DIVING IN GRAN CANARIA
The Canarian Islands, just a four hours flight from the U.K. are mostly known for the volcanic landscape, the colourful mountains and the golden beaches. Above the water you can enjoy nature, cultural sightseeing and of course the beach, but there are a lot of authentic “tapa” bars, pubs and a diverse variety of places to hang out. A subtropical climate makes sure that the outside temperature during the year is always above 20 oC with the water temperature varying between 19 oC in the winter and 24 oC in the summer. Under water you will find more than 500 different species of all kinds like barracudas, morays, parrot fish, stingrays, angelsharks, octopus and sea fans in caves and around a variety of wrecks.
There are many fantastic dive sites for the beginners and for the advanced.
1.
Bahia Meloneras (max. 6 mtr.)
Just outside the harbor of Pasito Blanco we find the bay of Meloneras which has a maximum depth of 6 meters. This makes it an ideal place for try-out dives, check-outs, training or just for a first dive after not diving for a while to pick-up on things in confined circumstances. There is a nice small rock boulders reef where we find all kind of sponges and algea, nudibranches, seahares, wrasse, damselfish, parrotfish, pufferfish, breams, cuttlefish etc. And ....when you have your lucky day the seaturtle that has it's residence in the bay!
2.
Chucho Rif Pasito Blanco (15
- 21 mtr.)
One of the most beautifull reefs in the South. This oval shaped reef rises up for 1,5 to 5 meters from the surrounding sandbed. It's called Chucho reef because of the Chucho's (Spanish for Stingrays) that we often find under the overhangs of the reef. Eagle rays and marbelled electric rays are likely to find as well. Another great feature of the reef is the presence of the thousends of Roncador grunts. There can be so many hanging around that they actually block your view of the reef! (BACK TO MAP)
3.
Artificial Reef Pasito Blanco
(20 - 22 mtr.)
At a depth of 20-22 mtr. there are
in total 84 artificial elements put in the water by the Maritim Biologists of
the University of Las Palmas. There is a great variety in shapes like
cubics, pipes, plateaus etc. and the biologists studied the developement of the
marine life from 1989 till 1994. Since 1994 the Artificial reef is open to
public to dive and it is a great site for (macro)underwater photograpy and not
to forget to find Angelsharks just taking a nap in the sandbed between the
different elements.(BACK
TO MAP)
4.
Russian Wreck El Pajar (17
mtr.)
The wreck of the "Meteor" is a
hydrofoil boat from Russian origin that sank in 2000. It's approx. 30 meters
long and 9 meters wide and at a depth of 17 meters. The wreck was sitting
up-right and mainly intact for a couple of years but a heavy storm abused the
construction so much that it is wide open now. This makes it even more
interesting because now you can actually see a lot of details en components that
are often hidden inside. For example the big jet-engines are completely in the
open now! Another challenge is to take a seat in one of the many passenger seats
still present. What a photo opportunity! Over the years the wreck became the
home of a lot of fish, so there is an abundancy of life and big barracudas often
circle the wreck looking for a snack. (don't worry, we are not on the menu)
(BACK TO MAP)
5.
Arguineguin Reef (13 - 16 mtr.)
Just opposite of the little town of Arguineguin appox. 2 km. off-shore there is the long streched Arguineguin Reef. A fairly flat rock garden with lots of crevices in which we find octopus, cuttlefish, trumpetfish, glass-eye, cardinalsfish, scorpionfish, morays, brittle seastars, seaurchins, nudibranches and a big school of grunts.
6.
Amadores Bay (Shore dive, 0-12 mtr.)
In Puerto Rico a very nice confined bay and beach "Playa Amadores" was build. The sand on the beach is imported coral sand from the Caribian. To prevent that the sand disappears in the open sea a manmade barrier of natural rock was put in the bay. This barrier attracted lots of marine life like arrowhead crabs, razorfish, goldline breams, parrotfish, hermit crabs, seacucumbers, urchins, lizardfish, etc. On the outside wall of the barrier we can often enjoy the spectacle of thousends of Sardine all moving in the same direction and forming real "Sardineballs".
At a depth of 33 mtr. there is the wreck of a Piper Cherokee P32 plane. A very special divesite for the experienced diver with deepdive and wreckdive experience. (BACK TO MAP)
8.
Medio Almud ( 20 - 22 mtr.)
A natural reef of rock formation and boulders with schools of sardines and the extra of a small wreck the "Armando Theodoro".
Just 60 meters apart from each other there are two wrecks at a depth of 18 meter. Besides loads of marine life there is a good chance of encountering the Yellow Submarine. The submarine that departs from Puerto de Mogan a couple of times a day to visit the wrecks. (BACK TO MAP)
10 - 11.
Marina Reserva Arinaga (El Cabron)
( Shore dives, 0 - 35 mtr.)
A
road trip of approx. 25 minutes brings us to the underwater nature reserve area
"Marina Reserva Arinaga" or more often called "El Cabron". Boattraffic and
commercial fishing is not allowed in this area. It is a very nice area to dive
with divesites from 6 to 21 mtr. over the reef plateau (Table Top). There are a
couple of swimtroughs and caves (The Arch) and the whole scenery of the vulcanic
reef is impressive.An other option is to dive "The Wall" which is a drop-off
wall gradualy sloping down to 35 meter where we will find the bigger groupers
and even some gorgonian fans. A downside of the area is that it is located on
the north-east and therefore most the to wind and waves exposed coast of the
island and that the entry and exit can be a bit of an adventure. But when
wheather conditions permit we do visit the nature reserve at least once a week.
(BACK TO MAP)
12.
Sardina del Norte (
Shore dives 0 - 22 mtr.)
A road trip from the south of just over an hour. But we have 2 good reasons the dive there once in a while. 1. The rare occasions that the south is stricked by wind and waves the north-west location of Sardina is the leeside and a good alternative for nice and relaxed dives. 2. Mantas! Once a year (end of august till end of september) the mantas pass by the island in there migration. A couple of weeks we have the chance to enjoy the stunning encounters with those creatures. But even without mantas a beautifull divelocation with loads of bream, barracudas, and the remains of the lighthouse that once was blown into the sea in a raging storm. (BACK TO MAP)
