A not so typical dive trip

[Scuba1]

A not so typical dive trip
I know that I am going to get in to trouble with this one but it was a great experience.
I started setting up a dive centre with an ex German friend of mine on Lanzarote, building the place from scratch after 3 month I found out that he was not keeping to the deal we had and so decided to leave him to it and make my way back to Tenerife and set up one by my self in a place I know. I had my 5-metre rib on Lanzarote and everything right down to the kitchen sink as well. So my better half and I decided, that she take the Ferry to Tenerife with all our belongings and I take the Rib with the stuff that can get wet i.e. Dive gear and such. She left 3 days before me because the Weather did not permit me to leave. Sitting at home and listening to the weather report was a bit boring so I kept looking at the details of the planned trip on my boat. About 40 km of the south of Lanzarote there was this reef marked on the Admiralty Chart that kept jumping at me. When the weather got better I left Costa Teguise at 5am and made my way past Lanzarote and Fuerteventura to this Reef. I dropped the Anker in 30m of water got my kit sorted out and descended on the line. It was great the amount of fish I saw down there was like nothing I ever seen before on the Canaries Big Groupers Tuna, Jacks, Barracudas, And the rock formations where a great sight to I could see the silhouette of the rib 45 m above me the vis was really good. I was sorry to have to surface after 112 min. Pulled up the anker and made my way to Morro Jable on the south tip of Fuerte Ventura to spend the night there. Left there the next morning and went on from there to Teneriffe in my As a friend called it “ Floating Petrol bomb” From Gran Canaria to Tenerife it was a bit on the rough side but I got there at 11pm with a salt crust and a beard that looked like I had icicles in my face. This dive got me thinking how nice the underwater world can be if the Humans keep their hands of.
I know ca. 440km is a long way to go on a rib for just one dive, but it was worth the black and blue arse burning eyes sunburn in the face and muscles acing that I didn’t eve know I had, and if my other half finds out what I did on that Trip….. that is adding a real danger to solo diving.

Michael

[Jay]

Nice report Michael - I am starting to learn that there are so many excellent five sites OFFSHORE of the Canaries and that few dive shops actually dive them (because, i suppose they get more cash by staying coastal and keeping a high turnover). Also thanks for the offer of a bed in Tenerife - you might just find me there for a sly week away once I move house! Failing that, I'm in GC in Feb next year - if its economical, maybe we could get together for a day or two and go diving!

Regards

[Davey Willo]

Excellent story Mike, not a trip I'd want to undertake in a Rib though, but well done and I wish you the very best of luck with your business.

Dave.

[Scuba1]

Heads Up
As far as I know that is the only divesite offshore on the Canaries as the islands have not got a shelf or if they have one it is verry small. Being of volcanic origin they look the same under water as above so you get 2 km of shore a depth in eces of 2000m. And that is out of my range.

[Tim Ingmire]

Nice One Mike - it certainly whets the appetite for a quick trip out there - esp as the flights are so cheap.

BTW when are you planning your trip to see the Hammerheads - I'm sure with a bit a persuasion Mrs Timing may let me have a pass-out for a short trip.

Cheers,

Tim

[Scuba1]

Weather permitting we go the first weekend next month.

[Jay]

Isn't there an off-shore sunken volcano crater off Tenerife? I'm sure I read an article on it once upon a time. Its in about 30m I think.

[Eddie]

Great report Michael, with your determination and drive I'm sure your business will be a success! and next time I'm in Los Cristianos I will call in...

[Scuba1]

Jay
There is in the area of Los Roques de Anaga in the north of the Island a big Lavabubble that may pas as a crater but it has a small enrance at the top at aboout 28m and one can decend in to it un til it bottoms out at 43m the diameter of the boubble is about 35m. But one has to have good conditions as it is locatet at the verry north tip of the Island han has a lot of current and surge.

Eddi have you seen the fishnets in los gigantes..we slip the fisherman aa few euros every now and then for a beer and we can now go in to the restricted area weith the rib and dive there with the dolfins that show up every mornig when they feed the fish in the nets.The fishermen throw a few scraps over the side when we are there and the Bottlenosedolfins ( there is 7 of them) put on a great show and will beg for more if you take some fish down withn you you can feed tzhem to. It is so moch more fun playing with them in the wild than to see those poor kreatures in places like Aquapark, where zhey can´t leave when they want to.
You also get som tuna and angelsharks and big stingrays down there.

Michael