On The Red Tuna Route - Boat Charter Excursions

We are Fabio and Tiziana, scuba diving instructors and swimming instructors for people with disabilities. Alongside our work teaching diving, we love guiding people to discover the coasts and seabeds of the Sulcis Iglesiente, taking them to unforgettable experiences such as watching red tuna in the cages of the Portoscuso Tuna Trap.

We offer three different excursions aboard our boat, fitted with ten comfortable leather seats and a large sun awning. Boarding takes place from the quay of Portoscuso's tourist marina, with departures in the morning at 9:30 am or in the afternoon at 2:30 pm, for a duration of around three hours — with possible changes to the return time depending on wind conditions. If the sea is too rough, the excursion is postponed to another date.

During our boat excursions we provide mask and fin kits for snorkelling, so you can admire the wonderful seabed between one dive and the next. Before heading back, we offer a refreshing aperitivo of local wines and Sardinian cured meats, to enjoy on board.

A) Excursion to the Portoscuso Tuna Trap: this is where our charter "On the Red Tuna Route" takes its name. Once at the tuna trap, where the tonnarotti still carry out the ancient mattanza, and where the tuna cages are found, we will hand out snorkelling kits: from the surface, under our supervision and in complete safety, you'll be able to watch the red tuna on the seabed. An outing that cannot be repeated elsewhere: Diving Coral Reef is the only operator authorised to approach the tuna trap by sea and bring visitors close to it. From here we move on for more dives or a moment in the sun — on board, on the quay, or on the rocks of the Ghinghetta Rock Lighthouse — where we'll stop for an aperitivo before heading back to base. Along the way, we sail past Su Pranu, the old tonnarotti village, to see from the sea the boats once used for tuna fishing; those who wish can also visit it on foot, in Portoscuso's historic centre.

B) Excursion to Pan di Zucchero: on the way to the towering Pan di Zucchero sea stack, we'll make several stops to moor and snorkel — off the Laveria Lamarmora, among its small caves, and in the coves of Porto Flavia and Portu Banda. We'll pass the two smaller sea stacks before reaching Pan di Zucchero, where we'll stop for an aperitivo sheltered by the surrounding cliffs. We'll then sail through the inside of Pan di Zucchero and on to the Blue Grotto and the nearby coves, before heading back to Portoscuso.

C) Excursion to Carloforte: a charter devoted to diving in the waters surrounding the Isola di San Pietro. We set off past Isola Piana (a small private island, visible only from the sea), then continue along the coast of Carloforte, stopping to snorkel in the caves of Cala Vinagra and Punta delle Oche. The day closes with an aperitivo on board, the island's crystal-clear sea all around.