Grotte di Oliero – Photoshoot beyond the First Sump
Grotte di Oliero in Italy is a complex of two underwater caves — Siori and Veci — connected with each other, forming an impressive loop of submerged passages. The first sump alone has more than six kilometres of corridors, with a maximum depth exceeding 60 metres. Around 2.5 kilometres from the entrance, the submerged passage finally ends and a large dry section begins, eventually leading towards the second sump.
For years, I had heard stories about the enormous scale and beauty of this remote dry section. In 2023, I decided to see it for myself — and bring a camera with me.
Reaching the other side
It took several days of preparatory diving before I was ready for the main dive. I staged bailout cylinders along the route, became familiar with the layout of the underwater passages and gradually prepared everything needed for a long journey into the cave.
Eventually, the day came to cross the entire first sump and reach what felt like the other side of the mirror. After approximately 2.5 kilometres underwater, I finally reached the surface. I removed my diving equipment in a large pool and began climbing a steep rock slope leading into the dry section.
The stories had not exaggerated its scale.
The chamber was enormous. Even my powerful video lights could not reach the far end of the passage, which simply disappeared into darkness. I began preparing my camera and positioning the lights for photography before continuing farther into the cave.
Through the dry section
Moving deeper into the passage, I stopped at several interesting locations to photograph the enormous underground landscape.
After a series of climbs, I eventually reached the edge of a deep shaft. Getting down safely required some effort, but once at the bottom I continued along several dozen metres of horizontal passage. Then the corridor suddenly opened onto the shore of a beautiful, crystal-clear underground lake.
I had reached the entrance to the second sump.
Standing there, kilometres from the cave entrance, after travelling through the entire first sump and then crossing the huge dry section, was a remarkable moment.After documenting the area, it was time to begin the long journey back. I retraced my route through the dry passages, climbed back to the pool where I had left my diving equipment, geared up again and started the underwater return towards the entrance.
Almost six hours after entering the cave, I finally surfaced outside.
The gallery below contains photographs from the remote dry section of Grotte di Oliero and the underground lake marking the entrance to the second sump.
