Sec du Langoustier

The sec lies just west of the Presqu'ile du Langoustier, so the Porquerolles landmass to the east and south-east (the peninsula tip about 590 m to the E, the west coast and Cap d'Armes to the SE) shadows the E through SE sectors, which are largely blocked. The exposed side is the open western Mediterranean: the S, SSW, SW, WSW and W sectors face open water with full fetch and take the Libeccio (SW). The site's notorious exposure comes from the NW-N Mistral, which funnels down the Petite Passe between Porquerolles and the more distant Giens peninsula and mainland (5 to 8 km off to the N-NNW), so the WNW, NW and N sectors stay strongly affected despite the far land. A tide-independent current commonly runs across the ridge, and a Mistral blow or a sustained westerly quickly builds surface chop, making this a committing exposed dive.