MAD for it in Mallorca

[Ian@1904]

After checking the family diary we established that 27th June(my birthday as it happened) to 8th July was the only time this year for a family holiday. Due to work reasons we had not sorted anything else earlier in the year so we left things to nearly last minute. A rather good deal was offered so that little madam aged 16 qualified as a child and cost us £40 for flights and room. Getting desperate the agent offered us car parking for £10. So I gave in and booked to stay in Cala Vinas, about 2km down the road from Magaluf.
A brief search on YD and Google found these guys M.A.D. Diving Mallorca / Majorca - Diving Palmanova, Magalluf, Santa Ponsa.
I brief flurry of emails established that nitrox was free, they would collect and return me to the hotel, gratis, and no I was not expected to dive looking after their newbie divers. Sorted.

Day one
Jim arrived about half an hour late to collect me, there had been a road accident, but in fairness they had telephoned my mobile (left in hotel room to be picked up by my better half). At the centre my buddy John and I were briefed as to the score and given weights and cylinders. Medicals were signed, insurances checked and noted, certs checked, all good stuff. I had requested 15ltr nitrox, on assembly this was found to be filled to 120 bar……ooops. Quickly swopped. The dive centre was very quiet, apparently there was a football competition on somewhere and no divers were around. Jim, from Scotland, was not too fussed about the footie. Jim requested that we stick to about 20m for our first dives, which seemed fair enough as a checkout dive. I almost stayed to 20m.
The diving took place at Capandrixol and the Tip of Malgrats. We had 30-40m of viz and the usual wildlife, octopus, moray eels, and some very large scorpion fish.

Day two
Jim arrived only ten minutes late, which for Spain means really early. No other divers being around Jim was my buddy for the day. Jim was by now really chilled out given that England were expecting to leave the footie competition that evening (they did). This was really chilled out diving more of a BSAC/YD style buddy dive than a PADI holiday dive. El Toro West and back to the Malgrats Tip meant we were back in the nature reserve. Jim explained that it was octopus mating time so not to get too close to the beasties as they might get upset. With more time explore Jim showed some me lovely purple nudibranchs. We found some lobsters and a school of barracuda-some chilling, some hunting. We were able to use our nitrox to the max and do a little deco on these dives which was lovely. My log book says –Fab couple of dives.

Day three
Due to UK divers celebrating the demise of Germany in the footie match there were still no UK divers around, so Daniel took me diving today. There was some light banter with the German divers on the boat today, not quite a sense of humour failure, but then you don’t see many German sitcoms over here either. Originally we had planned to use air and do some 40m dives. But due to numbers we had to dive at Punta Cautius. I think we made a max depth of 30m, not that I was concerned, as the wildlife is lacking at these depths. So we pootled, and did some deco. We found mating octopi, massive scorpion fish lurking. I was using my Lidl camera as used last year, which ran out of film just as a big codfish caught a rainbow fish, would have been a great pic.
The second dive was back at El Toro and we managed to find a conger eel lurking. We went into one of the little caves and found some rock fish, shrimps, etc. Outside several frisky octopus were seen swimming around, jumping into different holes and desperately trying to have a good time. Daniel had a great time using his camera, and not fussing about where I had got to, a big change to the usual holiday dive leading stuff.

All in all three superb days of diving

A little bit more about MAD divers
These guys appeal to UK divers, they speak English (actually scot and welsh) so you will understand the briefing. The dive centres they use are shared with a couple of other schools. This has a mixed result-diver numbers can dictate dive sites. The dive centres are really excellent, clean, well maintained, good changing facilities, with access to showers, with post dive beer to hand. I took my own kit, but the hired kit look tip top. Service was excellent, yes I had a couple of initial hiccups, but these were sorted without fuss. There are three boats available a hard boat with shelter, a decent 8m RIB, and fandabbydozy superRIB-twin inboard engine, handles up to 24 divers, faster than a rat up a drainpipe. Being collected from the hotel was a massive bonus. Paperwork for nitrox was all in place, nicely managed, one of the best centres I have seen around.





I will have some more pics if Daniel gets organised and sobers up after being best man in Neath this weekend. I hope it went well mate. (It did). Wildlife photos c/o of Daniel at MAD divers-thanks matey.

One other thing.
Down in Magaluf we went to see this show Welcome to PIRATES
This is stunning stuff. One thing, don’t plan to go diving the following morning….ooops.

[Steve S]

Nice report mate, I hope my reports swayed it for you we are on their site
M.A.D. Diving - Scuba Diving Holidays in Spain. don't know who the handsome bas*ard in the orange weezle is though

Safe diving,
Steve

P.S. it might be worth getting a combined club trip out there early next year.

[Ian@1904]

Originally Posted by Steve S

don't know who the handsome bas*ard in the orange weezle is though .

Part of Team Old I believe. Dry suits?-I was in my 5mm wetsuit

P.S. it might be worth getting a combined club trip out there early next year.

Better half wants a return trip in the Spring or Autumn. I will suggest it to those club members not on YD.

[thehappychappy]

Nice report, nice little photos.

[purple vonny]

Nice on Ian, might have to go down and do some "networking"!!

[Ding Dang Doo]

Thanks for the report Ian... looks like good diving.

I was in Magaluf, on a stag do, just before the footie started (saw the Jamacia game out there)... 'Pirates' is probably the best thing going in Magaluf (found the rest of the place just a little too err full of p1ssed up 'kids') did you go to the Adults Pirates? Walked out of there unable to talk (cos I'd been shouting too much) but with a bloody great grin on my face!

Pete

[Ian@1904]

We did the family event. Daniel one of the instructors told me all about the adult version, he works on security at Pirates.

We (I) started off with a bottle of cava each, jug of sangria, jug of white wine-shared in part with the lady on the next table. Lots of water consumed as diving in the morning. Took too much interest in the lady gymnasts and dancers, and Captain Scarlett did it for me. Sadly we had to cheer for Barboroossa. Wife took to hiding my wine glass(es) in the end. Nuff said really.

[Ding Dang Doo]

Originally Posted by Ian@1904

Took too much interest in the lady gymnasts and dancers, and Captain Scarlett did it for me. Sadly we had to cheer for Barboroossa. Wife took to hiding my wine glass(es) in the end. Nuff said really.

Yes, something about the lady gymnasts.. and as for Captain Scarlett!!!

Funniest bloke was the 'drunken sailor', how high???

[Ian@1904]

Yours truely

scorpion fish

Moray

[StevieH]

Originally Posted by Ian@1904

Better half wants a return trip in the Spring or Autumn. I will suggest it to those club members not on YD.

Ian,

Will be getting hitched on July 19th next year so count me out, was thinking club dive in Ireland next year after wedding.

Regards

StevieH