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Diving March 2008
1st March - Mazarron
I have never set up camp on a site so quickly! parked up, gas on, electricidad connected, chair out for Alison, see ya later, love you, bye! and I was off on me bike to make the afternoon dive. Having already dropped off most of my dive kit at the dive centre en route to the closer campsite, I pedalled like a loony for the 5km pre-dive, warm up cycle to the Zoea dive centre, located in the harbour at Puerto Mazarron. They had only just re-opened for business and I was very keen to see whether Ricardo was correct in telling me that this area was "buceo muy bueno" This early in the season, most other divers here are Spaniards from the cities, (especially Madrid where Zoea have another training centre) that head down to the coast at weekends but as the season gets going other tourists start to turn up to experience the sub Mediterranean world. To cater for this influx and to my relief, Zoea like many dive centres employ staff with various language skills. I of course only found this out after having struggled embarrassingly with my smiley, nodding, pigeon Spanish with hand signals conversation with the centre's Manager, before being introduced to Martin an English member of staff that was to be my guide on this afternoons dive. Cylinders and kit was driven down to the quayside and our small group walked the short way across the road to one of the two hard boats that Zoea operates. We were to be diving at the site known as El Bajo, described as a small submerged mountain surrounded by various wrecks - most of which have been sunk there to create an artificial reef and dive tourist attraction. The site is only a short boat ride from the harbour so very popular with Zoea. Having secured the boat to the permanent marker buoy we entered the water and made our decent to the pinnacle at approx 15 metres, the visibility was a bit milky but still some 6-8 metres. I followed Martin in an anti-clockwise direction around the rock descending to approx 26 metres eventually coming to the side of a small wrecked fishing boat, apparently sunk as a last request of it's fisherman skipper who had unusually also been a keen scuba diver in his lifetime. Martin pointed out a nearby plaque with the name Emilio engraved on it and we then carried on, passing over various wreckage on our way back towards the shot line. I did not see any exciting or colourful marine life and the dive was cut short due to one group member running low on air. However I enjoyed the dive and 26 minutes was enough for me in my 5mm wetsuit in the 15° water. I am sure that there is much more to see here and am told that it can be very colourful in the summer. Back at the well equipped dive centre I enjoyed an excellent hot shower and then remembered that I still had my post-dive cycle ride back to the campsite! - I might get fit yet, I thought.
The next day I got up early and cycled along the empty road to Zoea for the 9:00 am dive - I should have known better this is Spain! so I then stood around for an hour or so while I waited for all my Spanish buddies to arrive. While waiting, I endeavoured to find out where I would be diving today, I asked the centre manager who shrugged and smiled, I asked Martin who did not know but informed me that he would not be diving today, I then asked Kyle another English lad that was training to be a Dive Master if he could find out for me - he came back and told me that the site would be decided out on the boat once sea conditions had been better assessed. O.K. I thought - a mystery dive. I very soon realised that I was the only English diver aboard a boat full of non English speaking Spanish divers - a mystery dive indeed! - out the window or should I say over the side went the "plan the dive - dive the plan" philosophy as I sat through the dive brief in Spanish, desperately trying to pick out any important words or signs as I carefully checked through all my kit. With the boat anchored close in to a mountain side that slipped beneath the sea I entered the water to find the dozen or so divers being split into two groups, I was pointed towards a group that I had observed on the boat seemingly to know each other and I had presumed they were from a dive club. I nodded and smiled through my regulator as we all signalled thumbs down to descend and followed along close to the apparent leader of the group. Still not sure what I was to see, or how deep, or for how long, I presumed that we were to follow the side of the mountain as a wall dive. I soon found myself observing octopus, moray eels and many colourful sponges and corals in 10 metres visibility. I noted that the group was starting to separate with some divers staying much shallower and the group of four that I was now with continuing along at approx 25 metres - not a problem, no current, good buddies, so I now presumed that we would be making a turn round and return along the wall at a shallower depth to the start point. I started to get a bit concerned however when I signalled that I had 100 bar left and my buddy just gave me an OK and continued with no sign of turning back. I then realised that there were no other divers above us - they had all turned back I thought, as I started to monitor my computer carefully. Where are these crazy Spaniards going, I wondered. At 50 bar I signalled that I was going to start my ascent at which point the leader calmly took out his delayed surface marker buoy and inflated it. It shot to the surface and as we made our ascent together I hoped that the boat would see us, having now been swimming away from it for nearly an hour! To my surprise and relief I surfaced to the sound of a boat full of Spanish divers all jabbering on and comparing their dives loudly in their native tongue. I was later told that the dive site is called El Arco and that had I stayed with the shallower group, I would have seen a natural arch carved in the mountain side above me. I guess that my group had seen this awesome sight before and must have arranged to do their own thing! Anyway an excellent and very colourful wall dive with lots of marine life - maybe I will get to see the arch another day and maybe I will learn to speak Spanish!! but I will definitely be wearing my dry suit for the next dive!!
With the lack of dive tourists this early in the year Zoea would not be diving much until next weekend, so as we were staying around for a while I decided to join them again a week later.
During the week in between, I did some research into
the Phoenician wreck sites I had been told about and while on a bike ride
one day came across a team of Archaeologists working on the site. It was
only metres from the beach, so I waited around until they headed into the
harbour then raced round to meet them. I was able to understand from one of the team that they were completing this seasons work and covering up the site until further notice - how I would have loved to dive with them - oh well maybe another time.
The boats were discovered near the beach at Mazarron in
1988 and 1989, following some underwater exploration in the area and were
associated by freight and dated to the Phoenician era. The remains of the
first boats keel and other pieces were later called Mazarron 1 to
differentiate them from the other similar boat found in the area; the very
well preserved and almost intact submerged hull called Mazarron 2 being
the boat that I presume I saw the team working on. Items from these historically important wreck sites are to become the "Jewell" of the newly built National Museum of Underwater Archaeology in Cartagana and an interpretation centre is now also planned to be built close to the sites in Mazarron that will contain photos, models, and a reproduction of one of the boats.
Today was a two-dive boat trip and as the boat headed out across the bay I wondered if they too would be mystery dives. Fortunately things were easier to understand this time because Ben, an English member of staff was on the boat and my nominated dive buddy was a Spaniard called Miguel who at least was able to speak better English than I could Spanish. The boat anchored at a site called Cabo Tiñoso - the big toe of a foot shaped mountain side (when viewed on a map) that plunges into the ocean, described by Zoea as one of the best wall dives in the area. We descended in buddy pairs to approximately 25 metres and immediately I was met with good vis and lots of marine life. Orange encrusting sponge and agelas, harpoon weed and midget sea squirt clung to the rocks where moray eels lurked, as small wrasse and comber darted in to investigate any disturbed particles in our wake. As we rounded the "toe" I was thrilled to see a large sunfish roll into and all too quickly out of the limits of visibility some 6-8 metres away from me. Turning at a pre agreed 100 bar and returning at around 15 metres, I was able to better scale the size of the huge boulders and outcrops of rock below me that had cascaded in to the ocean from the awesome mountain side above. A very enjoyable 45 minute dive, I thought as I sat back on the boat in my dry suit whilst others around me shivered! High on the mountain cliff face above us, I could just make out the now disused "Guns of Mazarron". These massive batteries used to be part of the shore defences for Cartagena's huge harbour and headquarters of the Spanish Mediterranean Fleet.
We soon anchored at the location of our second dive, a very popular site called Cala Cerrada - a beautiful little cove, carved out of the rock along the La Azohia cliff face, just west of Cabo Tiñoso. During our surface interval we were joined by a large RIB full of divers from another Puerto Mazarron Dive Centre called Cota Cero and I had a chat with their very enthusiastic English Skipper called Tony. Apparently there is plenty of business for both and they always help each other out. I could see why this site is popular, it is very sheltered as the name Cala Cerrada or Closed Bay, suggests. This beautiful cove has an accessible beach and a depth of just 14 metres, making it a perfect training ground for the local centres. Our dive took us out of the bay where we followed the cliff face westerly at an average depth of 20 metres. I enjoyed a very similar dive to the previous and at the end, some 52 minutes later, I was starting to feel the strain from swimming in a dry suit with 14 kg of lead around my waist but at least I was warm and dry! that was of course until I smugly peeled down my suit and was promptly swamped by a bow wave as the boat powered towards the Harbour, much to the amusement of my shivering Spanish Buddies!
11th March - Las Negras
I presumed that this was Elisa, the person that had answered my email. I reminded her that I had emailed back in February and she instantly remembered, then Introduced me to Victor the "almost" multi lingual owner. Victor showed me around the deceptively large centre, which even combines an internet cafe for its customers and I then filled out the necessary paperwork to dive with them the following day.
Next day I left Alison enjoying the morning sunshine and strolled across the cliff tops to the dive centre for the morning dive. Victor introduced me to Danny our boat skipper and a Spanish couple that were to be the only others joining us for the dive. We were soon all kitted up and on the boat heading to the chosen site called Cerrico Romero just around the next headland. As soon as I entered the water I knew that this was a different environment to previous Spanish dives, the water was clearer with visibility of 15-20 metres and every where I looked was life. Neptune grass danced in the suns rays as Victor lead us around this octopuses garden. He seemed to know every nook and cranny to shine his torch in, each time spotlighting a colourful fish or marine life form. We meandered around at only 14 metres, over boulders through swim-throughs, even into a little cave full of bright orange cardinal fish and encrusting sponges. The dive lasted fifty minutes and I had been so engrossed in my surroundings that I had not even felt the cold in my wetsuit. Back on the boat and Victor threw me a leather wine flask that had been hanging from the steering console in the sun, I squeezed the warm soft hide bag and squirted the most divine tasting warm, sweet red wine into my mouth - "Wow! I like that!" I said, "please can I go diving again tomorrow!"
I had a nice lazy start the next day, there had been a less experienced group diving before me and as I kitted up, soon realised I was the only diver on the 13:00 dive. Victor explained that he was going to take me to a small reef out in the bay where the marine life was really good. The site is called Piedras de Juanito. Victor and I descended to a sandy seabed at 27 metres with low lying outcrops of rock around us. None of the rock stood more than a metre or so from the bottom and I thought, that's not very interesting! but as we swam closer, I took my thought straight back, as moray and conger eels shared the same crevices, wrasse, cardinals and dusky groupers swam in and out of the gulleys. One fish, I believe to be a golden grouper with very unusual yellow marking on its side, found us very interesting and inquisitively circled us as we explored his patch. Testament to the number of fish in the area were the long since lost, ancient fishing nets, now coral encrusted to the reef. Another beautiful dive and more heavenly wine was swallowed in celebration on return to the surface. Back at the centre I enjoyed a hot shower and checked my emails before strolling back to tell Alison all about it. Victor and Danny run a very professional and friendly dive centre and one I will definitely plan to return to but think we better move on soon or I will fall too much in love with this place!
15th March - Marbella
Pulling onto our pitch behind the old police station & Moorish Tower at Atalaya we felt like we had come home and once parked up I ran around to see how the Happy Team were doing. "Hello you crazy Frenchman", I said in my best French accent, as I approached Cedric who was sweeping the beach from the centres door way. "I am back to dive your old ship!" A few laughs and jokes later and I had arranged to dive the next day along with a Belgian holiday maker that was staying in the area. We met up the following morning and I was introduced to Dave, an English Instructor that I had not seen before as he had been working at Happy Divers other centre in Marbella Harbour when I last visited. Dave was to lead us today and we were soon loaded into the van and on our way to the nearby San Pedro beach from where we would enter the water. We kitted up on the promenade and walked down the neatly raked sandy beach to the waters edge, where unlike the last time the sea was now gently lapping. Dave led us out following some old sewer pipes on the bottom for about 200 metres and then turned right straight to the wreck site. As we approached the obvious mound, we had to swim up and over a fishing net that had been shot directly across this unprotected wreck and once clear of the net I could see many timbers, beams and planking of all sizes heaped one upon another as if the ships decks had collapsed on top of each other. Far more exposed timber than on my Normans Bay site but sadly any and all cannon had been long since looted and I was later told that at least one gun was now somewhere along the coast at Marbella, no doubt rusting away and completely un-associated to this historic ship. I had been told to keep my eye out for brass buttons and buckles that reveal themselves from time to time supporting the theory that the ship was probably French and had been carrying military uniforms. The wreck lies in just 6 metres of water and the visibility was I guess 3-5 metres on my dive, so I could have a good look around. There was varied marine life on the site, though not too colourful today, however I did see a very large cuttlefish and a conger eel that had made this old wreck their home. Some timbers were sound whilst others badly gribbled, so I guess some areas had been periodically covered and uncovered over time. Various other shaped objects were amongst the wreck but unlike Normans Bay I did not notice any obvious iron concreted objects. I was lucky to photograph one timber with a brass button laying on top of it, only to then to be shocked as my Belgian Buddy presented me with a handful of buttons and buckles despite being asked not to remove or disturb any artefacts, no doubt recently revealed by the same strong winds that had prevented me diving the site back in January. This is a very interesting old site, though too easily accessible for it's own good. Back at Happy Divers I said my farewells, we sneaked back into the local Hotel to use their internet access again and the next day we were on the road heading for the other location I had vowed to return to - Tarifa!
17th March - Tarifa
When I last visited Yellow Sub dive centre back in January, I had been told that they were relocating to brand new premises on the waterfront in the Harbour, so as we drove back into Tarifa this time I headed straight for the Port. With no public parking allowed, I left Alison in Nel to answer to any Port Officials, while I ran round trying to locate the new dive centre. Having almost given up, I noticed some new buildings way across the other side of the harbour where the Tangier Ferry docks. As I ran back to Nel, Alison was sitting on the step sunning herself; "come on!, it's over there" I said as I pushed past her and started the engine. I convinced the port officials at the Ferry Port entrance that I had to get Nel into this area to unload diving equipment at Yellow Sub and they waved us through. With Nel parked right outside, I walked into the centre to be faced with a vivid recreation of the Beatles "Yellow Submarine" Pop Art, painted all round the walls and as I admired the visual effect, Enrico (the centres Italian owner that I had met before) said "and it's not finished yet, we have only just opened up!" Enrico introduced me to Sven an English speaking German Instructor that has been working at the centre for some time and a couple of dives were then arranged for the following day. I left my dive kit at the centre and with our acquired local knowledge of the area, set off to find a pitch for the night along side the Kite Surfers. The following morning I cycled the 5 miles to Yellow Sub, making it there before they opened up at 9.00 am. Sven explained that only myself and one other advanced diver, Judy, would be diving with him. We were all soon kitted up and with the dive boat moored just in front of the centre, only a few minutes boat ride out of the harbour and we were at the first dive site. "Chici" the boat skipper anchored us close to the site of the San Andres. The San Andres was a luxury paddle steamer wrecked in a storm on the South Easterly (Mediterranean) side of Tarifa Island in 1856. We descended the anchor line to the sea bed at approximately 6 metres and then followed the side of the Island and it's rocky outcrops in a southerly direction, descending gradually to the position of the wreck at a depth of 30 metres. Had I found a Spanish dive site to rival the protected Natural Park & Marine Reserve of Cabo de Gata? I think maybe, yes! As we entered the water I was impressed with the abundant marine life, vibrant colour and good visibility. Shoals of various bream & wrasse surrounded us and every available surface was covered in coloured corals, sponges and plants. Bright orange star coral opened and closed in sequential patterns and moray eels peered out from every strategic position. The dramatic remains of the San Andres would take me more time than I had to interpret; upstanding structures, resembling the form of some ancient Temple, casting their shadows on the sandy seabed below, surrounded by fish and encrusted in all manner of growth. Home to many eels and huge spider crab. Unfortunately we were too soon heading back toward the start point but Sven did have a little bonus for us - as briefed before the dive and subject to remaining air, Sven would surface to check boat traffic/sea conditions with Chici, then if OK, descend and lead us into a pretty little cave where we could surface to breath Tarifa's fresh air and see blue sky above us. (not always possible due to huge swells and the wash from the Tangier Ferry that passes close by) Sven's OK signal told us that we were lucky and we followed him into the colourful, brightly sunlit cave, surfaced in the blow hole and drew fresh breath. Sven was keen for us not to linger too long as he had been almost caught in this "washing machine" on previous occasions. We exited and moments later were ascending the anchor line to a cheerful Chici welcome aboard. Due to the strong prevailing South Westerly wind we were restricted to diving on the sheltered Eastern side of the Island, so sadly I would not be diving two Oceans in one day today. Chici repositioned the boat at the second dive site "La Garita" adjacent to an old lookout tower on the now disused island battlements. We enjoyed our surface interval while Sven enthused about the many other dive sites around this unique outcrop where the Atlantic and Mediterranean waters blend. For our second dive, Sven gave us a guided tour around the sites rock face, boulders and swim-through's, again all teeming with colourful life. I enjoyed a great 36 minute dive at an average depth of 15 metres. The water temperature was 15° and towards the end of the dive, even in my dry suit, I was starting to feel cold. Back on the boat Judy shivered in her wet suit and we were both pleased that the centres hot showers and excellent new facilities were just a few minutes boat ride away. Tarifa Island has much more to offer and I look forward to exploring it further in the future. Yellow Sub is a professional family run business, with the facilities, local knowledge and unique permissions required, that make diving Tarifa Island one of the best dive locations in Spain.
Click here to dive into photo Gallery 7
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