Ras il-Wahx, Ras ir-Raheb, Fessej Rock, Fungus
Rock, Crocodile Rock, Azure Window, Blue Hole and hundreds of other magnificent
sites, offer you excitement, marine life, colours, breath-taking scenery, caves
and corals that equal any other dive destination on this planet.
NORTHERN MALTA
CIRKEWWA
Situated in the north of the island, this location
has long been a favourite dive site among local divers, mainly for
its impressive drop-off from eight to thirty metres. The area boasts
a picturesque arch and a number of caves. The arch is a cavern which
has a large hole in the top, creating a narrow bridge of rock under
which divers can easily gain access.
Maximum
depth - 36 metres
Photo Chris Wilcocks April 2005 - Cirkewwa
Innerspace Divers
Photo Victor Fabri
CIRKEWWA
~ MARFA POINT – MADONNA STATUE
This dive is a shore dive, and starts
off from a shallow lagoon. There is a reef which drops down to about 18
metres. Close to this is a small cavern with a statue of the Madonna.
This was placed there by the Amphibians Diving club.
One can find a large number of fire worms covering the rocks, as well as
large numbers of cardinal fish. The dive usually ends at the foot of a small
arch in the reef wall.
Maximum depth - 25 metres.
CIRKEWWA
~ MARFA POINT – TUGBOAT ROZI
At the
North of Malta there is Marfa Point. The tugboat Rozi lies at a maximum
depth of 36 metres. The Rozi was a 40 metre Tug Boat deliberately sunk in
1991 as an underwater attraction for glass-bottomed boat tours. The Rozi
sits upright on the sandy seabed, intact except for its engines and
propeller. This is one of the most popular dive sites on the Maltese
Islands. The tugboat is surrounded by fish, including sea breams, scorpion
fish, rainbow wrasses and cardinal fish.Maximum Depth 36 m
CIRKEWWA ~ MARFA POINT ~ P29 PATROL BOAT
Kondor-I Class Patrol Boat -
Builders VEB Peenewerft, Wolgast
The P29 was together with the
P31 decommissioned by the Armed Forces of Malta. Vessels both served
with the Squadron for over 12 years and were responsible for many
offshore missions including asserting control over Malta's Continental
Shelf, anti-contraband missions and numerous border control operations.
Scuttled on the 14th August
2007 - Six minute swim from Suzies' Pool. The P29 has become a
home to an abundance of Marine Life.... It is easy to penetrate.
Alicia Mirabilis are everywhere on the wreck, during the day they are not
much to see but on a night dive you will encounter a fantastic sight.
These beautiful creatures are all open at night!
Squid, Flying Gurnards, Rays are all on and around the P29
AHRAX
POINT
This is the
north-eastern point of Malta. There are a number of caves at the surface,
these tunnels there are several tunnels. The entry is a narrow inlet with
depths from three to ten metres. A ten minute snorkel gets to the point
where two options present themselves - to the left a reef rich in marine
life and an impressive drop-off and to the right, an underwater entrance to
a large cave. Through out the dive the divers are bound to sea loads of
cardinal fish, corals and red sponges.
Maximum depth - 25 metres.
QAWRA
POINT
This is the
southern tip of St. Paul's Bay. The profile drops slowly at first and the
monotony of posidonia meadows gives way to a steep slope to 40 metres.
Different and strangely shaped sponges show off their magnificence by the
light of a torch. A large C-shaped cave often inhabited by bream completes
this long dive. The steep slope of the valley continues underwater. The
bottom is strewn with rock which must have been carried there over the
centuries. At the right of the mouth of the valley is a small cave. Maximum
depth - 50 metres.
ANCHOR
BAY
This is an
ideal location when strong north-easterly winds prevent diving in many other
areas. Entry to the water is from a pier. The bottom slopes gradually,
reaching depths, of 28 metres. The seabed is covered with very large
boulders, which provide some very interesting swim throughs and curious
formations. These are ideal for octopus and groupers. Approximately 150
metres from the bay is a large cave. The floor is at 10 metres and divers
can easily surface inside and admire the dome-shaped ceiling. This cave is
rich in red algae. A little beyond the cave is a large window through the
top of a prominent rock. Throughout the dive, divers will definitely see;
parrotfish as well as Medium sized grouper and an occasional Moray Eel.
Maximum Depth – 28 metres.
Throughout the dive, divers will
definitely see; parrotfish as well as Medium sized grouper and an
occasional Moray Eel. Maximum Depth – 28 metres.
Wied iz-Zurrieq
is a valley on the south coast of Malta. The steep slope of the valley
continues underwater. Entry is from a small quay. The bottom is strewn with
rocks which must have been carried there over the centuries. At the right of
the mouth of the valley is a small cave. The bottom falls to 30 metres plus.
Maximum depth - 30 metres.
ZURRIEQ
– UM EL FAROUD
The Um El
Faroud was sunk in 1998 following a terrible explosion on board that killed
nine Maltese dockyard workers.
For three years it lay in the harbour of
Valletta, now with the memorial brass plaque above the front windows of the
helm, it sits upright on the sandy seabed Southwest of Wied iz-Zurrieq. The
Um El Faroud weighs 10,000 tons and is 115 metres long. The depth to
the top of the bridge is 18 metres and 25 metres to the main deck.
Photo Keith Fenech
Divers might come
across some squid and barracudas at the stern. The port side is usually
teeming with large schools of sea breams, parrotfish and silversides.
Sometimes one can come across the occasional amberjack and Tuna.
Photo Keith Fenech
Photo Keith Fenech
The wreck can be entered
fairly easily, but due to its size, this should be
restricted only to divers with advanced wreck diving
training. Maximum depth - 36m metres
In the
Maltese language 'Ghar' means cave. Ghar Lapsi is a fishing hamlet on the
southern coast. Access to the water is easy. Within a few strokes from the
entry point is a shallow system of underwater caves lit up with beams of
sunlight from the numerous exits. The Ghar Lapsi area is mostly in the 15 to
20 metres depth range and offers a large area of parallel reefs and
depressions with most of the typical marine fauna of the Mediterranean.
Maximum
depth - 20 metres.
VALLETTA/FLORIANA
AREA
HMS
MAORI – VALLETTA
The site is
found below fort St Elmo, in front of a cafe which has its outside walls
covered with a number of painted Destroyers, amongst which is the HMS Maori.
HMS Maori was launched in 1937, and saw considerable action in the
Mediterranean, the Norwegian campaign, Atlantic convoys and the North Sea.
On February 12th 1942, it was moored at the entrance to Dockyard Creek, when
it received a direct hit in her engine room. She was eventually set down in
the back-water of St Elmo's Bay, on the sandy bottom at a depth of around 18
metres. Her guns were removed and the bows and stern are gone, however part
of the raised bridge is still there. Divers can enter the remains quite
easily, with exits through large holes in the starboard side. Although
silted up, there are plenty of different types of fish and other creatures
in and amongst the wreckage, which is covered with green weed and tube
worms. Maximum depth - 15metres.
The
Carolita Barge is reached from the Manoel Island in Marsamxett Harbour. To
reach the wreck, divers should swim in a south-westerly direction at any
depth between 10-15 metres. The seabed around the wreck is muddy and
scattered with objects such as hospital beds, wheel chairs and other objects
thrown into the sea during and after the war. The torpedo damage at the
stern of the vessel is quite extensive. Throughout the dive, octopus, small
groupers and thousands of damselfish are encountered. Maximum depth - 22
metres.
A thin of
land on the south-western tip of Comino with a sheer drop-off to 40 metres.
The water is clear and the cold currents support large shoals of sardines
that are preyed upon by amber-jacks, dentex and sometimes, tuna. The boulder
strewn depths reveal families of bream and brown meagre. Maximum depth - 50
metres.
Wreck ~
P31 ~ Kondor-I Class Patrol Boat -
Builders VEB Peenewerft, Wolgast
The
P31 ex-Pasewalk, (Gs05, ex-G423) was Laid down on
12th December 1968, Launched on the 18th June
1969 and was in service till 18th October 1969.
The P30 & P31 were acquired by the Armed Forces
of Malta in 1992 and spent 12 years patrolling
our coastal waters. The P31 was the patrol boat
that managed to save a record of 250+ migrants
from drowning in one operation in 2002
The P29 &
P31 were decommissioned by the Armed Forces and the
Malta Tourism Authority bought the Patrol Boats to
scuttle them as a scuba diving attraction enhancing
Malta’s Scuba Diving Product. Same as the P29 the P31
was given to the Malta Marine Foundation to carry out
the necessary preparation for these boats to be
scuttled.
Two
years and Ten days after the P29 was
scuttled in Cirkewwa, the P31 met the same fate. It
gracefully went down to its final resting place on 24th
August 2009. Her new mission has now started; it will
now become a home to an abundance of marine life on
Comino Island.
Location :
South West side of Comino Island Approximate Coordinates
36° 00'.575N - 014° 19'.420E
P31 lies
upright on a sandy bottom at a depth of 18-20 metres.
The bow is 20 metres and the stern is 18m. Clearance
from the surface is about 7 metres.
At this
depth this wreck is excellent for: open water divers
(as it is within their depth limits), the advanced
divers and even for snorkellers as it can be seen from
the surface through the crystal clear waters. The
divers who did the check dive after the P31 went down,
commented that shoals of damsel fish greeted them as
they descended on the wreck.
Photos
Publio Attard
LANTERN
POINT
This dive
starts from a shallow rocky shelf at 6 metres, where the boat usually
anchors. Above the entrance to a 'chimney', an almost vertical tunnel, drops
down to 16 metres. The tunnel is wide enough for divers to
manoeuvre without
touching the sides with fire worms. Outside the tunnel and slightly to the
right, divers can enjoy a maze of swim throughs, underneath the massive
rock, where starfish can be seen. Behind the large rock, there are boulders,
giving way to a gentle slope at about 50 metres. Nooks and crannies close to
the seabed are home for large groupers and the occasional dentex. Maximum
depth - 50 metres.
SANTA
MARIA
CAVES
This is an
ideal second dive location for those who have made the boat trip to Comino
and want an interesting shallow location. The caves are very pretty and for
the underwater photographer the possibilities are endless. Octopus, moray
eels, small groupers and loads of small fish make this a very relaxing dive.
Maximum depth - 20 metes.
ALEX’S
CAVE
This
dive site
is suitable for all levels and is considered as one of the
most favourite site. It has a very nice swim through and a superb internal cave.
Octopus is regularly seen here as well as the rare pearly Razor Fish on the
sandy areas. Moray Eels and the occasional Conger Eel can be found under the
boulders at the entrance to the cave.
This dive
site is suitable for all divers. The main attractions of the site are the
Caves and the Canyon, which looks like it was man-made. There are also some
nice overhangs and a couple of smaller caves. Look out for Moray Eels,
Octopus as well as shrimps in the caves.
CRYSTAL
LAGOON
The lagoon
itself is a nursery of fish. Young barracudas can be seen at this dive site
in mid season. Mediterranean flounder and flying gurnards are seen on the
sandy bottomed area while octopuses are seen around the large boulders close
to the swim through entrance.
COMINOTTO REEF
COMINOTTO
is a smaller island off the north-west corner of Comino. Northwest of
Cominotto is an underwater reef. The average depth is of 18 metres and the
maximum depth is 36 metres. During the dive one comes across massive
boulders with interesting holes and caverns, where creatures such as
burrowing anemones and peacock worms hide. There is also an abundance of
tube worms, soft corals and red sponge, which add colour to these shaded
areas. Maximum depth - 36 metres.
ANCHOR
REEF
This is a
great wall dive, which offers a number of routes to satisfy all level of
divers. There are two nice swim throughs for the less experienced, and a
large anchor at the deeper part of the site. Amberjacks, Sardines, Octopus
and Bream are just some of the fish to be seen here. Sponges and soft corals
can be found in the caves and swim throughs.
SANTA
MARIA
REEF
This is a
large dive site with two main routes. The routes are chosen before the dive
according to the group levels. This dive is suitable to all divers. There
are a number of swim throughs and overhangs. Santa Maria Reef is well known
for sponges, tubeworms and corals; the large swim through to the north side
has a large colony on its roof. Amberjacks, Banded Sea Bream and the
occasional Barracuda are just a few of the fish that frequent this site, as
well as the odd Octopus.
This site is located in front
of the Azure Window at the bottom of Dwejra Point. It is a shore dive, which
is reached via a fairly difficult walk over rough coralline limestone.
Photo Marie Ellison
Photo Victor Fabri
Steps have been carved into the rocks leading down to
the Blue Hole. This is a natural rock formation carved out over the
centuries by wind and waves which goes down to a depth of 26 metres. The
hole is about one metre above sea level and no more than 10 metres wide and
5 metres across. However, a few metres down, this gives way to unlimited
access to the sea when divers exit through a huge archway. A large cave can
be found at the bottom of the hole. Throughout the dive, one can see
various species of fish, starfish and bristle worms. This dive is perfect
for photography.
Maximum depth - 50 metres
Photo
Victor Fabri
DWEJRA -
INLAND SEA
This is the second dive which divers usually do after the Blue Hole. The
Inland Sea (Dwejra) is a semi-circular
bay cut off from the sea by a high cliff with a narrow cave at the centre.
Going in the water it is generally very shallow and covered with pebbles and
small rocks. It will be a good idea to snorkel to the cave, which is
well visible from the surface, dive and keep to the bottom while swimming
out of the creek. Through this tunnel you will find a breath-taking journey
through a narrow dipping creek with a pebble bottom. When you get to
the clear blue open sea you will notice a lot of big boulders around and the
sea bed drops down to around 50 metres. These waters are usually home to
large fish, don’t just look at the bottom and underneath the rocks for
grouper and big fish, but also look ahead of you in the open sea because
fish here are usually abundant. The walls to the left and right are also
attractive with plenty of colourful crevices and overhangs.
This is
the northern most tip of Gozo. The beach road is rough, the entry is tricky
with a strong swell, but it is a fantastic dive. The reef consists of a
parapet at a depth of 30 metres and then a drop to 60 metres. However, there
is an excellent vantage point at 15 metres. Here one is literally in a cloud
of small fish feeding on the nutrient-rich waters. Large shoals of dentex
have feeding frenzies, groupers are large and plentiful. Adding to this
there are large caves. Maximum Depth is 60 metres.
MGARR
IX-XINI
Ta' Cenc cliffs do not offer an
entry point, consequently one must get into the water from the Ta' Cenc
Hotel's private beach. The cliff continues underwater to a depth of 30
metres where it gives way to large boulders. These provide ample hiding
places for groupers. This dive site is very popular with photographers due
to a variety of species of fish, from gurnard, stargazers and even
seahorses.
XATT
L-AHMAR
This site
is a small bay southwest of Mgarr. Access is generally from the shore. The
dive starts across a wide horizontal ledge, about 9 metres deep, which is
covered with seaweed where sprats and sardines can be found. At the edge,
the ledge drops down to around 22 metres, where the seabed is covered in
boulders ranging from small ones to extremely large ones. These rocks apart
from providing habitats for small octopus, goatfish, seam breams and more,
also act as swim throughs. Throughout the dive, one can also come across
parrotfish, scorpion fish and shoals of damselfish. Maximum Depth - 48 metres.
Xlendi Wreck
In 1999, the Gozo Ferry
Boat, Xlendi was scuttled at Xatt L-Ahmar. The Xlendi went down on a steep
sandy bottom causing it to overturn and rest on the seabed upside down.
Through the years storms and currents have continued badgering the Xlendi
where it has rolled out even further. The superstructure of the wreck
has sunk into the sand causing a silt build up in the hull. Due to
these factors the Xlendi Wreck has been declared unsafe to penetrate.
We do not penetrate the Xlendi Wreck but just dive around it. It is
also more convenient to dive on this wreck by boat.
KARWELA & COMINO LAND
These wrecks were
passed on to the Diving Community by Captain Morgan. The
wrecks were scuttled by the Gozo Tourism Authority on 12th August
2006. The Karwela and Comino Land are about 60 metres apart
and lie in an upright position at a depth of about 42 metres.
The VW Beetle on the deck of the Karwela is an attraction in itself.
This dive can be easily done from shore.
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