“I first formally qualified as a diver in 1983 but it was 1990 before I was introduced to Gozo. I have dived in many parts of the world but have always been magnetically drawn back to “The Gem in the centre of the Mediterranean”. The reason is simple: nowhere else can I enjoy the range and variety of diving I find on Gozo.
The magnificent underwater scenery with its walls, chimneys, caves and caverns is just a few minutes away from the Dive Centre. The deep azure blue colour of the ocean as you exit from one of those caves or caverns can never be faithfully reproduced in a photograph. The multitude of marine organisms colonising the walls and overhangs is both beautiful and captivating.
I have heard it said that the Mediterranean does not have much sea life. I can assure you in the case of the Maltese Islands that is far from reality. With Brian and the Atlantis Diving Centre, I have seen numerous enchanting seahorses, female octopuses blowing on their eggs to keep algae at bay, large dusky, white and golden groupers, majestic dentex, graceful sting and eagle rays, large shoals of barracuda and lone amberjacks not much smaller than myself. The shy congers in caves and caverns, the more inquisitive morays, the strange-looking Spanish lobsters and the countless varieties of colourful nudibranchs are all there to be discovered.
Wreck diving ranges from scuttled ferries and patrol boats to World War II submarines and aircraft to ancient passenger vessels. Most can be safely penetrated by the experienced diver and offer that rare opportunity to step back in time.
In my early years the term “technical diving” would probably refer to a diver using a digital dive watch. Today, it has a slightly different interpretation so if you like the challenge of the deep, Gozo, Malta and the Atlantis Diving Centre has so much to offer. Within a few metres of some parts of the shoreline you will find depths ranging from 50 metres to 90 metres and beyond.
On the other side of the coin, there are the shallow sandy and rocky bays ideal for training dives for the less experienced and those who are just beginning to learn the sport. Couple all this with crystal clear waters and temperatures approaching those of a warm bath during the main season and diving could not be more comfortable.
I was hooked in 1990 and I am still hooked 27 years later.”
Jack Dabill