Depth
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Home / Dive Sites / Comino / Lantern Point
Comino · Advanced · 20–50m

Lantern Point
Ras L-Irqieqa, Comino

On the western tip of Comino, Lantern Point combines cave passages, a dramatic wall, and open reef across two distinct sub-sites: Lighthouse Reef and Inner Lantern Point. Its low dive traffic keeps the site in exceptional condition, with boulder formations sheltering an unusually rich assemblage of Mediterranean marine life.

36°00.240' N  014°19.470' E
Book This Dive Dive Conditions
20m
Min Depth
50m
Max Depth
Adv OW
Level
20–30m
Avg. Visibility
Boat
Entry Type
Year
Season
Depth Profile

History & Background

  • Geological
    Lantern Point marks the south-west extremity of Comino island. The limestone cliff here descends vertically from the surface to beyond 50m, one of the steepest and deepest walls in the Maltese islands. The point faces the Comino Channel, exposing it to the full force of south-westerly swells but also to excellent water circulation.
  • 1980s
    Lantern Point was documented by Maltese technical divers in the late 1980s as one of the few sites in the Maltese islands where the wall extends beyond sport diving limits. Its remote location on Comino's far corner meant it was dived almost exclusively by boat from Malta or Gozo.
  • Today
    Lantern Point is a dedicated advanced dive site for divers seeking Malta's most dramatic wall experience. The site is exposed and requires calm sea conditions. Advanced or Technical certification is recommended. Boat only. Large pelagic fish including amberjack, tuna, and barracuda are regularly encountered here in summer.

Lantern Point is Malta's most dramatic wall dive. The limestone cliff drops from the surface at a near-vertical angle to beyond 50m. The upper sections at 18–30m are colonised by dense sponge communities and gorgonian sea fans up to 1.5m across. Below 30m the wall becomes darker and more austere, with large barrel sponges and encrusting sponge colonies. The deep zone below 40m is reserved for technical divers with appropriate gases. The open water side of the wall is where the largest pelagic encounters happen: amberjack cruise the wall face, barracuda school in mid-water off the point, and eagle rays have been recorded in the channel below. Exceptional visibility of 25–40m is the norm here. The site can only be dived in calm conditions due to its exposed position.

LANTERN POINT DEPTH PROFILE (50m+) OW ADV DEEP TEC 0m 18m 30m 40m 50m Lantern Point Open Water 50m+
Marine Life

What You Might See

Species commonly encountered at this site, based on depth and habitat. Click any card to read the full species guide.

Greater Amberjack underwater Malta 20–70m
Bony Fish

Greater Amberjack

Seriola dumerili
Common Dentex underwater Malta 15–200m
Bony Fish

Common Dentex

Dentex dentex
Mediterranean Fairy Basslet underwater Malta 5–200m
Bony Fish

Mediterranean Fairy Basslet

Anthias anthias
Yellow Gorgonian underwater Malta 10–100m
Cnidarians

Yellow Gorgonian

Eunicella cavolini
Violescent Sea Whip underwater Malta 30–200m
Cnidarians

Violescent Sea Whip

Paramuricea clavata
Conger Eel underwater Malta 5–500m
Bony Fish

Conger Eel

Conger conger
Mediterranean Feather Star underwater Malta 0–200m
Echinoderms

Mediterranean Feather Star

Antedon mediterranea
Jewel Anemone underwater Malta 0–50m
Cnidarians

Jewel Anemone

Corynactis viridis
Dive Conditions

When to dive Lantern Point

Period Water Temp Visibility Conditions
Jan–Mar 14–15°C 20–25m Good
Apr–Jun 16–21°C 25–30m Good
Jul–Sep 25–28°C 25–30m+ Peak
Oct–Dec 19–24°C 20–28m Peak
Summer
30m
Winter
20m

Currents

Lantern Point sits on the exposed western tip of Comino and can carry a moderate current along the wall. Conditions should be assessed on the morning of the dive. The inner sub-site is considerably calmer when current is present on the main point.

Entry / Exit

Boat access only. There is no shore entry point at this location. diveshack boats moor or drift the site depending on conditions. Entry is from the boat; divers descend on the anchor line or a shot line where current is present.

Equipment Notes

A 5mm wetsuit is recommended year-round given the depth; 7mm from November through April. A primary torch is required for the boulder caverns. An SMB is mandatory for all dives. At 50m, a dive computer with decompression functionality is strongly advised.

Dive Briefing

Safety and planning

Certification Required

An Advanced Open Water certification is the minimum requirement for Lantern Point. The site reaches 50 metres and includes overhead environments in the boulder caverns. Divers with a Deep specialty or equivalent logged experience are best placed to dive the full profile.

Torch Carry Required

A working primary torch is required for all divers entering the boulder caverns. The overhead sections become dark at depth and the formation detail on the walls is only fully visible with artificial light. A backup torch is recommended for the deeper cavern zones.

SMB Deployment Required

Every diver must carry a delayed surface marker buoy. This site is exposed to open water and boat traffic from vessels transiting between Malta, Gozo, and Comino. Deploy before surfacing on all dives. A 2m minimum SMB is required.

Depth Management Required

The wall reaches 50 metres and narcosis is a realistic consideration below 30 metres. Divers must agree on a maximum depth in the pre-dive briefing and adhere to it without exception. Any diver showing signs of narcosis should be brought up to 20 metres and the dive continued at a shallower profile.

Air Management Required

Begin ascent with a minimum of 100 bar. The depth profile of this site produces higher air consumption than shallower dives. At 50 metres, a safety stop at 5 metres for 3 minutes is required after any decompression dive. Surface with 50 bar or above.

Current Awareness Required

Current direction and strength should be confirmed on the surface before descent. If current is running on the main point, the guide will direct the group to the inner sub-site. Do not attempt to swim against a strong current at depth. A drift dive protocol applies when current exceeds 0.5 knots.

Book This Dive

Dive Lantern Point with diveshack

diveshack runs guided boat dives to Lantern Point as part of Comino day trips and dedicated Advanced dive sessions. All dives include full equipment, guide, and boat transfer from Sliema. The site pairs well with Cominotto Reef or the P31 for a two or three-dive Comino day. Contact us to confirm scheduling and availability.

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Contact: info@divemalta.com  ·  +356 9999 3483

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