The annual weekend reunion

It has become an annual tradition for us to meet at Pete’s residence for a weekend reunion, and this year was no different. Maria was flying in from Dubai to meet us at Alicante airport. I had arrived earlier that day.

After a leisurely dinner we decided that the evening was still young and made our way to Villajoyosa’s marina where Maria’s zodiac would be waiting for us. All of our equipment was set up at the pier and we left the marina at 20:15hrs on our way to Benidorm for a night dive at La Llosa.

Jumping into the water, I discover that the temperature is a warm 23 degrees Celsius. Descending underwater, everything around us is black. Our HID and halogen dive lights are creating beams of light, but shine on nothing. The only thing we can see are the outlines of the zodiac above us. We swim down to 8 metres and our lights reveal the corals, sea anemones and reef at night. During the day colours are filtered out by the water as we dive deeper underwater. Below 15 metres everything usually looks kind of blue-green. Now we see lots of bright colours on the drop off. Our lights reveal the colours that are always there, but can’t be seen unless you have a light.

On Saturday we made the short journey to Albir to meet up with an old friend. A Brit called Kevin now living in Spain and one of my former DM candidates owns his own boat and operates sport fishing trips as well as dive trips.

Today we would dive a site between Altea and Calpe known as La Galiana. A lovely site with lots to see, you can explore some caves, the remains of an old fishing boat, and its also a great wall dive.

Returning to the coast, we stop for lunch in the marina of Calpe at a great seafood place on the ports waterfront. After lunch and an unsuccessful attempt to finally meet the owner of Calpe’s latest diving centre Dive & Dive Calpe (it was closed), we left the marina heading in a north-easterly direction towards a dive site, which is locally accepted as being genuinely secret.

The steep drop off till 35 metres, just off the coast offers several big caves. Bigger types of fish, octopus and eel hide in these nicely vegetated rocks. Predatorial fish such as barracuda, frequently roam around the site, searching for the smaller fish types, which seek protection on the reef borders. Their speed and calculated approaches are beautiful to witness over the slightly vegetated and sloping reef walls. Varieties of grouper, crawfish, moray eel, and bream colour the top of the reef. The site is only known to a handful of people, and that is just the way we like it! Once you have been there you’ll understand why!

On Sunday we did a bit of pre-dive scouting for our next “reunion”. The plan is to continue with our previous exploration efforts and perform a series of dives off Villajoyosa. The coast of Costa Blanca, in particular, is littered with wrecks from both World Wars. Many of these were merchant ships carrying supplies and sunk by U-boats. Generally, the ships lie in deep water - between 50 and 100 metres. Sunday afternoon we hung out with old friends and former students and went out to eat.

Sunday evening was mostly spent packing the car for the 11 hour trip back to Nice, as Pete had to take Maria back to Alicante airport. So after saying goodbye, it felt strange being alone again after having a classic weekend with the old crew.

Basile Fournier - Nice

Co-founder costablancascuba.com

Penon de Ifach (Calpe)

While diving around the Penon de Ifach in Calpe on the 10 and 11 of June we were lucky enough to come across 6 juvenile Oceanic Sunfish on a cleaning station, all 6 sunfish measured around 1 metre from fin tip to fin tip. They all stayed around us for about 10 minutes and let us get as close as a metre away from them.

Del Shearer - Les Basetes Dive Centre

Comment: LB dive centre earned a reputation for running a tight, efficient and well-oiled dive operation, check out their website.

Les Basetes Dive Centre

The Standfield wreck (La manga)

Much documentation referring to the sinking of this ship does not exist. The cause for its sinking is unknown but a large structural tear on the starboard side suggest it was hit by an torpedo from a German U-Boat on its mission to blockade the Mediterranean.This ship lies in relatively clear water her bow starts at 40 metres and the Maximum depth on the wreck is about 60 meters on the sand under the stern. It has a length of about 114 metres.

I hadn't dove the Standfield since 1995, not the time or the place to go borrowing a tank of Trimix. That 60 metre dive had to be done on air. This time we invested in a rather expensive Helium mixture. Fortunately I have two friends who have been mixing their own Nitrox and Trimix for some time, so we ended up with 30 Euros worth of Trimix stuck in our twin 12s.
At nearly 60 metres the Helium in the gas mixture helps keeps our minds clear, it is reducing the narcotic effect of the Nitrogen which is building up in our bloodstream. An 18/45 mix allowed us to go deeper longer using EAN50 and Oxygen to accelerate the deco, and with such a clearer head. All those “deep air” wrecks that I try to remember - this is the answer!! With good visibility and only light current on the wreck we had a great time exploring a large portion of the ship. Maria Rivera Delgado – Villajoyosa Co-founder costablancascuba.com

Comment: Maria was hoping to dive the 80 metre deep German sub U77 near Calpe, but that plan will be put on hold because her company will send her to Dubai to deal with all issues necessary in setting up a new diving centre. The project will take about ten months to complete.

Cabo de San Antonio (Jávea / Denia)

A marine reserve, an area chock-full with dive sites, unspoiled and attractive for the experienced and beginner diver. Since 1996 the access to the marine reserve is controlled so you have to dive with a diving centre because they can provide permits. Great rocky formation sporadic small zones of sand, Dorado, Grouper's,Sea bream, shoals of fish of all type, Sargo fish, and Octopus.Maximal Depth: 25 Ms. (82 feet)Average Depth: 18 Ms. (59 feet) Current: Of slight to average when the wind blows north.Temperature of the water: Of 14º to 22º Celsius. (57° to 71° Fahrenheit.)

Katharina Gerste - Denia - Spain / Osnabrück - Germany

Cueva de los Arcos (Benitachell)

Went diving this weekend with 6 people to a cavern near Benitachell. I had just passed my NAUI AOW cert. and this was to be my first cavern dive. My other dive experiences were in Morocco, France and Egypt, where the water was crystal blue and the marine life was astounding. However, those dives didn't compare to this dive at all. The entry to the cave is on land, inside a huge grotto. We descended to 5 mts and we swam through a tunnel to a large chamber, then out to open water over a wall. It was so incredible to be suspended in the pitch black of the cave. My buddy and I were talking on the way to the dive about how we didn't understand how anybody could lose their sense of up and down in the water. Well, now we know.
About half way into the dive, we were escorted through the opening of another cave and began to ascent. The ascent finally stopped when our heads broke the surface. We where in an enormous air pocket in an underground cave. The cave itself was the size of a swimming pool. At first I left my reg in my mouth. Id heard of divers passing out through lack of oxygen on several occasions because they’d surfaced in bad air whilst underwater. However Pete our guide had spat his out and was chatting away so I quickly followed suite.
The reason it was safe to breathe here was because a hole in the roof led straight to the surface. This hole in the roof was also the reason for us having such a short surface interval. We where instructed to cover our lights and enjoy the darkness. And it was very dark. Very dark that is except for a near vertical beam of light shining down from the surface. Putting my face back underwater I could see the shaft of light continue all the way to the bottom of the cave. This only occurs at noon, as the sun has to be right above the hole. As we descended we swam past the light and back into the darkness of the tunnel. Having become a bit more accustomed to being underground we headed towards the halocline. A halocline is where a layer of fresh water and saltwater mix. If you haven’t seen one, think what it looks like if you’re in a swimming pool with no mask and your eyes wide open. In fact it took me a minute to realise it wasn’t my mask fogging up. Water kept getting into my mask from smiling so much. I have never had such an out-of-body-like experience.
This was my best dive ever.

Farida Boudouani - Cambridge - United Kingdom

Isla Gomera "Naranjito Wreck" (La Manga, Murcia)

Freighter of about 50 meters (164 feet) of length, sunk by a slide of the load (oranges) during a storm. At present it sits upright with the propeller on the sand floor on a maximum depth of 42 m. (137 feet) It is about 1.8 mile of Cabo de Palos. (La Manga, Murcia) Only for experienced divers because of very strong currents.Depht máxima y mínima: 42-27 metros (137-88 feet) Temperatures máxima y mínima: 26-13 grados Celsius (78°- 55° Fahrenheit) Visibility media: 20 metros. (averages 65 feet)

Jaime Ostos - Cartagena - Spain

Moraira

My daughter and I did a dive with Pete and as a reminder I told him “I don't do caves”. I know that caverns are of his itinerary and usually swim over or around. But this time Pete has a lovely brunette woman named Maria assisting with the dive. As we approached the entrance I chickened out . I saw my daughter go in but somehow I just couldn't follow unless I could see the opening at the other end. Maria came up behind me and gesturing me forward and at the same time assuring me all was OK. This was all done with hand signals. Somehow she communicated to me with her hands and body movements that I had nothing to worry about. It worked. I passed through the caverns guided by Maria feeling as if I had my own personal angel. Unlike cave diving, you always see natural light in cavern diving. A must if you have the opportunity. You won't be sorry. I spent quite a lot of time diving out of Moraira this past year. Generally you are the only ones out at a site.

Yvonne Nicks - Moraira - Spain

The navy vessel Turia (La Manga)

Here is more information on some wrecks you describe in your site.In 1999, the patrol ship Turia sank in front of the beaches of La Manga like her twin sister the Nalon which you can find at marrazón. The two have the same size and are on the same depth, 35 mts. / 114 feet. Her stern rests at 30mts. / 98 feet. and her keel at 35 mts. / 114 feet.In these dates already it gives shelter to much life, we will be able to observe conger eels and groupers also we will see some pelagic.Although half is separating, we will be able to visit its cargo bays and the control room. The watertemp. is 23° Celsius / 73° Fahrenheit and sometimes there is a current. At a distance of 500 mts / 546 yards. rests the third sister ship Ulla but is les visited due to the poor visibility (5 mts. / 16 feet.)

Luis Mendoza Arroyo - Cartagena - Spain

La Llosa de Fuera (Benidorm)

I like to tell you about La Llosa de Fuera, a location 90 metres South/East of the famous reef. Here our club performs deep dive training, the depth is more than 40 metres / 131 feet.The underwater ground is made of a rocky formation and you will find large lobsters, the visibility is excellent, temperature like at the La Llosa reef. Not for beginner divers because of the current.

Josep - Alicante - Spain (Instructor FEDAS 2 Stars)

Pebble beach (Calpe)

Glow sticks were being snapped on and we entered the water just after sunset. Beneath the blackened surface of the Mediterranean Sea I was leading Eduardo, an advanced student on his first night dive. Along with us were two Belgian holidaymakers and a French couple. About 20 minutes into the dive, somewhere near to the yachting marina of Calpe I saw Eduardo sweeping the bottom. Just as I was wondering what he was doing he brought me something he had just found. He showed me two coins; one with a figure of Pegasus (the winged Horse) and the other one with the figure of a roman two-horse chariot. Calpe was an important Roman settlement so it's not unthinkable that there may still be some artefacts lying around. This was one happy Eduardo. He also passed his course with flying colours.

If I think of all the dives that I have made here, never finding anything of interest…There is an old Chinese saying; Seeking fish? Don't dive in the pond; go home and get a net. So maybe some day I will see you out there at my favourite dive site, be sure to say hello! I'll be the guy with the metal detector ;-)

Peter Esser - La Marina
founder costablancascuba.com

Cabo Toix (Calpe)

At the south side of Calpe you can dive at the Cabo Toix. A great site for wall diving, the rock face goes under the surface down to 25 metres / 82 feet. In the sea-grass, there are sea stars, octopus and many other fish.In the wall, most types of sponge of the Mediterranean can be found. Some small caves which can be visited are home to giant crabs. Not far away a small wreck is situated in 11 metres / 36 feet depth. A nice beginners spot with average water temperatures.

Detlef Fritzsche - Albir - Spain / Graulinster - Luxembourg

Islas Hormigas, cabo palos (La Manga)

I think it is the best diving in the costa blanca, a lot of locations also 4 very old wrecks from 1883 to 1906 in depth of 25 to 68 metres / 82 to 223 feet.This is a protected park with the most fish you will ever seen, and if you like barracudas go dive at bajo de piles. I live in the costa blanca (Murcia) and this is my number 1 divesite

Alejandro Perez-Rosales - Murcia - Spain

Isla Tabarca

A protected sea park surrounds the Isla de Tabarca near Santa Pola, the diving is great, visibility excellent and I even saw sea turtles. You need a license to dive here, snorkeling is not limited. I dived with Dive Buddies Scuba School Urb.La Marina Ph. 96 679 0282 / 659 816737

Jean – Diksmuide - Belgium

Pênon de Ifach, Calpe

I was certified in Spain. I was diving with Agua Gym in Calpe, which is where I stayed. Agua Gym had all new equipment and I enjoyed some of the best diving I've EVER done in Spain. We did a wreck there one morning near to Penon de Ifach and It was probably my best dive ever (granted I'm new to diving but it was still amazing). The life was vibrant and very near the wreck is a rock formation with coral that has grown together to form some fantastic swim throughs. I'd like to thank Peter and his team very much. You made me feel welcome and relaxed.

Eddy van den Broecke – Belgium

Punta de Albir

My favorite local site in this area is Punta de Albir, between Altea and Benidorm. The depth is about 17 metres / 55 feet, and the visibility ranges 5 to 20 metres / 16 to 65 feet. There are many different fish to see and a lot of boat anchors and fishing tackle to find. The best time to dive is early in the morning because there is a lot of boat traffic.

Michael Langer – Offenburg - Germany