Egle Wreck
- Trail Conditions: Diving
- Interest: Marine Wildlife, Wrecks
- Required license: 2' livello
History
Egle was a steamship long over 70m built in 1893 and enrolled in the Maritime District of Genoa. During World War II, it was confiscated by the Regia Marina and used to transport supplies. It was sunk with three torpedo on March 29th, 1943 by the Dutch submarine Dolfijn while, at about one mile from Capo Carbonara, it was going from Cagliari towards La Maddalena, escorted by a minesweeper.
Main features
The relict, very collapsed, lies in navigation position on a detrital bottom at about 35m of depth. All the surrounding environment and most of the plates are covered with a thick formation of sea grapes (Caulerpa racemosa), a green seaweed coming from the Red Sea which is quickly settling in the Mediterranean. The plates are also covered with the common local photophilic seaweeds, including specimens of Codium bursa with the characteristic ball shape.
In the less illuminated areas, the colors of the sponges stand out and sparse colonies of yellow gorgonians grow (Eunicella cavolinii).
On the bottom, next to the stern of the hull there are some specimens of noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis). On the wreck it is possible to meet residential fish like the scorpionfish, but often also fish of passage like greater amberjacks.
