Dive Sites » Scuba World Diving Club

Zurziep Reef

Dive Sites Gozo Comments Off

Jun 302015

The dive boat anchors beside the Zurziep Reef in about 6m of water. There is a platform of rock at the base of the cliff, only 5m underwater. There is also a series of gullys running between the reef and the cliff face which make an ideal spot to explore during your safety stop at the end of the dive.

This area is rarely fished and shoals of bream are found here as well as large numbers of amberjacks, parrot fish, wrasse, damsel fish, bogue, picarel and sand smelt.

This dive site also has plenty of shallow caverns in which you will be sure to find cardinalfish (Apogon imberis) and various species of anemone such as the stunning fireworks anemone (Cerianthus membranaceus).

Cardinal fish are well known to divers who visit the Mediterranean and are instantly recognisable. The fish are an overall reddish – orange colour with a distinctive dark line that stretches from the snout all the way back to the gill covers. The eyes of the cardinal fish have two parallel white lines which break up the dark patch.

Sta Marija Comino

Dive Sites Comino Comments Off

May 142015

Location of Site:
North West of Santa Marija Tunnel to the large natural arch

Average Depth: 7 metres

Maximum Depth: 30 metres

The Dive:
These caves are located on the North West coast of Comino, close to Santa Marija Bay and one can find a series of interconnecting grottos and tunnels and abundant sea life. It is also a very popular site for fish feeding such as Saddled Bream, two banded bream and chromis but please remember if you take with you food to feed the fish in a plastic bag , please take it back up !!! The Santa Marija Caves lie adjacent to each other within an inlet (8-12 metres). The inlet is host to a large number of friendly sea breams (kahli) that are used to being fed by divers and will swarm on any tasty morsel offered. To navigate the caves it is a good idea to start with the left-most cave within the inlet.

This cave, which is connected to the adjacent grotto on the right, does not otherwise lead to any other exit but the sandy bottom rises almost to the surface. While in this cave it is always possible to surface as it is semi-submerged. Once out of the first cave, either through the entrance or the side passage on the right and out of the grotto, the next cave, also semi submerged up to an extent, leads to a number of interconnecting passages all ultimately leading out to the open sea. For land-based adventurers it is worth noting that the part of the cave lying above the water surface may be reached through a passage leading down from the rocks above. Once the passages are explored and the open sea is reached, the area to the left of the exits may be explored (max depth approx 20 metres) prior to returning to the boat, either through the caves or by circumnavigating the inlet.

Mtahleb

Dive Sites Malta Comments Off

Apr 272015

Location of Site:
On the east coast north of Ras id-Dawwara Bay

Type of Dive: By boat or shore

Condition:
If done from shore there is a long walk from the top of the hill and only in perfect sea conditions can a diver enter and exit this site

Average Depth: 30 metres
Maximum Depth: Beyond 70 metres

Certification Required:
BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent

The Dive:
This site is not easily accessible as a diver has to walk a long way down to get to the entry point. One must be very careful when walking down as with the weight of the equipment being carried one may easily lose one’s balance and suffer an injury. Also to climb back up after the dive is quite an affair to tackle. One can find vertical walls, ledges, caves and caverns with a large number of wrasse, parrotfish, chromis and smelt, the algae shelters various marine life such as fireworms, tube worms, hermit crabs, starfish and shrimps

: Mtahleb

: Mtahleb

: Mtahleb

Hellespont

Wreck Dives In Malta Comments Off

Apr 272015

Access: Boat Dive
Depth: 41 metres

Interests: Wreck Diver

Wreck Statistics:
Hellespont had a bollard pull of 10 tons with a 1250 IHP and a compliment of 17 men. The wreck lies at a depth of 41 metres off Grand Harbour. First discovered by a team of divers on 15 May 1999.

Wreck History:
Hellespont was built by Earle Shipbuilding Co. and was launched on 10 May 1910. She was based at Haulbowline Dockyard, Queenstown in Ireland until 1922. She came to Malta in 1922 and was subsequently damaged by Italian aircraft on 7 September 1940 and was never repaired but laid up at Sheer Bastion (Macina). She was sunk on the 6th April 1942. It looks like the bow (15 metres or so of it was destroyed & missing from the wreck). After the war she was lifted by camels and dumped off the Grand Harbour.

: Hellespont

: Hellespont

: Hellespont

: Hellespont

: Hellespont

: Hellespont

Lantern Point – Comino

Dive Sites Comino Comments Off

Apr 222015

Location of Site:
Inside the headland to the north of the light on the South West point of Comino

Type of Dive: Boat Dive

Condition:
Even though it is sheltered from the South East winds, you might still come across surge and current

Average Depth: 30 metres

Maximum Depth: Beyond 45 metres

Certification Required:
BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent

The Dive:
This dive consists of a vertical wall leading into huge boulders with large patches of Posidonia. Keep the wall to your right to reach a vertical slash in the limestone with a shallow cave. In this cave the floor has large peacock worms, burrowing anemones, cardinal fish, bream and chromis, but you won’t be able to spot big fish

Ras il-Hobz

Dive Sites Gozo Comments Off

Mar 122014

The Dive:
Ras IL-Hobz is a single pinnacle which rises vertically out of the seabed just 12m off the headland. As it nears its summit at 11m the rock splits into two and you can usually find lobsters, slipper lobsters and octopus in the fissure. The rock is covered in algae growth dotted with spiral tubeworms. Schools of chromis bogue and smelt are found all around the rock, preyed upon by painted comber. Continue reading »

Crocodile Rock / Coral Cave

Dive Sites Gozo Comments Off

Apr 302013

Dive Site: Coral Cave / Crocodile Rock

Location: San Lawrenz, Gozo

Description: Reef / Cave

Depth: 33 metres max (108 feet)

Visibility: 20 metres (66 feet)

The access to this dive is a little tricky across rough limestone. The dive begins by crossing a shallow reef until you reach a steep drop off to about 30 metres where the seabed is strewn with large boulders. If you follow the cliff around to the left you reach Coral Cave, an immense open cavern that is full of coral (hence the name!). Look for larger fish into the blue and sea anemones and urchins and smaller fish in the cave and on the wall. Continue reading »

HMS Southwold

Wreck Dives In Malta Comments Off

Apr 182013

HMS Southwold a Hunt Class destroyer of which the Royal Navy had 86 in its fleet, was built by White & was launched on the 25/5/41. Hunt Class destroyers had a net tonnage of 1050 tons, and were 86 meters long with a beam of 9.5 meters; these destroyers had a top speed of 25 knots and were used for convoy escorts. HMS Southwold had a crew of 168 men and carried 3 x 2 barrel 4” guns one at the bow and 2 aft sections. She also carried anti-aircraft guns, and anti-submarine depth charges. Continue reading »

Fessej Rock

Dive Sites Gozo Comments Off

Apr 182013

Fessej Rock is a vertical rock rising 20m out of the water and goes down all the way down to 55m but on the out side of it goes deeper than that. The dive starts from the shallowest part where the boat anchors. Although this is always undertaken as a deep dive, because of the vertical formation of the rock, divers of all levels and even snorkellers are able to enjoy the delights of a vertical wall. Choosing your depth and dive around the rock like a spiral to bring you back to the boat, on your way down you can find lobsters, gropers, tuna, barracuda and big gropes of dentex.

Imperial Eagle

Wreck Dives In Malta Comments Off

Apr 152013

Wreck History :

The Imperial Eagle carried about 70 passengers and 10 cars. It made its maiden voyage in 1958 and was taken out of commission in 1968, her claim to fame being the sister ship to Jacques Cousteau’s ‘Calypso’. After about a 15 minute boat ride, you reach a buoy. Heading down the shot line to about 25 metres you can leave the line and swim across a valley to the wreck. Like so many of the wrecks in Malta, the Imperial Eagle sits upright on the sand looking absolutely fantastic. We toured right the way round her and through her corridors, ending up in what was the wheelhouse, of which only the wheel remains. We then left the wreck and swam through a small open cave along to a magnificent statue of Jesus Christ which was apparently blessed by Pope John Paul in 1990 and placed on the seabed to protect the fishermen of Malta. We saw a large shoal of amber jacks and a lone barracuda. At our 6 metre stop there were two baby triggerfish to amuse us. Continue reading »

Ras Ir-Raheb

Dive Sites Malta Comments Off

Mar 222013

The Dive:

This site is situated at the North West point of the island, offering a depth of 70metres or more. This has to be done definitely as a boat dive with the boat staying close to the cliff. There is a nice cave which is clearly visible from the surface. This dive is only suitable for the experienced divers and should be planned accordingly. If you keep following the wall, you will enter Fomm iR-Rih Bay with a depth of 20m

HMS Stubborn – Qawra Point

Wreck Dives In Malta Comments Off

Mar 202013

The Dive:
The HMS Stubborn was scuttled in April 1945 after she was hit from a depth charge and lost her tail fin. Stubborn has dived down to 166m exceeding the limit depth of 90m because of this she has damage the hull distortion. Royal Navy scuttled the sub for ASDIC target, training naval officers listening on sonar devices to detect the presence of submarines.

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