Secca Gonzatti (Secca di Punta Carega)

Secca Gonzatti sits on the south-facing outer coast of the Portofino promontory, whose bulk shields it from the entire northern half of the compass — the land wraps from the San Fruttuoso bay head at the NNW, around through north to the adjacent rocky headland at the NE and the promontory's east flank and Punta del Faro to the E-ESE, so N-through-ESE swell and the NW-N Tramontana/Maestrale wind-sea are effectively blocked. The exposed window is the open Ligurian Sea to the south: the SE-S-SW-WSW sector is wide open, taking the full Libeccio (SW) fetch that is the region's dominant wave-maker along with Scirocco (SE) and Ostro (S). To the west the reef gets partial shelter as the promontory's western arm and Punta Chiappa begin to shadow WNW-NW. The site faces roughly south, so a Libeccio or Scirocco blow, or a sustained southerly, quickly builds surface chop and reinforces the current, and is the usual reason a dive here is called off.