Palinuro and Cilento · about 1 km from Palinuro
Tunnel del Camino (Capo Palinuro)
- Max depth39 m
- CertificationCavern
- SpecialExperienced divers
Diving and fills
Dive here with
Fills nearby
- Palinuro Sub Diving CenterCylinder fills and rental; gases not stated — ask about nitrox, trimix and O₂
- Diving Continente BluNot stated — ask
The dive
About ten metres inside the north entrance a sulphur spring wells up, one of the deepest found in the area. The tunnel floor is covered with dead Posidonia leaves carried in by the currents.
Profile and sections
About ten metres inside the north entrance a sulphur spring wells up, one of the deepest found in the area. The tunnel floor is covered with dead Posidonia leaves carried in by the currents. After some forty metres you reach the atrium of the south entrance, among large boulders; a steep muddy slope leads up to columns and stalactites where yellow-orange shrimp (Stenopus spinosus) with long white antennae live. Back in the atrium the vertical chimney that gives the dive its name opens above you, and the space is lit by blue daylight.
Practical: Palinuro Sub dives the tunnel and states no required certification; the level on this page is an estimate. You can go back through the tunnel, or out to the wall through the chimney or the south entrance; the centre advises checking time, depth and gas first.
- Depth and profile
- Tunnel of ~40 m parallel to the coast, from the north entrance to the atrium of the south entrance; the floor drops to -39 m in the middle (Palinuro Sub). The national cave registry gives the entrance at -31 m and 10 m of relief. Above the atrium a vertical chimney leads to the wall.
- Configuration
- Passage sizes not published: ask the centre which configuration fits.
- DPV: Not DPV-suitable (estimate)
- Short tunnel (~40 m): not a scooter dive.
Who can dive where
- At least Cavern
- Configurations: Backmount / twinset / Sidemount / CCR / Small cylinders / no-mount (speleo sumps)
- Configuration unknown — research beforehand
- Goes down to 39 m (trimix or deco may be needed)
- Experienced divers only
This is how the planner decides who in your team may dive this cave. Rules your own trip adds (organizer, a mail, the AI) show with your trip.
How to get there
By boat from Palinuro harbour (5–20 minutes to the cape's sites), with a local dive centre; Palinuro Sub dives here.
Around Tunnel del Camino (Capo Palinuro)
Fills2 fill stations · nearest 1 km
Palinuro Sub Diving Center
Via Porto snc, 84051 Palinuro (Centola)
Cylinder fills and rental; gases not stated — ask about nitrox, trimix and O₂
April–November; hours not stated
Harbour dive centre with one boat; the team has dived here since 1983. Runs cavern and cave courses and dives the Capo Palinuro caves in small groups (4–5). Second base with classroom at Hotel Le Tre Caravelle. CCR support not stated.
Diving Continente Blu
Marina di Camerota
Not stated — ask
Not stated — ask
Dive centre in Camerota (listed by CilentoMag). Its website did not respond during our research; ask about services, gases and fills.
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