Visit Our Diving Center
  • Diving
    • Diving Courses
    • Freediving
    • Accompanied Diving
    • Unaccompanied Diving
    • Diving Pricelist
  • Accommodation
  • Special Offers
  • Our Services
  • Dive Sites
  • About Gozo
    • Blog
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Online Shop Dive Checkin
  • EN
  • Diving
    • Diving Courses
    • Freediving
    • Accompanied Diving
    • Unaccompanied Diving
    • Diving Pricelist
  • Accommodation
  • Special Offers
  • Our Services
  • Dive Sites
  • About Gozo
    • Blog
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
23. 03. 202123. 03. 2021

Cathedral Cave – secrets revealed

Home » Blog » Cathedral Cave – secrets revealed
Cathedral Cave surface two
Starting from Ghasri Valley, Cathedral Cave is located on the right hand wall just outside of this spectacular narrow gorge. From the back of this cavern, the view to the outside blue of the ocean is breathtaking.

How deep is this cavern?

The entrance to Cathedral Cave is only 5m below the surface, extending  to a maximum depth of 18 metres.  This leads to a huge domed vault where divers surface in a huge air pocket, the ceiling of which is approximately 15m above the water level.  This unique feature gives the name to this cavern, otherwise also known as The Blue Dome.

Ghasri Valley
Ghasri Valley
Cathedral Cave underwater view two

Why The Blue Dome?

As one can see from this photo (above top), once surfacing in the air pocket, divers seem to be in a large swimming pool.  The blue reflections on the crystal clear waters are indeed unique.  This is due to the close proximity of the dome to the entrance / exit of Cathedral Cave.

Is it safe to breath the surface air inside this dome?

Yes.  A crack in the cliff wall allows some light and most especially fresh air to penetrate inside this dome.

Are there any other special features inside Cathedral Cave?

At the far back of the cave, where the ceiling is only one metre above the water surface, one can find two shafts hewn from the rock going straight up to the top of the cliff.  Half-way up these shafts, divers can see a number of slabs placed by farmers nearly 250 years ago to block these holes.

Why did farmers block these wells?  What was the purpose of these wells?

Cathedral Cave Well two
Well 1
In 1773, Stefano, a Sicilian clockmaker had invested his life’s savings in salt-pans on top of an underwater cave that penetrated underneath the plateau.  Wanting to make the most of his investment, he had two shafts dug down to the sea level at the back of Cathedral Cave so that water could be hauled up to fill the salt-pans.

It was an ingenious idea: the clockmaker got several crops of salt throughout the first summer.

However, when the wind awoke from its dormancy in autumn, the sea rushed into the cave as if through a funnel and exploded into a geyser that shot from the shafts.

The spout of water, rising 20 metres, was blown inland on the wind in a fine mist of seawater which scorched the vegetation, ravaging crops within a radius of three kilometres.

Legend has it that salt water was actually sprouted all over Gozo!

The farmers bandied together and angrily demanded compensation.  Their claims bankrupted the clockmaker, and he died a few years later.

Cathedral Cave underwater view one

Cathedral Cave Well one
Well 2
Indeed, in 1977, Jean Houel, a French traveller who witnessed the plumes of water exploding from the shafts , wrote:

“The horrifying noise made by each of these explosions re-echoed both inside and outside the cave, and was altogether like cannons of different calibre being discharged in rapid succession”.

 

Related posts

Ras il-Wardija cave 1
20. 04. 2021

Ras il-Wardija Phoenician Sanctuary

Ras il-Wardija Phoenician Sanctuary is located between Kerċem and San Lawrenz on the edge of 120m high cliffs on the...

Read More
Atlantis Holiday Suites_kitchen a
20. 04. 2021

Atlantis Holiday Suites – April 2021 update

The Atlantis Holiday Suites building consists of 12 three-bedroom apartments, accommodation for our staff, and a large underground garage.  We...

Read More
Zeus faber_1
20. 04. 202120. 04. 2021

The mysterious Zeus faber

Zeus faber is a demersal coastal marine fish with a laterally compressed olive-yellow body which has a large dark spot,...

Read More

Reviews

A place where space is as huge as people's heart working altogether there in a friendly and family driven spirit. Equipment, advices, service, availability, smiles, support no matter what and a long lasting experience of dive sites and weather conditions tracked on a daily basis. All staff speak multiple languages beyond the official one : Diving 🤗
Audrey Cudel
Audrey Cudel
2021-03-27T19:23:01+0000
I had my Tanks and weight from them and volonierd at a course....very professional and kind treatment. Am on the way to meet there again right now
Thom Ramel
Thom Ramel
2021-01-11T15:31:18+0000
I went with Atlantis for my first dive ever. My guide Georgia was excellent. She was really nice and professional. As a complete beginner I find important that I felt safe and relaxed. After a short theoretical introduction Georgia took me to a small bay where we spent around 50 minutes under water. It was definitely lovely experience and I am keen to go diving again. Grazie mille 😊
Jana Liška
Jana Liška
2021-01-05T12:47:05+0000
The team at Atlantis Diving were brilliant. Very flexible after we had to change our plans several times. The dive centre is fully equipped for every need, scuba or tech. We brought our CCR’s and we able to drive into the workshop avoiding lots of lifting from our vehicle. Perfect 👌. We stayed in Atlantis Apartments which are only a few minutes walk from the dive centre and town of Marslforn. Advice was always on hand and we completed 14 amazing dives over our weeks stay. Looking forward to the next time...thank you 👏👏
James Thompson
James Thompson
2020-11-09T09:17:57+0000
Super centre de plongée, moniteurs très compétent, matériel de qualité, site extra et prix défiant toutes concurrences... Je recommande vivement...
Martin Stas
Martin Stas
2020-10-11T20:22:27+0000
‹
›

Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest news and special offers from the Atlantis Gozo Diving team! By doing so you agree to our Privacy Policy

Mailchimp
Sending
  • About Atlantis
    • Contact Us
    • FAQ
    • Careers
    • Affiliates
    • Gallery
    • Photo Credits
  • Gozo
  • Holiday Services
    • Accommodation
    • Airport Transfers
    • Car Hire
    • Tours
    • Special Offers
  • Blog
  • Diving
    • Diving Courses
    • Diving Pricelist
    • Dive Sites
    • PADI Courses
    • CMAS & VDST Courses
    • BSAC Courses
    • Speciality Courses
    • Accompanied Diving
    • Unaccompanied Diving
    • Technical Diving
    • Diving Equipment Rental
  • Online Shop

Copyright © 2021 Atlantis Diving Center. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Refund Policy

Website designed & developed by

Cookies

This site uses cookies: Find out more.