Malta, Gozo, Comino, Cominotto, Filfla

 

Those can be summed up by the following thought: if I were to spend my two weeks' vacation on land, it would a disaster of cosmic proportions, but a yacht cruise made all the difference.

 

Ninety nine percent of dive sites visited were chosen from a scuba guide to the Maltese Islands, rather unoriginally entitled "Maltese Islands" - Diving Guide, and written by Ned Middleton. The book was published by "White Star" in 1997. It used to be, and probably still is, the only guide book describing the dive sites of the Malta area. The remaining 1% of dives were made in spots not described in the book.

 

In itself, expeditions are similar, with the only difference in that year being in the choice of destination, i.e. Malta. The Electra yacht is boarded by a dozen diving aficionados, followed by several mild enthusiasts and a few people who intend to watch the water from the deck, and by the next year, they have already caught the bug. We sail around Malta, Gozo and Comino, spending the next two weeks of our vacation.

 

Let me start from the land. The scorching sun over the Maltese Islands makes it difficult to find any greenery. I don't count as such any lichen or dwarf bushes, clinging to rocks on every coast of the Mediterranean Sea. There is almost no greenery; any that can be found is artificially planted and specially watered. I remember my acute disappointment at strolling in one the beautiful Maltese gardens located in the country's capitol, La Vallette, made famous by many guide books. As it turned out the entirety of the garden was composed of three withered bushes, a dying palm in the middle and a pond overgrown with green algae. All was covered by dust, which seemed to get everywhere, just like cat and pigeon filth.

 

 

The sights are nice to look at, exhibiting a mixture of Arab and European influences characteristic for the local culture. However, most of them are open for visiting only until 4.00 or 5.00 p.m., and between 11.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. the summer temperatures drive us Poles to thinking "let's rest in the shade, in this air-conditioned bar or under water". This practice is completely different than in the neighboring Italy, where the locals have a siesta before the noon, and shops or museums are only open in the afternoons, when the temperatures become more survivable.

 

Maltese boats and buses are an easily visible element of the local landscape, unique for this Mediterranean country. Their charm and colors saduce many an European to make like a Jap, shooting photos of their fanciful forms.

Other surprises? Certainly the cuisine was one. The favorite Maltese dishes are hamburgers and fries. I will never forget the view of a Maltese family celebrating a church holiday with about 50 hamburgers, which were kept in a plastic bag for transporting TP, eaten without any relish, washed down with local brew and served with fries. With such diet, it is not difficult to guess the shape dominating on Malta.

 

The inhabitants of Malta adore fireworks. Each evening is interrupted by many explosions, each as loud as possible rather than beautiful or colorful. The banging of petards makes glasses on the table move and can persuade any listener on the other end of the line that you are calling Poland from a new war zone rather than Malta. The ears can't really stand the noise, but it's cool.

 

To a tourist, Gozo is more agreeable and has more interesting dive sites. On Gozo you can feel the holiday atmosphere and cheer, admire colorful townships, better-kept restaurants or greater tidiness. In comparison, Malta is very untidy; its towns are not tourist-oriented at all, and pavements are littered with trash; in short, the views are straight from Hurghada. There are some exceptions to that rule, but you must know where to look for them and you should remember that the places are constructed for tourists.

 

 

That's enough with the land, let's go under the water where it's much more interesting.

Generally speaking, the Maltese Islands are characterized by caves, grottos and various fascinating rock formations that offer majestic underwater views you won't forget that easily. Actually, each diver, experienced or beginner, will find caves suitable for exploration. The local fauna is rather interesting and abundant, even despite the intensive efforts of local fishermen. Moreover, according to scientific sources, the area of Malta is inhabited by white shark. Reading the Polish-language April 2000 issue of National Geographic, which featured an article entitled "Jaws of Terror", wetted my appetite before the expedition. Any divers I tried to persuade to join me had problems believing in the truth of the white shark story. Obviously, an encounter with a shark was as likely as spotting a lynx in Warsaw's £azienki, but so be it. Apparently, sharks must have lived there, even though the possibility of an encounter has decreased considerably from that time.

 

There are spots off the Maltese Islands, where the local divers have taught certain species of fish to eat from your hand. The spot we visited included the wreck of the Rozi and the Comino Caves. Any divers in the area should visit the spots. To our great shock, a small number of fish surrounding my body (both metaphorically and literally) turned suddenly into group of several fish species battling for a piece of bread. In my estimate, there was somewhere around several hundred fishes swimming above our heads. Our underwater photographer went berserk trying to find the best shoots.

 

The best dive sites are located around the Gozo island area, famous of water clarity that extends to approx. 35 meters away. The spots around Comino and the neighboring small Cominotto reminded me of the surroundings of Egypt's Hurghada, but not due to the colorful world underwater, but rather the tens or hundreds of visitors snorkellng at the same sites, at the same times. I will never forget diving at "Lantern Point", a spot whose main attraction was the entry to the funnel-shaped cave. The entry point is located at 17 meters, and the exit at about 8 meters. The place is full of divers, who swim one above or beside one another, kicking each other and disrespecting any safety rules; fortunatelly, even in such a popular spot I managed to find a rare sea turtle shell.

Nowhere in the Mediterranean basin did I find so many "fire worms". On the coast of Italy I saw one from time to time, while here there are dozens of specimens for each minute of snorkeling. What is more, both the Adriatic Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea lacked Mediterranean parrotfish, which is abundant in those waters.

 

 

However, the country seems to have a problem with the communal sewage system. As our waste is dumped into rivers, on Malta they find their way into the sea. Therefore, generally the eastern wall of Malta, both from the south and the north, is characterized by lower water visibility. The sight of ever-present "Big Blue" cut by a massive brown river of waste coming from the La Vallette area shall remain with me for as long as I live. Not to mention the appetizing odor...

 

The flora growing in the Maltese Islands area is rather sparse. It is dominated by lichen and sponges, which can live everywhere. However, even though corals and gorgonias are missing from the underwater spots, most of them are still referred to as reefs, which causes many problems for divers with experience of exploring the depths of the Red Sea.

 

There are many notable wrecks located in the area. Tug boat Rozi is the most popular artificially sunk ship in the world. It rests at a level of 34 meters, offering average diving depth of 25 meters. This spot is very popular with divers, who are also attracted by fish that allow themselves to be hand-fed.

 

Wreck of the Libyan tanker "Um el Faroud" (length 109 meters, 10000 tons of displacement). The tanker was sunk after a series of explosions that took place in Malta dry dock, and claimed the lives of 9 workers employed there in 1995. This wreck easily requires a dozen dives. It rests 36 meters from the southern wall of Malta. Average diving depth equals 26 meters. The diving may be spoilt by strong currents, which are frequent visitors in the area (surface against bottom). The currents taught me the power of Oceanic's V-Drive fins. Despite my status as a diving instructor, I had problems swimming against the current in my legendary Stratos fins, and all the time I had to worry about my wife Joanna and a friend who only just started diving, thinking that my great effort must mean that they are barely dealing with the current. Nothing more wrong. As it turned out, they swam comfortably, observing my struggle. The area is inhabited by large groups of bigger fish and barracudas.

 

If you wish to observe barracudas, then 'Double Arch Reef' off Gozo is the place for you. It is one of the better, if not the best dive site we visited during our two-week expedition in the area. The barracudas strike poses for our picturesque photos. Unfortunately, I didn't take my camera for that dive. A beautiful rock formation located at 30 meters simply took my breath away, while a massive grotto situated to the north at a level of 35 meters could house several lorries, which only confirms my opinion on the uniqueness of the spot.

 

During a conversation with Stephen Muscat, a diving doctor, whose friend and colleague, Mr. Coleo is the Chairman of the DAN Europe organization, I was warned that the biggest number of accidents in the Mediterranean basin happened at the Maltese Islands area. 75% of that amount took place on the western and northern wall of Gozo. Why? The incredible water visibility and vertical walls with many attractions cause beginners to venture to places they should keep away from. Caution is necessary in the area, as most of the interesting spots require the so-called 'wall dives".

 

The level of 42 meters is the final resting place of a famous bomber. We divided ourselves in hope of finding it, but our efforts were in vain due to a lack of a local divemaster. There are several more wrecks resting in the port of La Vallette. In Poland, they would be a great tourist attraction, while on Malta the low water visibility in the port keeps away many visitors.

 

There are many more dive sites, but a description of them all would take up too much space, creating a short travel information or guidebook. In planning a diving expedition in Malta, you should remember that a clean bill of health issued by a local doctor is required for diving in Malta. The visit costs 3 Maltese liras, which are usually referred to as pounds. To obtain local diving permit, all intermediate and advanced snorkelers (AOWD, CMAS **) should fill out a special form and pay one pound at a local diving center.

 

One more comment. Remember that lower water visibility which is usually linked with communal waste, often produces the richest maritime life. Take into account the above fact by planning a night dive in the vicinity of a Maltese port.

 

 

Gallery:

 

Text: Rudi Stankiewicz