MAINSAIL_issue 10

} Deep Sea Secrets
Diving in the Mediterranean
often gets a bad rap – lack of
marine life, poor visibility and
hordes of tourists – but Risa
Merl discovers a spectacular
site hiding in a classic summer
cruising ground to tick off your
diving bucket list.
AN INCREDIBLE DIVE
SITE TO VISIT IN THE
MEDITERRANEAN
blue hole
inland sea
GOZO, MALTA
Don’t let this dive site’s proximity to
the shore fool you. Not only does
this spot blow stereotypes about
Med diving out of the water, it also
offers two stunning sites in one descent. The
natural rock formations of the Blue Hole Grotto
and the limestone lagoon of the Inland Sea are
linked by a beautiful series of small caves and
caverns, allowing divers to explore both.
Many dives start in the Inland Sea before
passing through the crevice of rock that
connects it to the open sea, heading over a reef
dotted with nudibranchs and then emerging
into the Blue Hole, one of the world’s most
amazing cave dive sites. “Sea life abounds,”
says Mikhail Umnov, owner of Starfish Diving
School on Malta’s east coast, who often guides
superyacht owners and guests to this site.
“There are big yellowfin tuna up to 1.5 metres,
dolphin fish and even octopus. Not only is
the sea life fantastic, but there is a beautiful
composition of rocks.”
The sites suit beginners and experienced divers
alike. “Open water divers can easily go on this
dive. It’s good for buoyancy control but it’s also
advanced, and technical divers enjoy it as the
max depth is 65 metres.”
Location: Near the site of the Azure Window,
a 28m natural limestone arch that collapsed in
March, off the island of Gozo, Malta
How to get there: It’s a 500 metre tender ride
from the Fungus Rock anchorage – far prettier
than it sounds
Depth: Up to 65 metres
Experience level: Open water to technical diver
Insider’s tip: The best time to go is in the early
morning when you can see a lot of sea life and
beat the dive boats, which come between 9am
and 2pm. MS
24 } Issue 10
Picture courtesy of Gettyimages.co.uk
There are big yellowfin tuna
up to 1.5 metres, dolphin
fish and even octopus. Not
only is the sea life fantastic,
but there is a beautiful
composition of rocks.