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Posts Tagged ‘nudibranchs’
Blue Hole, Gozo
Unlike the cold European waters to the north, the Mediterranean Sea is frequently thought of as a scuba diver’s dream destination. Many places in the Med offer great diving with the added bonus of some very interesting topside cultural experiences. Some interesting sites in the Eastern Mediterranean include:
Cypress
The Zenobia is a 178 meter long ferry that went down in 1980 with over 100 large vehicles onboard, giving this dive plenty of exploration possibility and making multiple dives here a must. It lies on its port side which starts at a depth of 15m and descends to 42m. Visibility is usually quite good; some days it stretches to 35m. Experienced divers can penetrate the wreck to see the interior, including two trucks still hanging upside down from their chains, but visibility can drop drastically in the confined spaces. Though the wreck is the main attraction, triggerfish, barracuda and enormous grouper can also be spotted here.
Manijin Island is a very scenic dive with a wall, a spectacular algae covered cave and a swim-through with a blowhole to keep a diver continuously engaged through the dive. This dive is ideal for beginners as well as experienced divers with dive depths ranging from 5m to 24m. Marine life highlights include slipper lobsters, big grouper and large shoals of saddle bream. Also, octopi are relatively common around Cyprus, so taking the time to peer into the nooks and crannies on this dive is frequently rewarded with at least one good critter sighting.
Egypt
Alexandria boasts no significant reefs or colorful tropical fish, but rather a wealth of archeological treasures such as sunken cities, palaces and numerous wrecks. Experts estimate that some 7000 monuments belonging to the Pharaonic and Roman dynasties are preserved under Alexandria’s waves. The Underwater city of Cleopatra and her Palace, located just inside the Eastern Harbor, dates back to 300 BC, and was built by Alexander the Great. The city collapsed and fell into the sea after several earthquakes. Divers can see Cleopatra’s royal districts, the statue of Mark Anthony, Cleopatra’s sun boat and the wreckage of a 2nd World War plane that exists inside the ruins. Various monuments, carvings and building ruins can be seen throughout the site.
Crete, Greece
Navagio Wreck, the wreck of a German WWII Messerschmitt 109 fighter, lies 20km West of Agia Pelagiaat at depth of 24m. The wings and fuselage are intact and you can see inside the cockpit. One of the machine guns is clearly visible with one of the ammunition belts lying on the sea bed nearby. Though the plane’s parts are still identifiable, they are covered in a wide variety of coral and sea life, with groupers and moray eels calling the place home. A healthy reef covered with anemones and small colorful fish schools sits nearby in shallower water, offering the diver an interesting way to work off some of the nitrogen after the deeper wreck portion of the dive.
Malta
Cirkewwa offers 7 different dive sites amongst crystal clear blue waters. One in particular, the Rozi tugboat wreck, offers more to see than a diver can possibly accomplish on one dive. The boat was sunk in 1991 as an underwater attraction by a company offering submarine trips. Lying in a depth of almost 40m, the wreck can be seen completly due to the exceptional visibility which is frequently over 30m. This wreck can be dived from shore or by boat. The abundant sea life in the area includes: barracuda, morays, octopus, cuttlefish, wrasse, bream, nudibranchs, scorpion fish, morays and even dolphins. Some parts of the wreck can be penetrated, but with so much going on around it, you may forget to do so once you get down there.
Blue Hole, Gozo is a hike to get to in your gear, but worth the trip. Divers drop over the lip into the calm blue waters, surrounded by fascinating underwater topography of rocks worn down by the tides of time. At about 5m deep, an opening leads to the sea. Outside the opening divers can see coral gardens, small caves and plenty of sea life, but the star of this show is most certainly the natural formation.
Scapa Flow blockship at low tide
Mention scuba diving, and most people conjure up images of warm, tropical locales in the Caribbean or the Pacific. But many places in Europe offer great diving too with the added bonus of some very interesting topside cultural experiences. In particular, the United Kingdom and Ireland offer fantastic diving, enhanced by the water that surrounds them as well as their rich history.
So, yes. The water is cold up there. In winter the ocean temperature ranges between 45-55F degrees. And, yes. The visibility is not always crystal clear, like in some warmer climes. BUT, if you get past these small challenges, there are some amazing wrecks to dive and even spots of prolific sea life to explore. Some examples:
Scotland
Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands is one of the most famous dive sites in the UK. Numerous warships from the early 1900’s litter the ocean bottom. These wrecks are in remarkably good shape, in particular the Blockship Tabarka, scuttled to prevent a submarine attack during WW2. The Tabarka is covered in sea life and offers a fascinating window into the past. On this and some of the rest of the sunken fleet, huge guns protrude from the wreckage. Sea life includes wrasse, brittle stars, large jellyfish, sea urchins, sponges and starfish, which are often seen on the wrecks and in the kelp forests nearby. Divers may also be joined by seals on the surface.
Oban, on the west coast of Scotland, also offers high quality wreck and wall dives. This area is known for visibility that allows divers to easily explore the wreckage of several ships, such as the shallow Shuna and the more demanding Rondo. The abundance of wrecks is a result of the bad weather that plagues the area. Rocky outcrops, such as Calve Island, provide interesting wall dives with faulted ledges and overhangs. The water is generally clear and green and there may be strong currents, particularly after a lot of rain. Life is abundant and varied, with dogfish, pollack, octopus, cuttlefish, wrasse, corals, crabs, hydroids, nudibranchs, plumose anemones and sea squirts being found. Sometimes even porpoises and whales can be seen here.
England
Eddystone Reef around the Eddystone lighthouse lies 10 or so miles outside of Plymouth Sound. Visibility here is okay, usually at about 40 feet. The reef is from 8 to 60 m, and encompasses large boulders, walls and plenty of crevices that encourage sea life. The numerous rock gullies are lined with kelp and house anemones, sponges and sea fans. Divers can spot dogfish, bib, pollack, congers, wrasse, lobsters, edible crabs, star fish, urchins and loads of cucumbers. Lucky divers might even spot smooth hound and basking sharks. On the way back to shore, a second dive can be made on the James Egan Layne, one of the most famous dived wrecks in the UK.
The Mohegan Wreck sits on the Manacles granite reef off the Lizard Peninsula. The bow is at a depth of about 65 feet with the rest of the ship deeper. This ship sank in 1917 after repeatedly hitting the reef. Pieces of the ship, including the boiler, can still be seen, while a great deal of sea life has moved in, including jewel anemones and coral fans. Visibility varies, but can stretch to 65 feet on a really good day. Over 200 wrecks lie around the Manacles, making it an excellent area to see multiple wrecks on a single dive trip. In the months of May and June basking sharks are regularly seen as well as orca whales and dolphins.
Ireland
North Wall, Rathlin Island of the coast of Northern Ireland is an amazing, high-vis wall dive with sometimes fierce currents. The wall starts at the shoreline with a steep descent, after which it plummets to 200m. A sea arch and a series of large sea caverns are found at depth. The kelp forest in the shallows hides healthy communities of wrasse, sea hens, mackerel, pollack, and sometimes even moon jellyfish. Huge numbers of actinithoe anemones cover the bottom, and nudibranches of many varieties can be found in abundance.
Fanore, located about 7 miles south of Black Head, offers what some call the “nicest shore dive in the country.” This Atlantic site offers crystal clear water, but is very exposed, so it can only be dived in fair weather. All along this reef there are ledges and overhangs, which teem with a great variety of fish. Lobster, crayfish, pollack, congers, ling, bib, whiting and wrasse are here in abundance. Also spotted here occasionally are John Dory, shark and even electric ray. The underwater topography doesn’t disappoint, either, with an enormous rock feature called “The Cathedral” that looms over the curious diver.
Diamond Rocks, Kilkee is a very popular, cold-water dive site situated on the South West Clare coastline in a natural break in the cliff wall facing the Atlantic. The bay is fairly sheltered, but is graced with high visibility and filled with rocks and gullies to poke around. There is a reef teeming with sea life at about 6-9m deep, which protects a deep valley about 30m deep between itself and the shore. Two circular holes at the narrow entry to the reef are often filled with crabs. The sea face of the reef falls in steps from about 20m down to 40+m, and has lots of sea life hiding in the cracks and crevaces for a diver to find. There are over twenty surveyed dive sites in Kilkee, so pair this with another of the many nice dive sites in the area for a great day of Irish scuba diving.
Fastnet Rock, near Cape Clear Island in Roaringwater Bay sticks straight out of the water and is topped by a stone lighthouse that can be explored by foot on calm days. The visible rock is in the middle of a narrow reef running SW – NE about 1km in each direction with depths of 45m. Strong and sometimes erratic tidal flows and deep water all around the rock make diving here only for the experienced during calm weather and water. But when conditions are right, the clarity of the water can be incredible, and the underwater scenery is spectacular with huge shoals of fish and fantastic growths on every rock face.