Hi all,
Just got back from Malta
Overall impressions
Food excellent and good value, cheap (ish) local wines very good quality. Locals VERY friendly and helpful at all times. Local Bus service definetely part of the experience and not to be missed
(Note for the non-Brits, they drive on left , like nutters )
The appartment we rented in Mellieha (N West) was excellent , slept 4 at 14 Lira / night, short walk into a lovely town , good restaurants. (PM for owners details)
Diving:
Cirkewwa point, where the ferry goes to Gozo.
Give this one a miss ! They are working on the ferry terminal and have silted out the dive site completely, we aborted this dive when the viz got down to less than two feet. Shame because it looked like being quite good.
Not sure how this silt affects the Rozi (tug wreck) a bit further out.
Anchor Bay.
Shallow afternoon dive, couple of octopus, LOTS of Cuckoo Wrasse males in their colours hoping to do what males do
Pretty blues and yellows and greens. Banded Bream by the ton, sea urchins everywhere, one type I've never seen before but like a ball with tubes coming out in all directions (help appreciated).
Um el Faroud.
Well what can I say , spectacular wreck, tanker sitting upright 35m at the bottom 15 m at the top, 140 m long. Appears out of no where after a swim of about 200 meters.
Good condition, swim throughs and safe to penetrate (training of course).
The entry and exit was a bit rough (exit to say the least), I ended up with a cramp problem early on, decided to call the dive short due to hoovering air.
All in all a good trip, I was only intending doing a few dives and so I was satisfied.
Not the Caribbean, but beats jumping in muddy puddles here in the UK.
Water temp of 18 C , being a wimp I took the dry suit, most were diving in 5mm suits and 5mm Farmer johns, warm enough they said.
I dived with Paradise Bay Divers
http://www.paradisediving.com
Great people, thanks to Martin the resident Instructor, Alison & Noel the Owners. Shore dives at 10.50 LM, boat dives at 13.50 LM, 2 LM extra for full gear.
Any one need anymore info then feel free to PM me.
Cheers
Hoppy