening symptoms, use 1530 when rescue is at sea, and contact DAN Europe for diving-specific triage and case coordination. Remote coves such as San Fruttuoso can require boat evacuation before road transport, which is another reason to dive with an organized operator carrying oxygen and reliable communications. Travel insurance should explicitly cover scuba or freediving to the planned depth, search and rescue, evacuation, recompression, and repatriation.
Current is site-specific and can be serious
Secca dell'Isuela can develop strong current, and exposed walls can create complex descent, separation, and pickup problems. Do not transfer a calm-bay expectation to an offshore shoal. Use the operator's descent line, stay with the guide, and carry an SMB appropriate to training.
Cold water and thermoclines
Winter water around Portofino can be roughly 12°C to 14°C, and deeper layers can feel much colder than the summer surface. Underdressing increases gas use, task loading, and fatigue. Select a suit for the deepest and longest planned profile, not the harbor temperature.
Mediterranean weather can erase the schedule
Wind, swell, rain runoff, and storms can reduce visibility, cancel ferries, close trails, and force dive-site swaps in any month. A protected cove and an exposed offshore shoal may have completely different conditions on the same day. Keep land alternatives and avoid nonrefundable same-day cross-coast connections.
Boat traffic is a surface hazard
Passenger ferries, private craft, dive boats, and swimmers share compact bays. Use the legally required flag and operator protocols, surface close to the planned exit, and never make an unmarked crossing of a harbor or navigation lane.
Portofino, Cinque Terre, and Bergeggi are separate marine protected areas. Read the current zone map for the exact activity. Zone A is normally the strictest, but a park may authorize designated guided routes that do not create general public access. At Bergeggi in 2026, scuba visits are guided through authorized centers, apnea in Zones B and C needs prior authorization, and swimming or snorkeling is prohibited in Zone A. The sea cave is closed to access and swimming from May through September.
Do Not Do This
Avoid entering when current is site-specific and can be serious. Confirm local briefings before committing.
| Contact | Role | Phone | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| European emergency number | Ambulance, fire, and police coordination in Italy | 112 | 24/7 |
| Italian Coast Guard | Maritime distress, search, and rescue | 1530 | 24/7 |
| DAN Europe Diving Emergency Hotline | Diving-medicine triage and assistance after local emergency activation | +39 06 4211 5685 | 24/7; first response available in English |