Punta Pennello (Brush Point)

The shoal of Punta Pennello is a very large shoal with a particular geological conformation located in the westernmost area of the island of Giannutri and which allows underwater itineraries for all tastes.

We will begin our dive at the edge of the plateau, from which begins an eyelash that sinks into the blue up to over 40 meters. The Posidonia meadow constitutes the precious habitat for an enormous variety of animal and vegetable species, starting with the pinna nobilis, a bivalve mollusc which is going through a difficult moment due to a protozoan which is destroying entire populations.

Numerous caves and grottoes follow one another along the wall, some are mapped and cataloged and have real fresh water sources inside.

There are many possible itineraries to follow: the most suitable choice for recreational divers is to dive aiming in the direction of the island of Giglio reaching a beautiful wall that leads us to a first cave, very colorful, always populated by shrimps, forkbeards, lobsters and spirographs… in this direction the ciliate continues towards the second cave offering large boulders covered with gorgonians and encrusting sponges.

Going up on the Posidonia bed which leads us to the cove where we moored, we often come across a large herd of barracuda.

The second itinerary is different. For this dive it would be ideal to use the scooter given the distance to travel along the jagged path towards what is called the “second shoal of Punta Pennello”.

Following the ridge towards the external part of the shoal we will find ourselves skirting a spectacular backdrop that verticalizes forming a very fissured and colorful wall, here and there split into ravines and caves of various sizes populated by lobsters, lobsters, shrimps, forkbeards.

At this point, if you want to stay within a depth of 55\60 metres, you can simply skirt the wall and explore the entire shoal until you return, on the other side of the point, on the side facing Punta Ischiaiola.

If, on the other hand, you want to continue, when you arrive at the 3rd cave (Venus cave) just keep it behind you and exit towards the outside, pointing the compass towards the west. At this point you find yourself on a sandy slope rich in hydrozoans (lytocarpia myriophyllum) until you reach the western end of the shoal. Here a limestone monolith sinks over 90 meters full of life and with a beautiful colony of black coral (Antypatella subpinnata).

This is a magical place, where large specimens of sunfish (Mola Mola) are often encountered.

Pay particular attention to the often strong currents, especially on the shoal cap and the nets and old fishing gear abandoned along the edge of the shoal, right on the edge of the “protected” area of the island, where fishing is not allowed.