Ustica is a volcanic island and offers a unique morphology, full of caves both above and underwater.
The Pastizza cave, is composed by two chambers and various tunnels. The penetration in the first chamber happens at a depth of only 7 meters and it is possible to emerge in a big air bubble. Being the first chamber partly emerged, it is accessible also to non divers accompanied by local fishermen. The cave is very easy to to find, thanks to a massive rock that rises from the sea right in front of the wide opening of its emerged portion.
Even though the environment is characterized by a reduced amount of light, it has low vegetation cover. Deeper in the first chamber of the Pastizza cave, it is very common to see juveniles of many species of fish like small congers. Keeping the wall to your right, as you penetrate inside the cave, the brightness decreases until the use of a torch becomes indispensable.
By illuminating the path, you can see on the right side the opening of a second small room of circular shape. Its walls are colonized by a myriad of serpulids and a seabed composed of fine white sand. The narrow chamber allows access to one or two divers at a time. The bottom of the cavity, in fact, forms a sort of goose neck that obstructs any kind of ray of light, throwing in total darkness the entrance of the most striking between the room of the Pastizza cave. The substrate of the chamber is a rocky one and presents a small sandy patch where some specimens of cuttlefish and shrimp find their home.
Proceeding with the tour we head back to the first room, greeted by a light that gradually becomes more intense towards the outside world.