Diving in Gibraltar

I think I have been holding back on since I began to blog is that I am crazy about diving. I started diving in Gibraltar about 5 years ago and I thought it was just natural for me to begin diving as I have been snorkelling as far back as I can remember. Even though the thought of being underwater too long was a bit strange to me at first, I was still curious of what lies beneath the waves. I had also heard of shipwrecks around the Bay of Gibraltar - at the end of the day Gibraltar has been a busy port for at least 300 years.

So I began diving and to be honest I could have not been luckier as Gibraltar is fantastic for diving. For example, there are about 30 dives sites around the rock. Some of these can be done from the shore and others you may need a boat to get to.

The part I enjoyed most when I first started diving was the sensation of feeling weightless. The other was the realisation of breathing underwater just like the fish - it is weird at the start but you get used to it and it even becomes natural.

There are plenty of dive sites around Gibraltar but my favourite one from the show has to be the Camp Bay barges. Camp Bay is a small pebble beach on the south western side of Gibraltar and the government in the early 90’s sank a few small ships in the area hoping to create a reef. Little did they know that it would become a popular dive site. The most common ship wreck that most divers visit is the 482 cable layer as it is close to the shoreline and is in a good shape which allows wreck penetration in most areas.

Now my favourite boat diving site has to be the Europa Reef. This reef is just off Europa Point, the most southerly point in Gibraltar and Europe. This dive is a bit more challenging as the currents in the area can be strong but the marine life there is breathtaking. Of course, it is not like the tropical reefs you see on TV but it is just as impressive as them.

Thanks to Nick for these Photos

This year I have not been diving because I have had a cold and a blocked nose for a few weeks now, but should be getting back to diving soon.