Parete della Sirenetta

Boats moor in a cove a short way from Vulcano's harbour, in front of a rock that carries a mermaid statue. The surface water is often milky with sulphur, but from a step at about 12 m an impressive black lava wall falls away. Lobsters, large scorpionfish, crinoids, Eunicella gorgonians and pentagon starfish line the wall, with clouds of anthias, and some red coral grows deeper down. On the plateau near the cliff, gas vents tint the sand yellow and red and warm water rises from the bottom. On the way back a small cave leads up into an air pocket inside the volcano.