Zelena Špilja
dive site type: caves & caverns
difficulty: medium
depth range: 0-35 m
distance from the diving center: 7 nm
short characteristic: a well-known cavern which can be entered by boats and swimmers and a wall with yellow sea fans and sponges, among which one more cavern at the depth of 30 m is hidden
In the area of the island of Vis there are two caves actively promoted among tourists. Both are partially flooded chambers, which are so big, that boats can sail inside. The more famous one is the Blue Cave (Modra Špilja) located on the island of Biševo. The name of it comes from the blue light filling the cave as a result of reflection from the sandy bottom of the sunrays falling at noon through the hole in the ceiling. Unfortunately, diving in the Blue Cave is strictly forbidden. Periodic bans in the summer are also valid in the second of the caves – Green. This one, in turn, located on the island of Ravnik, is larger than the Blue Cave, and its name comes from the emerald green colours filling the cave as a result of sunlight falling through a small hole in the ceiling, artificially hollowed during one of wars.
9Diving at the Green Cave usually starts close to the wall located on the west side of the cave. Here, at the depth of about 30 m, there is a beautiful, huge cavern. The entrance to it is overgrown with various sponges and corals – the same variety of colours makes a huge impression. Adding to it a possibility of spotting moray eels, scorpionfish, spiny lobsters, squat lobsters and spider crabs, divers can easily come to the conclusion that diving here is attractive even during the closing periods of the title Green Cave.
In the Green Cave restrictions for divers were introduced for safety reasons. In the summer months the will of diving in this place should be reported in advance and implemented after receiving the appropriate consent and paying the fee. Restrictions result from the fact that the place became very popular among tourists – boats that are sailing in and people jumping into the water, combined with the depth of water which is about 3-5 m inside the cave, significantly reduced the comfort of divers swimming near the bottom. The bottom, on which it is easier to find a new model of sunglasses than natural residents.
