Inner Grossa (Illa Grossa, buoy 8) – Columbretes
Inner Grossa starts at mooring buoy no. 8 on the sheltered west side of Illa Grossa, next to a rocky promontory where the bottom drops steeply from about 4 m to 15 m. The route heads towards the island's north end over big stones and rocky platforms, then returns with the island wall on the right. The Generalitat's dive-site page lists large lobsters, dusky grouper, gilt-head seabream, dentex, barracuda, octopus and slipper lobster, and notes that this moderate-depth dive avoids the deeper, more demanding offshore area. Position is the published buoy 8 mooring (official reserve leaflet).
Facts
- Region: Spain – Valencia coast (Columbretes, Costa Blanca, Tabarca)
- Area: Columbretes Islands
- Depth: 4–15 m
- Level: intermediate
- Current: moderate
- Type: wall, reef
- Coordinates: 39.89723, 0.68585
- Highlights: lava boulders and ledges at moderate depth, large lobsters and dusky grouper, slipper lobster, dentex and barracuda
- Permit: Columbretes is a marine reserve (Spanish state waters, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food). Recreational scuba diving is allowed only with prior authorisation, granted by the Government Sub-delegation in Castellón (Agriculture and Fisheries unit), and dives must be made from the existing mooring buoys. Authorisation is normally arranged through a licensed dive centre in Castellón or the Peñíscola/Alcossebre area; ask the operator for current quotas and season. (Source: official reserve leaflet, Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs)
- Issuer / contact: Subdelegación del Gobierno en Castellón – Dependencia de Agricultura y Pesca (marine reserve authorisation)
- Phone: +34 964 759 318
- Address: Escultor Viciano 2, Castelló
- Contact data taken from the official leaflet (2009 edition); confirm before calling.
- Tips: Reserve dives are made only from the mooring buoys. Control buoyancy and keep clear of the wall; do not touch, feed or collect anything.