SHORE DIVES IN MALTA

Cirkewwa 

By far Malta's most visited site and has many different dives each with their own unique appeal. They include:

M.V. Rozi

Just 70 metres from the entry point lying at 36 metres you will be met by the sight of this superb wreck. Scuttled initially as an attraction for a submarine tour that no longer runs this Tug Boat holds a special place in hearts of divers visit her and get seduced by her stately grace. Often surrounded by Mediterranean fish of all shapes and sizes, this is a dive that you cannot miss seeing if you visit our shores.

The Madonna

This famous underwater marker is located just over the reef wall at 17 metres and is one of the attractions that nearly every visitor has on his tick list. Placed there many years ago as a good luck charm for divers this small statue watches over her underwater flock.

The Arch

A gentle swim to right of the entry point and you will eventually arrive at this magnificent underwater feature. Once a cave the roof has long since collapsed leaving this beautiful halo in the sea often patrolled by shoals of Jacks and Barracuda. The top of the arch is 9 metres and the sandy bottom is at 18 metres.

Anchor Bay

Sometimes referred to as Popeye Village this site is reached through a narrow cutting in the rock wall. It is a shallow site with a maximum depth of around 17 metres and its main attraction is a cave that runs into the cliff face at 6 metres. You can surface in several chambers in this cave and it provides a great way of introducing this kind of diving to those who always wanted to take a look.

Qawra Point

A shallow reef dive along colourful rock formations. This dive can also be done as a deeper dive on the outer side of the reef where it may reach 36 metres.

Blue Grotto

This dive site, along with Cirkewwa in the north of Malta, ranks as one of the most visited sites on the island as it offers dives for all levels of experience. Its many features include of course the wreck of the Um El Faroud but long before this wreck was put in place this area was a major attraction. The depth ranges form 4 to 40 metres and offers such diversity as to please any dive enthusiast.

Um- El- Faroud

Renamed when she was bought, this ship started life as a freighter after being built in Sunderland England. After purchase and conversion to a Libyan oil tanker she was the victim of a tragic explosion in the Malta dry docks while in for repair. She was laid to rest just of the coast of a site we call "Blue Grotto" in memory of the nine men that lost their lives in the accident. Top deck 15m, sandy bottom, 36 metres.

Bell Cave

The entrance to this cave is usually through the lower opening at 22 metres after which the diver heads up into the chimney and out through slits in the reef wall.

The Left Wall 

Starts its descent from 9 to 33 metres. Excellent wall dive with superb sea life from start to finish.

Right Reef 

Curls seductively out of the valley and ranges form the surface down to 30 metres, you could not ask for more.

Ghar Lapsi

This beautiful part of the Maltese coast is a favourite with the locals as a swimming area as it has superb and picturesque sheltered water rising into shady land caverns ideal for shading from the summer sun. For divers though it is the network of shallow caves and gently sloping reef down through gin clear waters to a sandy sea bed at 15 metres that entice us to this location.

HMS Maori

This WWII destroyer now sits in the sand at 17 metres with the top part of the remaining structure at 9 metres just 70metres off the coast in Sliema Creek overlooked by the magnificent Fort St Elmo. A lot of this wreck is buried underneath a bed of sand.  However after over 50 years in a shallow resting place it is remarkably still a very interesting dive. 

The Odilia

Nestled in the centre of Kalkara Bay one of Malta's famous ancient 3 cities. It is only 12m deep and is sheltered from bad weather. Visibility on this wreck can be very limited but that does not detract form its size and history.

X139 Waterlighter

Until very recently this vessel was thought to be just a service barge that was torpedoed in WWII whilst moored in the harbour. We now know that this barge is actually a vessel with significant historical value as it is in fact one of the last remaining examples of a fleet that was commissioned to land forces during the Gallipoli campaign. She now lies in a vertical position bow to stern 6 to 24 metres.

Tug St.Michael and Tug No.10

Scuttled in Marsascala Bay very close to each other, in fact they are close enough to be seen on one dive. No. 10, the smaller of the two sites at 19 metres whilst St.Michael is in 21metres.