Gozo 2006
Gozo ‘06
Our latest deep-sea diving adventure took 20 of us to the island of Gozo , off Malta. We departed a deserted Dublin airport in the small hours of Saturday morning…..
all glad not to be travelling on the adjacent Las Palmas flight, which had a ghetto blaster blaring techno and nagins of vodka being passed around the departure gate!! We had a short 3.5 hour flight with Air Malta……….a/c was very hot(?air coshing)………..food disgusting served at 3.30am!!…….but the crew were cheerful. We descended past Sicily at dawn and were on the ground in Malta 15 mins later. A 40 mins road transfer brought us to the Ferry port at Cirkewwa with a 25min crossing past tiny Comino Island to Mgarr harbour, Gozo. We had booked 10 days unlimited, self-guided shore diving with Frankie’s Dive Centre Xewkija, and the Director of Diving Rudi, met us at the port and organised transport to our accommodation. Most of us(14) stayed in a large villa in the hilltop town of Xaghra, while Rob and Terry had an apartment to themselves, and with the JD party (eventually) residing in the Cornucopia Hotel, also in Xaghra. With everyone rather sleep-deprived by that afternoon, most people crashed for a few hours (Di had only got back from Australia the previous morning so I don’t know how she was functioning). I was woken by what sounded like gunfire……or an artillery barrage even…….but which turned out to be fireworks. The fireworks in Malta seem to be Semtex based, and we came to understand that the locals like to set off their fireworks first thing in the morning………throughout the day…….and then loads more at night as well! Our vehicles for the week were delivered that evening and consisted of 4 open jeeps and some sort of miniature Hiace! In these, we processed round the Island, in a sort of Wacky Races meets the Italian Job manner (more the former) to the various dive sites over the next week.
On our first night we ate out at the lovely ‘Oleander’ restaurant on Victory square in Xaghra, and once Eamonn R had told the manager who was boss, we enjoyed a lovely relaxed meal which set us up for the week ahead. As if that wasn’t enough, we emerged out onto the square to find brass bands playing, flags waving, fireworks and a procession of Statues to celebrate ’Our Lady of the Victories’, the annual Festa in Xaghra which celebrates Maltese resistance to a medieval Turkish siege, and again more recently the Axis siege in WW2. The Festa coincided with the week of our visit, and we became accustomed to the nightly celebrations, usually ending our evenings with a few bottles of Cisk lager in the square.
Next morning we presented our credentials at the dive centre….Liam, Barry and Andrew
had whistle-stop medicals (an annual legal requirement for instructors in Malta) before we collected belts, weights, tanks and sofnolime for the rebreathers. It was lunchtime by the time we were sorted, so we opted for a check-dive nearby, at a narrow inlet on the South coast called Mgarr ix Xini. The directions we were issued with, called for a left turn ‘when you smell the farm buildings’…….this proved to be very accurate! Just as well we did a check-dive as most of us were miles overweight! (most of our lead went back to the dive centre or stayed on the floor of the jeeps for the rest of the week). 
For this dive we just swam out along one side of the inlet (rocky cliffs either side, sandy bottom) as far as some caves. I found a brilliant halocline at the back of the first one…… its like your vision is blurred in one direction. We also caught our first glimpse of a dreaded Fireworm! We barely made it up the steep hill out of the inlet in our jeep and the poor little Hiace stuffed with bodies and rebreathers took 3 runs at it to get out!
For this dive we just swam out along one side of the inlet (rocky cliffs either side, sandy bottom) as far as some caves. I found a brilliant halocline at the back of the first one…… its like your vision is blurred in one direction. We also caught our first glimpse of a dreaded Fireworm! We barely made it up the steep hill out of the inlet in our jeep and the poor little Hiace stuffed with bodies and rebreathers took 3 runs at it to get out! 
Later in the afternoon we relocated to Dwejra at the West of the Island and the famous Blue Hole. The entry at the Blue Hole is pretty memorable…….basically a large 10m diameter chimney, which drops to 15m, with a cave at its base and an archway at 5m out to the open sea. We headed out and left in the direction of Coral cave. The absence of Kelp was noticeable (apparently its too warm in the Med) and instead of which there is this this short cloverleaf algae( Halimeda Tuna) which carpets walls and boulders down to some depth. Conditions were very comfortable with 30 m vis and 24 deg water even at 30m……….so comfortable in fact, we were out of airtime and NDL by the time we reached Coral cave (roof at 14m, bottom 30m). On our (me, Eamonn G and Maire) way back, we found a shortcut through the ‘Coral Gardens’ and on for a safety stop and exit at the Blue Hole.
We were blessed with the wind forecast at light 2-3 variable as this allowed us to dive the exposed North coast all week.
On Monday we dived at Reqqa point……a headland West of Marsalforn on the North coast……..think Hook under the lighthouse except with a light coloured sandstone, no clouds, salt pans…and depths of 60m+ near the entry as well as a dramatic underwater landscape and a convenient ladder placed for exit! We noticed a lot of small jellyfish in the water and a few people got stung on exposed arms and legs…….but nothing too severe. (It was only near the end of the week when Matt bought a nice Med Fish I.D. book, that we realised that these cuties were only baby ‘PORTUGESE MAN OF WAR‘!! Its interesting that PMOW deliver their stings from the Bell as well as the tentacles, and Di went out of her way to demonstrate this with the perfect imprint of one on the back of her knee! At the end our dive we explored a narrow chimney to the right of the ladder……..contained a nice shoal of cardinal fish and I used elbows only for touchdowns inside due to the pesky Fireworms. On our afternoon dive myself and Maire came upon a large cave. Slightly eerie going in with surge produced waves of gravel at the entrance, but it was so massive we explored further. We came across what looked like fishing line snagged on the right wall before realising it was a fixed line with arrows and some sort of warning sign in German further on. Guessed that conditions might sometimes be more difficult than those today. We went as far as some boulders before turning back with a good 50 m+ swim back to the massive entrance, and an ascent all the back to the ladder at Reqqa point.
Tuesday morning found us at ’Washing Machine’ bay near Marsalforn, in pursuit of the famous Double Arch reef, which lies some 200 m offshore. Starting off with a long snorkel out, and then dropping down to the reef at 15m, the pursuit became a procession of buddy groups, and amid much head scratching, compass scrutinising, squinting out into the blue and increasingly desperate gesticulations, without so much as a single arch to be seen…………..ended up as a 45 min wild goose chase back to ‘the washing machine‘. However, amid all the confusion, two brave young heroes swam directly out to the Double Arch in about 12 mins….had a look around (wondering where everyone had gone)….and made there way back to the exit point without fuss. While most of us were feeling pretty disconsolate after the dive….Liam, Di and Terry suffered the dreaded GO3 (’group o three‘) curse, ending up on the rocks at the east point, with Liam getting badly scratched and his camera totalled, into the bargain. Even Robert had a scare snorkelling…..finding out why its called the ‘washing machine‘!! All in all, not the most successful mornings diving operations. Meanwhile, Matt and JD were grinning like proverbial Cheshire cats!!……I thought at one point, that they were going to hold hands…and do a Paisley/Trimble Garvahy road style parade up and down the slip.
Enjoyed a nice lunch at St Pauls bar on Marsalforn seafront with MnM, before relocating to Dwejra for the afternoon dive. Myself and Eamonn entered the Inland Sea, sort of a shallow sea loch connecting to the open sea by an 80m tunnel in the overlooking cliff face through which small boat traffic passes overhead. In the tunnel, it gets quite dark but clear, and the bottom drops down in steps to 25m.The view out to the open sea is dramatic. Once out, we hung a left following along steep walls covered in algae in the direction of the Blue Hole. We passed through some cool patches of water which grabbed Eamonn’s attention, he in his tropical shortie!! By this time everyone was down to their minimum thermal protection and measly weight-belts, with a few desperadoes (Barry, Andrew, Dec) down to shorts + tee-shirts! That night, we all attended a lovely poolside barbecue at the Cornucopia Hotel. Robert took full advantage of the buffet, and said ‘please sir can I have some more‘………5 times!!! A load of people got up to dance and Eamonn R was the ‘life and soul’ and should have picked up a cut of the DJ’s fee. The second casualty of the day occurred when Andrew suffered a sprained ankle in a freak Conga-line accident!!! 
Wednesday mornings project was Billinghurst Cave, a little west of Reqqa point. The entry involved a short scramble down some rocks to a flat area, followed by a gulp and a big (>2m) jump in from here. The entry is committing as the only exit from here is a 10 min swim back to the ladder at Reqqa Pt.. This dive was a serious enough proposition with a 100m + penetration and is at the very limit of cavern diving. We all took 15l tanks as a minimum. Myself and Rose maintained a steady pace down the giant tunnel being careful to avoid any bottom contact. As we reached the boulder field we could MnM’s torches up ahead in the air chamber. We followed slowly up over the boulders, surfacing in a large sandstone chamber. After a few 360’s with our torches we dived again…………didn’t seem like a place to dilly-dally…….although apparently there is actually some sort of a ‘beach’ and a visitors book on the wall for divers!! Descending the boulders, the giant opening of the cave looks very small from here. Most people then took the rest of the day off for some mid-week off gassing. Stopped for lunch in Marsalforn and was unfortunately relieved of my camera which I had left in the Jeep………silly mistake and of course my memory card was almost full!!
On Thursday the wind had picked up, but Reqqa point was still diveable. Myself and Martin dived to the right of the point for a change………conclusion=go left (West). Nice pottering dive down to about 38m, with some mooching around (surprised to see a familiar friend…female cuckoo wrasse) before a slow ascent back up the slope to the ladder. Martin spotted a Moray in checking-out mode in 20m below us, but it was to deep to return to………..JD got some great pics though. Had a good chuckle to myself on the safety stop watching peoples clumsy attempts at exiting at the ladder in the surging surf. When it came to my turn, I put in a performance Norman Wisdom would have been proud of……… and at one point almost got washed away sans fins. My buddy had long since departed by the time I eventually hauled myself out…….but some German divers must have been watching my antics at the ladder………..and I sheepishly accepted a fin strap returned by one of them later. Lovely dive in the afternoon, with an entry below the saltpans at Dwejra…..snorkel out to Little Bear rock and then halfway out to Crocodile rock along the reef edge, dropping down to 10m the rest of the way out. We were constantly flanked by pulsing and swirling shoals of bait fish(?anchovies) under attack from small groups of Seriola( a bit like a Trevally). No sign of a Barracuda shoal , and at Crocodile rock we dropped to 35m and headed back in, crossing some very cold patches on the way, passing around Great Bear rock and back into the Blue Hole for a whistle stop tour of the cave before a safety stop and exit.
People seemed generally a bit disappointed with the lack of pelagic and large reef fish, but I think this is typical of the Med now outside of marine reserves such as Islas Medes and Corsica/Sardinia, and other than the occasional sighting in deep water. There is supposedly a spear fishing ban in Malta, but we did see a guy chucking a spear gun around recklessly at one site, so I wonder if it is enforced. After a couple of fairly lousy evening meals at tourist restaurants on Marsalforn seafront, we enjoyed an excellent meal at Otters bistro that night, even with very slow service.With the week flying by, on Friday we relocated to the South coast for a change, to dive the wreck of the Xlendi, a ro-ro ferry sunk in’99 as an artificial reef, and which rests upside-down in 45m, just West of Xatt l’Ahmar bay. After a little navigational confusion (I gave in…and bought a roadmap on the last day!!) we eventually found the little car park down a dirt track below the town of Ghanjsielem. For the first time on our trip there was a lot of other divers and even dive-boats at this site. A little bit confusing at the entry point was that all the other dive groups seemed to be well West of the Xlendi location. All carrying 15’s, myself MnM headed out on a bearing in between the Xlendi and where the other dive groups were seen. Within a few minutes we were shocked to see a large, upright and very well preserved ferry loom out of the blue some 30m ahead! We swam over the bridge and past masts down as far as the stern. We arrived there to find Liam and Barry waving us fond farewells from the rear windows of the main passenger compartment!! Ambient nitrogen levels at 41m may in some way account for the few minutes of messing about that followed!….including Matt attempting to penetrate a Volkswagen Beetle left bizarrely sitting on the roof of the passenger compartment. Sadly due to us all being on EAN21, we had only a few minutes NDL left when we struck out West again ,in search of the Xlendi. We came across it within a few minutes but had to suffice with staying above the upturned rusting hull which had 2 props at either end. It didn’t look too appealing in any case, and apparently the superstructure is now collapsing under the weight of the hull. We hopped back over to the reef for some chilled-out off gassing…..spotting a couple of baby Morays and a nice shoal of Cardinal fish (under an overhang as usual). Later we learned that the first wreck we found, was the MV Karwela, a 56m passenger ferry sunk as an artificial reef only a few weeks beforehand. The VW Beetle was apparently dropped onto it by a local dive club!!
After lunch at Otters bistro Marsalforn, we drove to the ‘washing machine bay’ for a second crack at the Double Arch, the pressure really being on the lads to find it a second time!! After the initial snorkel, me and Matt dived in 4m and swam on out over beds of Posidonia sea grass. After 10 mins or so Matt seemed to recognise a feature ahead, and then on reaching the reef edge turned and gave me a big double OK, I’m sure as much in relief as pleasure, and within a few seconds the truly impressive Double Arch came into view. We explored the deep outside of the arch first before heading up to the lower arch. I was just wondering where the others had got to….only to be met by the sight of JD doing a triumphant Charles Atlas impression astride the middle arch, while yelling ’WHOSE YOUR DADDY’ through his reg!!! Within seconds, the hordes were descending on the site and me and Matt headed up to the flat top of the reef at about 17m. We did a quick circuit around the reef edge keeping an eye into the blue and down the 45m wall for any sign of the elusive Barracuda shoal. While we didn’t see any, the reef top was teeming with fish…….a real little Shangri-la. It seems so strange to see Parrot fish and Anthia’s outside of a Coral reef. Out of NDL we joined the mass exodus back to the washing machine bay. 
That night we did the first of a couple of night dives at Mgarr ix Gini. These were great bonuses in terms of the amount of marine life spotted, including….Red Mullet(doing great Goatfish impressions sifting around on the sand)…wonderful Cuttlefish…..and Octopus hunting out on the sand and hiding in the rocky wall………Comb stars with their great ‘now you see me……..’ disappearing acts into the sand….Brittle Stars in the cave………….Fireworms( yes…sadly they operate at night also)………..Hermit Crabs (one astonishing one carrying 3 large anemones on its shell), and Weeverfish……Eels and Stingrays out on the sand. I came across a beautiful and slightly scary solitary Alicia Mirabilis anemone with a foot long stalk and tentacles fully extended and feeding away on sea lice and fry. Speaking of sea lice………. they were starting to hassle me a bit on the second night as they swarmed around my torch light and head!…….I found a novel way to dispose of them……….held my torch close to a large anemone in a cave and enjoyed watching the ensuing massacre. There was a large English group diving on the second night, and we were treated to the strange sight of a line of 7 torches approaching as we exited the cave. We saw lots of Snail shells called ’Scotch bonnets’ motoring around on the sand…………….lovely Flying Gurnards gliding serenely around……….and my favourite of all….the Squid we saw on the second night…hovering over the sand and then exploding toward some poor fish!….wouldn’t fancy your chances against the Giant Oceanic variety!! The late finishes from the night dives left us with little food options, and we ended up frequenting the ‘Golden Arches’ in Victoria…….where we discovered the wonder of the ‘ Tasty Burger Meal‘, followed by coffee + smarties Mc Flurry…..(life just doesn’t get much better!!!!!)
On Saturday morning, myself, Dec and Terry clambered over the sharp eroded rocks just West of Reqqa pt, and hopped in to swim around to Billinghurst cave. Only penetrated as far as the boulders….noticed a few prawns there. There was a little excitement when Dec decided to try an impromptu ‘mask removal in overhead environment exercise’ but we managed that little blip. We saw lovely groups of parrotfish feeding on the algae covered walls on the way back to Reqqa, with a big grey male patrolling back and forth along his territory. In the afternoon for our last dive, myself and Terry entered at the Blue Hole, hoping to ascend the chimney up to the Coral Gardens, only to find it full of ?German techies shooting a movie. After waiting a few minutes we pushed on to Coral cave. Although there was some colourful low/broken coral and sponge growth on the walls and roof it was hardly enough to justify the name, and there was no sign of any groupers down the back, neither of which was surprising given the amount of diver traffic going through it. We had a nice lazy swim out to the Little Bear, exiting below the rocks under the saltpans without incident. Declan and Eamonn G had absented themselves from the diving that afternoon, and as the ’young bucks’ of the group, went off on a ‘fact-finding mission’ to Malta to check out the club scene. Robert was ‘happy out’ on the surface at the various sites, and Carmel and Anita got in some quality snorkelling as well. Little TJ was very well behaved throughout, and is already showing signs of being a water baby. He was very ably looked after by Lisa, when his mummy and daddy were underwater, and Lisa got an intro to Scuba on a try-dive with Liam in the tiny pool in our backyard!
Sunday was spent chilling…………..people visited Victoria for lunch and a lazy wander around the back streets and Citadel. Dec and Eamonn had returned safely that morning, and received a good grilling from a hastily established committee of inquiry at the breakfast table! That night we ate at ‘Oleander’ for one last time ………and finished up appropriately….. suckin down a few bottles of Cisk on the square. With the Festa ended, it seemed like the right time to be going home!
Big Thanks to Liam for the organisation and logistics, and to Rudi and the lads at Frankie’s for the friendly advice (and air) during our week.
Liam Staunton