[Frog]

Imported post

OK, trip report.  I'm not very good at writing reports and stories, so bear with me.

I dived in Malta in March with Eric DV a YDer.  After private e-mails and some phone calls, the weeks break was arranged.  I cut out the middle man (travel agent) and booked with the airline and hotel direct.  The return flight and 7 nights DB&B cost me at that time £208.  Those who want details, PM me if you wish.  I still had to find spending money and cash for the tanks, weights and we were splitting the cost of a hire car.  Still worked out cheaply though...

Ginge (boyfriend) and I arrived at the hotel late at night, we unpacked, showered and went to bed.  We met Eric at breakfast the next morning.  I was off to the docs for a medical, passed no problem, and then to pick up the hire car.  We went back to the hotel for the dive kit, and Ginge went to arrange some trips for himself, as he doesn't dive.

We were using cylinders and weights from Strand divers; I thought they were fine. [email protected] for those interested!  We were doing shore dives, so no boats, which suited me.  Dive boats and I do not mix!  The diving was superb.  I took a dry suit, as it was like a hot summers day over there, but the water temperature was about 12 degrees C or so.  It was their winter, but to me it was hot and sunny.  The viz was about 20m+, but unfortunately there were bloody jellyfish around.  We did a variety of sites, having the car made it easier.

It was physically hard work with some sites being at the bottom of a steep slope (Ghar Lapsie!) but I was nicely toned at the end of it, so hey; I wasn't complaining!  Eric is good to dive with.  We suited ourselves; no pressure to get back into the water, nothing like that.  We took as long as we wanted for the surface interval, and dived for as long as we were able.

My longest dive was for 75 minutes, and I only surfaced because I was in dire need of a piss!  Plenty air; came up with 60 Bar approx, so was not impressed at having to surface.  We were at 14m on that dive at Popeye Bay.  There was a huge variety of life, and I found a small octopus in it's hole.  I think it was scared of me (most people and things are), because it pulled itself further in.  I left it alone.

There wasn't much treasure; to be found, I found some interesting shells (empty) and a piece of broken coral on the sea bed at Ghar Lapsie.  I liked that site, because the cave system is impossible to get lost in.  As I don't really like underwater caves this suited me fine.  For a wuss like me re. caves; if I can do it, anyone can do it.  There was another one, where the cave went back and we could surface, but the only light was from our torches.  Although I didn't freak or panic, I wasn't too happy in there and was rather pleased to see the light at the mouth of the cave.  When I could see that, I was quite happy to stay where I was.  I can't remember the name of that dive though.  Sorry!

I spent the holiday a very happy and contented frog,

thoroughly enjoying myself and generally chilling out and relaxing.  I AM going back in November, I booked the flight and accommodation 2 days after getting home.  I'm told November will be hot (to us) so will need a wet suit and not a dry suit for then.  I'm booking a week, flying out Thursday 20th and home again on Thursday 27th if anyone' interested.  Then I will know whether to favour March or November for my 2 week stint next year!

In a nutshell, I had a fab time,

 really enjoyed myself.  Eric is a good dive guide, and good to dive with.  I do NOT lead dives as my navigation and sense of direction is total guff.  Strand were fine, I certainly didn't have any problems, and Lawrence, the owner/manager was very nice.

 

[Tim Ingmire]

Imported post

Hi Frog.

did you get to see any of those features that are being presented / passed off as possible ancient ruins of Atlantis?  Would be interesting to read a first-hand account of them.

Malta, like many other places, is on my list of must-do places although I still have to do the red sea before anywhere else.

Tim

 

[John Gulliver]

Imported post

Glad you enjoyed yourself, Ann. Sounds as though you got a bargain.
Tim! You're right. You've GOT to go to the Red Sea.

 

[Frog]

Imported post

Tim, no we didn't do the ruins.  I did ask a chap called Tex about it when we dived a couple of wrecks with him one day on the south side of the island.  He said that archaeologists has been looking for them for about 20 years, and the fishermen pointed them out literally 10 feet from where they'd spent 20 years searching!  I could just imagine the scenario!

"I'm Professor F*king Smart Arse, looking for these remains for about 20 years, got f*cking nowhere by the way..." then the fishermen appear
"'Scuse me - there're here.  Right here.  Been there all along..."

I hope to do them in November though.  If I do, I'll let you know.

 

[ericdv]

Imported post

Glad you enjoyed it Ann and of course David (Ginge) as we have to keep the landlubbers happy  

Hope to be at the airport to pick you both up in November and may even have had my knee fixed by then but as you know it don't hamper my diving.
Re: the report to be fair the minumum temp was 14 deg and the cavern we surfaced in was at Anchor Bay.   I enjoyed diving with you and a wuss you certainly aint.   Remember the first dive we did together at L'Ahrax to the Inland Sea and the group of Maltese divers who couldn't believe we had done it as they regard it as a boat dive.
We covered most of the popular dives but remember in November you have the whole of Cirkewwa to explore which mainly for weather reasons we didn't get to.