Grotta dei Cervi (the Cave of Deer)

 

It is one of the most important caves in Sardinia and in the entire Mediterranean area, both from a naturalistic and scientific point of view. Inside, there is a rich fossil deposit made up of bones of Sardinian deer, belonging to the Megaloceros cazioti algarensis species, which lived in this area when the lands were above sea level, between 120,000 and 75,000  years ago.

The underwater route, which is accessible to most divers, starts inside the cliff of Punta Giglio, at the eastern entrance of the Porto Conte bay.

Departure: the cave is 5 minutes away from the ArchiMete tourist centre by rubber boat.

Route: the cave is on three levels and the exploration is quite easy and suitable to most divers.

Depth: maximum 22 metres, the cave entrance is at 8 metres depth.

To see: just point your flashlight towards the walls, and you can admire calcite arabesques and stalactites, which create the natural frame of a small lake overlooking the inside of an air chamber inside the cliff. The air is breathable thanks to some cracks in the rocks which allow air in from outside. On the lake’s shore, divers can safely leave BCDs, flippers and weights behind, obviously being careful to not damage stalactites and arabesque rocks. Once you are free of your equipment, after a few metres, you will enter a niche which contains a fossil deposit consisting of the bones of Sardinian deer:  the long bones, skulls, lower jaws and imposing antlers of these animals, which widely populated the entire area of Porto Conte tens of thousands of years ago, are perfectly preserved. Remember that during that period, the entire area was above sea level. Paleontologists presume that the deer were probably looking for shelter from bad weather inside the cave, but that maybe, due to the darkness or the crowding of many animals, fell into a narrow and deep part of the cave, which turned into a death trap.

Length of the exploration: 1 hour

Price includes: scuba tank and ballast, transfer by rubber boat, diving and naturalistic guide inside the cave, washing and storage of the equipment.

Further information: the tourist centre ArchiMete offers the possibility to buy cheap diving packages, which allow one to experience the wonders of the Protected Marine Area of Capo Caccia-Isola Piana. The offer can be combined with trekking and snorkeling routes, in addition to naturalistic activities proposed by ArchiMete. See also the section “Discover our offers” on the homepage of the website.