Tuesday, 11 February 2025
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To conclude the topic of my proposed dives around Cyprus, although I do not consider it exhausted at all, I must highlight a site that competes with the previously described Zenobia wreck. I think it is a must-see dive site, which should not be missing from our map of exploration of the underwater world of this corner of the Mediterranean.
The Caves Cape Grecko has some interesting offerings, of which Adam and I visited three. We hope the best, as these were the ones that tempted us the most. Before deciding where, we listened to some stories from at least 3 divers.
All dive sites are located on the eastern side of the island, where we have Syria exactly across the sea. We start from the beaches, which we reach in a dilapidated jeep from Happy Divers dive centre. Our guide is a nice Cypriot with a storm of dreadlocks on his head. He moves everywhere barefoot, I do not know, maybe he met Cejrowski once? He also drove the car barefoot, but he amazed us the most, when on the rocks and stones with dried and at the same time sharp ladders he also walked without shoes. He even put his flippers directly on his feet.
The base is located in the grounds of the Mimosa Hotel in Aija Napa. There is free parking right next to the base, but access is a bit of a problem and you have to ask around. There are large plastic baskets for your gear, which you have to throw in the pack, but you pack your bottles in jackets and stock up on vending machines while you’re there. Briefing also takes place before setting off and this is done with teaching aids in the form of detailed maps and plotted paths. They try to keep it brief.
Cyclop’s Cave
In search of the Cyclops we set off on our first dive. We get there quite quickly. There are six of us. After pulling on our wetsuits and putting on our jackets, we grab our flippers and masks (I also have my camera) and carefully head into the water. It’s slippery and we have to be careful. We have shoes on and our “mucho” goes barefoot. Finally we are all in the water and after showing the international OK sign we start our underwater adventure. The visibility surprises us very positively. It reaches a good 40 m. It is a rarity, which is very satisfying. At the beginning we swim above the grasses and we recognize the trumpetfish, which are a whole bunch here. Smaller ones a dozen or so centimetres long and rather solitary, ones almost a metre long. They look like closed umbrellas and this is how I describe them. They accompany us to the end of the dive. We swim over an abandoned pedal boat, which became underwater for a while to turn into a mini wreck. Rocks, hills, peaks and caves start to appear. Despite the day we meet crabs and single groupers. We descend to almost 25 m depth. The water is 27 C°. It is pleasant and bright. At one point, the guide shows me a crevice under a rock overhang, and there, for the first time in the Mediterranean, I see a wingshiner. I watch it and photograph it for a long while. They are nocturnal animals, so during the day they look for darkened places and sit there, usually with their backs to the nosy divers.
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Caves
The simple name of this dive site saying a lot and saying nothing. In any case, the cyclops will not be there. Entering the water is again difficult. Our guide this time is a boy from Sweden who works here during the season. There are four of us. We start to swim calmly among the rocks to observe the obladas, warblers and of course the trumptfish. At one point I spot a small scorpionfish. A motionless beauty can disappear in a split second and this one does exactly that. Not discouraged I look around. Visibility is still at 40 metres. It’s bright, because sun penetrates the water surface. The light is strong so I set the flash to maximum power. We find an octopus. But the most interesting thing is the exit. The dive is coming to an end with the exhaled air. The 50th minute of the dive is passing and we have already made a safety stop, because the last 10 minutes we are swimming at a depth of 5 meters. We enter the cave. It is enriched with holes in the ceiling. As the waves ripple, water pours through them and the rays of the Cypriot sun reach the bottom. We swim up to one of these holes. It seems quite small, but our leader disappears into it. It has to be done quickly and only in good weather. We follow him. Fascinating exit from the water is an additional advantage for choosing this place.
Green Bay
Due to the fact that we have to leave around 1pm, Adam and I decide that we will also spend the last day underwater, but only on one dive. We choose Cape Grecko again and this time we decide to go to Green Bay, praised by Marios Athanasiou. The Cypriot we met on Zenobia, who after working in the centre makes very interesting furniture and lamps from cut and discarded pieces of olive wood, shows us around Cyprus a little. Thanks to him we eat sandwiches, which are consumed by locals in one of the stalls by the roadside, not necessarily intended for tourists.
At the dive site with our barefoot dredger we are among the first. We are lucky, because it is usually besieged. You can drive right up to the water. Later, when we leave, it turns out that it is really crowded and there are no free places for cars. It is worth being here even before 9:00
Visibility is a little worse and remains at 30 m throughout the dive. The water temperature here is a constant 27 C°. At the beginning we swim calmly and observe typical Mediterranean fish. There are a lot of beaten and stuck amphorae. We arrive at a patio where statues and columns (imitating Roman times) are arranged in a ratio of 1:0.5 man size. We swim away and suddenly we see a large herd of barracudas. Without thinking, I move straight towards the shoal. They do not run away and, stepping aside, let me in.
The rest of the company are watching me from the outside, so I can’t see it in all its glory. I snap photos and set the parameters. We are at a depth of 8 metres. After a while the barracudas swim away, but before this happens I feel a sharp jerk on my shoulder. I look to see who is pulling me so suddenly and why. Adam just points his finger to the left and upwards. When I follow Adam’s indication, my eyes probably widen even more, because a few metres from us a large turtle is swimming towards the surface. It takes in air and dives down again. It measures about one and a half metres. I swim off in that direction and wait to see what he does. I film it first. Unfortunately, it is the opposite of how it should be, I have him under the sun. I switch the camera to pictures and start an exhausting chase after this friendly animal. It tries to swim away from the divers attacking from afar. Unfortunately, after a long distance and out of breath, I let go to the turtle’s satisfaction.
We leave the dive delighted and even our guide seemed very animated. He said that turtles do happen here and sometimes barracudas too, but on one dive they are a rarity.
Cyprus for credit
There are many diving sites in the Mediterranean. The island on the edge of Eastern Europe I recommend. Especially for those who like to spend their holidays actively, and under water here is surprisingly interesting.
I hope that this short series of articles has brought you closer to Cyprus, as well as allowing you to choose these or other places undiscovered by me.
Wojciech Zgoła
wojtek@dive-adventure.eu
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