MEDITERRANEAN / NORTHERN EUROPE
Cyprus
Marine life: Fish stocks have been depleted in the eastern Mediterranean, but the clear waters off Cyprus have moray eels, large sponges, turtles and shoals of large tuna, barracuda and kingfish at offshore sites as well as the typical Mediterranean coastal smallfry.
Type of diving: From beginners to advanced. Southern Cyprus has shallow and deep wrecks, an underwater nature reserve littered with amphorae, and drop-offs to 60m. Northern Cyprus is mainly scenic diving.
Major diving areas: Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca, Famagusta, Laatchia, and Jubilee Shoals.
Cost: Cheap.
Seasons/climate: Warm Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild winters, when most rain is likely. More than 300 days of sunshine a year. Diving is possible year-round, but best from spring to autumn.
What to wear: Out of the water - light clothing in summer; warmer clothes and rainwear for winter. In the water - full 5mm or 7mm wetsuit or semi-drysuit.
Hazards: The huge wreck of the roll-on roll-off ferry Zenobia, lying in 38m off Larnaca, is dangerous for divers to venture inside and explore as the interior is collapsing.
Currency: The Cyprus pound. £1=C£0.85 approx.
Electricity supply: 240V.
Inoculations: None.
Visa required: No.
Getting there: Flights take 4 hours.
Tipping: Generally 10 per cent.
Information: Cyprus Tourism Organisation (0171 569 8800). Website - www.cosmos net.net.azias.cyprus or www.kypros. org/cyprus.tourist/html.
Tour operators include: Scuba Cyprus, Sunvil Holidays, Argo Holidays. Many general operators also feature Cyprus.
Turkey
Marine life: Surprising amount of life, if you look in the right places. Fauna such as anemones, gorgonia and lace corals thrive in the caverns and tunnels of the Turkish Aegean and Mediterranean. Invertebrates and small fish such as wrasse, gobies, small groupers and sea bream are ever-present, while other species migrate to and from its waters. Diving drop-offs can bring shoals of tuna, jacks and larger grouper.
Type of diving: Variety of sites catering for novice to advanced. Scenic dives offer steep drop-offs plunging hundreds of metres, caverns and tunnels, rock outcrops and reefs. Turkey is a wreck paradise with hundreds off its coast, including the world's oldest-known dating back to the 14th Century BC off Uluburun, and many archaeological sites including discarded amphorae.
Major diving areas: There are many dive centres and clubs around Turkey's coast. Among locations are Fethiye, Bodrum, Marmaris, Izmir, Kusadasi and several places in Antalya including Kas, Alanya, and Side. The Gallipoli campaign during World War I left many wrecks in the Straits of Dardanelles and around the Gallipoli peninsula. The Bosporus also offers a large number of diveable wrecks. Diving is not permitted in some areas of archaeological interest, and restricted in others.
Cost: Cheap.
Seasons/climate: The temperate climate along the Mediterranean and southern Aegean coast makes diving with a wetsuit possible all year round, but April to October are best and late autumn, after the first rain, is the best time to see the most fish activity.
What to wear: Out of the water - light clothing in summer; warmer clothes and rainwear for autumn and winter. In the water - full 5mm or 7mm wetsuit or semi-drysuit.
Hazards: Dangerous currents in some areas, particularly the Bosporus Straits.
Currency: The Turkish lire. £1=TL600,000 approx.
Electricity supply: 220V.
Inoculations: None needed for coastal resorts, but hepatitis A and malaria precautions recommended for some areas.
Visa required: Yes. Obtained on entry to Turkey, cost £10.
Getting there: Flights take 4 hours.
Tipping: Generally 10 per cent.
Information: Turkish Tourist Office (0171 355 4207). Website - www.tourist-offices.org.uk/turkey or www.nemo. unh.edu.
Tour operators include: Talking Turkey - The Divers Travel Shop, Leisurequest, Simply Travel, Aquasport Tours.
Malta
Marine life: Malta's clear waters are home to plentiful fish, despite continuing illegal spearfishing. Shore dives reveal many small fish, while offshore sites produce barracuda, groupers and others. Malta's highlight, however, is seahorses.
Type of diving: A great place to learn to dive, but there is also plenty for more experienced divers. Diving is from the shore and day-dive boats, with wrecks, caves and tunnels. Several boats also offer dive safaris around the islands.
Major diving areas: Marfa Point, Valletta Harbour for the wreck of HMS Maori, the Blue Grotto and several sites in Comino. Gozo offers some of Malta's best diving, at sites including the Blue Hole, Azure Window, Inland Sea and the Blue Dome.
Cost: Cheap.
Seasons/climate: Malta's climate is hot, with temperatures up to 34¡C from May to the end of September. The warm sirocco wind blowing up from the Sahara can make diving conditions rough off southern coasts in spring and summer, while the latter part of the year sees the north-westerly majjistral blowing strongest. Most rain is in winter. Best time for diving is April to October or November.
What to wear: Out of the water - light clothing in summer; warm clothes and rainwear for winter. In the water - full 5mm or 7mm wetsuit in summer, semi-drysuit or drysuit in winter.
Hazards: Tourist boats on the surface at the Blue Grotto and the Azure Window.
Currency: The Maltese lira. £1=ML0.60 approx.
Electricity supply: 240V.
Inoculations: None.
Visa required: No.
Getting there: Flights take 3 hours.
Tipping: Generally 10 per cent.
Information: Malta Tourist Office (0171 292 4900). Website - www.tourism.org.mt.
Tour operators include: Belleair Holidays, Regal Diving, Sunspot Tours, Aquatours, Malta Direct Travel, Leisurequest.
Sardinia
Marine life: Typical Mediterranean undersea life including gorgonia and sponges.
Type of diving: Wrecks from surface level down to 70m, rock formations including the Washington Rock sea mount which rises from 30m to 6m.
Major diving areas: Most diving is in the north of the island, including the islands of Madalena, Caprera, Santa Maria, Razzoli, Budelli and Spargi. Also the marine reserve of Levezzi between Sardinia and Corsica, and Washington Rock in the Strait of Bonifacio.
Cost: Cheap to moderate.
Seasons/climate: Summers are hot with sea breezes; spring and autumn are mild. Best time for diving is May to September.
What to wear: Out of the water - light clothing in summer; warmer clothes at other times. In the water - full 5mm or 7mm wetsuit, or semi-drysuit.
Hazards: Strong currents.
Currency: The lira. £1=LIt2900 approx.
Electricity supply: 220V.
Inoculations: None.
Visa required: No.
Getting there: Flights take 3 hours.
Tipping: Generally 10 per cent.
Information: Italian State Tourism Office (0891 600 280*). Website - www.enit.it.
Tour operators include: Sardinia Scuba Tours, Club Med.
Spain/Gibraltar
Marine life: Undersea flora includes false coral, gorgonia, sponges and red coral in some areas, with fish life a mix of Mediterranean and Atlantic. Fish commonly encountered include groupers, barracuda, rays, scorpionfish, amberjack and sunfish, also octopus, with morays and congers in wrecks. Large Atlantic pelagics off the Canaries.
Type of diving: Diving for all levels. Rocky reefs and outcrops, wrecks, drop-offs, caves and caverns. Tenerife offers the chance to hand-feed stingrays and turtles.
Major diving areas: Diving is available all round Spain's coastal areas, but particularly in the protected Medas Islands off the Costa Brava, the Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol, Balearics - notably Majorca and Minorca - and Tenerife and Lanzarote in the Canaries. Gibraltar has a number of sites including a reef and vertical wall in the straits, where large pelagic species can be seen.
Cost: Cheap.
Seasons/climate: Summers are hot, spring and autumn mild. Best time for diving is May to September, although the Canaries offer year-round diving.
What to wear: Out of the water - light clothing in summer; warm clothes at other times. In the water - full 5mm or 7mm wetsuit or semi-drysuit.
Hazards: Strong currents, particularly around some sites off the Atlantic islands and in the Straits of Gibraltar.
Currency: Spain - the peseta. £1=Pta240 approx. Gibraltar - sterling.
Electricity supply: 220/240V.
Inoculations: None.
Visa required: No.
Getting there: Many scheduled and charter flights.
Tipping: Generally 10 per cent.
Information: Spanish National Tourist Board (0171 486 8077). Website - www.tourspain.es. Gibraltar Tourist Board (0171 836 0777). Website - www.gibraltar.gi.
Tour operators include: Cadogan Travel, Club Med, Leisurequest, Corona Holidays.
France
Marine life: Mediterranean marine life in abundance around Corsica, especially marine reserves. Less prolific or diverse off France's Mediterranean coast. Northern France has coldwater marine life similar to that found off England's South Coast.
Type of diving: Reefs, gorgonia-covered rock formations, steep drop-offs and caves plus wrecks. Warmwater diving in Mediterranean waters, coldwater diving in northern France. Diving for all grades, but some Corsica sites are for advanced divers, and some wrecks off the South of France are very deep.
Major diving areas: Corsica has a number of diving locations, including the Levezzi Islands off its southern coast, and Calvi in the north-west. The island of Porquerolles, between Marseilles and Cannes, is one of the most popular dive spots on France's Mediterranean coast, with numerous wrecks. The French Riviera is also a popular area. Brittany is the main area for diving in northern France.
Cost: Cheap to moderate.
Seasons/climate: Warm to hot in the south and Corsica, but the mistral can blow fiercely in summer making Mediterranean seas too rough for diving. Best time for diving is April to October.
What to wear: Out of the water - light clothing in the south and Corsica from spring to autumn; warm clothes and rainwear for winter, and any time in the north. In the water - full 5mm or 7mm wetsuit for summer, semi-dry or drysuit for winter and year-round in the north.
Hazards: Watch the winds off southern France, and strong currents especially in channels around Corsica. Also strong tidal currents around Brittany.
Currency: The franc. £1=Ffr9.20 approx.
Electricity supply: 220V.
Inoculations: None.
Visa required: No.
Getting there: Plenty of flights to the South of France for Mediterranean sites and ferry links to Corsica. Alternatively take the Eurotunnel or a ferry and drive.
Tipping: Generally 10-15 per cent.
Information: French Government Tourist Office (0891 244123*). Website - www. maison-de-la-france.com.
Tour operators include: French Riviera. Many general tour operators feature France.
Norway
Marine life: Bright orange sea bushes, sea trees, sponges, wolf-fish, strange-looking ratfish and even reefs of lophelia coral welcome divers to Norway's cold but clear waters - visibility can be up to 50m. Other life includes several varieties of starfish, lobsters in southern waters, anglerfish and scorpionfish. Forests of kelp may be several metres high on the west coast, between Bergen and Lofoten.
Type of diving: Superb marine fauna diving in its many fjords and coastline, but Norway also has numerous wrecks and great drift diving. From shallow diving to ultra-deep, using nitrox for depths to 55m or more. Diving is possible in daylight until almost midnight in summer.
Major diving areas: Norway has more than 1500 miles of coastline and many dive sites. Among star attractions are Trondheimsfjord and the island of Stromsholmen.
Cost: Moderate.
Seasons/climate: Weather conditions can be extreme, but surprisingly warm in high summer. Diving is best from May to September or October.
What to wear: Out of the water - warm clothing in summer and polar gear in winter. In the water - dry or semi-dry suits all year for sites north of Trondheim. During summer in southern Norway, water temperature can rise to 18¡C thanks to the Gulf Stream, and 5mm-7mm wetsuits are sufficient. Best time May to October.
Hazards: Norway's weather can change dramatically in a very short time. Extreme cold water in Norway's deep fjords. Fines - lobster catching is prohibited.
Currency: The krone. £1=NKr12.50 approx.
Electricity supply: 220V.
Inoculations: None.
Visa required: No.
Getting there: Flights or ferries to several cities.
Tipping: Taxi drivers do not expect tips, and waiters expect 5 per cent.
Information: Norwegian Tourist Board (0171 839 2650). Norwegian Diving Federation (00 47 6715 4904). Websites - www.travel-norway.com and www.dykker nett.no/uk.htm.
Tour operators: No British operators offer dive packages to Norway. General tour operators to Norway include Scantours and Scandinavian Travel Service.
Ireland
Marine life: Profuse undersea life, with anemones, lobsters, crawfish, seals, urchins, dolphins, fish galore and much more - even the occasional shark.
Type of diving: Wrecks, rocks, gullies, caves, undersea cliffs, walls, and pinnacles to suit all abilities from novice to experienced. Some shore diving but mostly day-boat diving. Also live-aboards.
Major diving areas: Dingle Peninsula and Blasket Islands, Fastnet Rock, the Skelligs, Baltimore, Kilkee, and sites in Northern Ireland including Rathlin Island, Portrush, and the Inishowen Peninsula.
Cost: Cheap.
Seasons/climate: Ireland has a maritime climate with mild winters and warm summers thanks to prevailing south-westerlies and the Gulf Stream. But those same winds can bring squalls and ferocious storms at any time of year, and more especially in autumn, winter and early spring.
What to wear: Out of the water - light to warm clothing in summer and medium to heavy clothing at other times. Wind and rainproof clothing is essential at all times. In the water - 7mm wetsuit, dry or semi-drysuits.
Hazards: Strong currents, tidal surges, caves and caverns can catch out the inexperienced or unwary.
Currency: Ireland - the punt. £1=IR£1.10 approx. Northern Ireland uses sterling.
Electricity supply: 220V.
Inoculations: None.
Visa required: No.
Getting there: Ferries operate from several points across the Irish Sea.
Tipping: Generally 10 per cent.
Information: Irish Tourist Board (0171 518 0800). Website : www.ireland.travel.ie.
Tour operators include: No tour operators package diving holidays from the UK to Ireland. Contact local dive centres, including: Ballinskelligs Watersports (00 353 66 947 9182), Kilkee Diving and Watersports Centre (00 353 65 56707), Dingle Marina Dive Centre (00 353 66 52422), Baltimore Diving and Watersports Centre (00 353 28 20300), Scubadive West (00 353 95 43922), Waterworld (00 353 66 713 9292), Wexford Diving Centre (00 353 53 39373).
Appeared in DIVER - June 1999
