Cabo de Palos, Spain

[Ferrets]

Just returned from a ten day trip to Spain. I was doing a bit of work out there so only managed to get one dive in but just wanted to share the details. I can't remember the exact name of the dive site, I think it began with a D if anybody can help out?!

Anyway, I will start at the beginning. My girlfriend moved out to Spain recently to do property management so I aim to visit as much as possible at the moment and then move out there later in the year or early next year. We were staying in a place called La Zenia, so using previous YD posts I found out about a club close by called Euro Divers. The club is basically a group of mostly ex-pats who want to dive regularly. There are no costs to join and it isn't run from a shop or anything. They meet on a Tuesday night so I went along and said hello. As I am finding with most divers I meet, they were a really nice bunch who made me feel welcome as soon as I arrived. They ask members to give short talks each week about favourite dive sites, local dives etc that were all quite interesting. And then they take names for anybody wanting to dive that week - either a boat dive on Friday or a shore dive on Sunday but it probably varies from week to week.

On to the diving. I met a couple of the divers on the Friday morning and they lent me a bit of kit and drove me down to Cabo de Palos with them. Once there we picked up some cylinders from a local shop and jumped in the rib. Conditions were absolutely perfect. The mountains in the area apparently continue out into the sea and there are a number of peaks underwater. We couldn’t go into the marine reserve because we hadn’t jumped through all the hoops to get permission. Instead we visited one of these pinnacles close to the edge of the reserve. We went down the shot line to a block at about 20 metres and then continued down to around 30 metres Visibility was fantastic, must have been about 20 metres. We could see fish everywhere around us. Literally thousands.

We continued round to pinnacle and came to a huge arch where we saw a large school of barracuda. Apparently there was also a couple of Octopus that I missed but I saw two more further round the pinnacle. We also saw lots of Moray eels, and some huge groupers. On the other side of the pinnacle was a small cave with a moray sat at the bottom. In the roof of the cave was a chimney which we swam through coming out at about 12 metres. We then continued around to the shot line and returned to the boat. The dive lasted 63 minutes but it felt like it was over too quickly.

Back on the boat I said that I was astounded with the quality of the diving and just couldn’t believe it was Spain. It seemed as good if not better than some Red Sea dives I had done. The guys on the boat that dived this area every week said that almost everybody that dived that site for the first time had similar reactions.

I think it has a lot to do with the Marine Reserve we were close to. It amazes me how good the diving can be in this area if they just allow life to return without over fishing.

All in all it was a tremendous day. I definitely want to move out there as soon as possible and dive these sites every week. When you take into account a return flight during the quieter times of years at about £80-£100, the flights take around two and a half hours, cheap accommodation, cheap beer and an amazing dive it is a brilliant weekend trip. Hire of the cylinder and use of the boat was 25 euro. This was a special price for Euro Diver club members so possibly slightly more expensive if you go on your own.

Nearest airport is Murcia San Javier and it is just at the bottom of the 'inland sea' or Mar Menor. Close to La Manga.

[JasonP]

Originally Posted by Ferrets

I can't remember the exact name of the dive site, I think it began with a D if anybody can help out?![/font]

El Bajo De Dentro?

There are some wrecks a bit further north. I dive one of two wooden minesweepers that were sank there by the Spanish Navy and there are also some WWII casulties.

Jason

[Ferrets]

Dentro sounds familiar! I think that is it. Thanks.

[Prometheus]

Si , convengo .