Fort St. Elmo

Fort St. Elmo reef, located at the tip of the Valletta peninsula, is a lesser-known dive site that offers a unique underwater exploration experience. The reef begins at a depth of 13 meters and extends in an east-north-east direction, gradually deepening to 17 meters before dropping off to a maximum depth of 35 meters. Divers can explore a variety of boulders and gullies, with the chance to spot marine life such as moray eels, octopus, red groupers, damselfish, and shoals of salema fish. Some wreckage can also be found scattered on the sandy bottom near the reef. The best time to dive is in the early morning, as the afternoon sun stays behind the fort walls, casting a shadow over the reef.

There are several entry and exit points for the Fort St. Elmo reef dive, including concrete steps leading down to the rocks and rock-cut pools with breaches to the open sea. However, divers should be aware that exiting the sea can be challenging, even in calm conditions, and the site should only be dived in calm sea conditions. The visibility on the St. Elmo reef dive can vary greatly, depending on currents, and is generally not as good as many other dive sites around the Maltese islands. Divers should also be cautious of boat traffic when diving in the harbour area and always carry a DSMB. This dive site is recommended for advanced divers.