Mizen Head, Co. Cork
Sunday, 03 January 2010 23:19 |
| Ireland |
Mizen Head is situated at the very South-Western point of Ireland and approached by the N71 via Skibbereen and onwards through the villages of Schull and Goleen. The last village on the peninsula is Crookhaven.
There are several good shore dives, but to appreciate the area at best boats are required. Due to their exposed locations, many of these dives are suitable only for experienced divers and in calm conditions.
Galley Cove
The most Westerly access point on the South coast is Galley Cove, about 2km before Crookhaven, where a fine sandy beach opens up on your right with a good view of Fastnet Rock 10km out to sea. Small boats can be launched across the beach, while large RIB's should be launched at Crookhaven where there is a good slip and motored the 5km around Sreek Head to meet the rest of your group at Galley Cove beach. From here there are a selection of sites ranging from simple shore dives to spectacular boat dives under cliffs for the very experienced diver.
Galley Cove Rock
just 100m from the beach there is excellent snorkelling inside the rock over a gently sloping sandy bottom with rocky outcrops. Beyond the island there are interesting gullies in a depth range 10-25m suitable for the less experienced diver or for those without a boat.
Carrigadeavaun
About 1km East of Galley Cove is a rock that looks like it has just split off from the mainland. There is some shelter from a Westerly swell behind it which can make kitting up more comfortable. there is an interesting bottom at 20m usually covered with feather and brittle stars. swimming towards the point of the rock and out to sea the bottom tumbles down to 35-40m with a lot of life all the way down. This site is suitable for intermediate and advanced divers as you can easily select your depth.
Reen Point
Heading West from the cove the first headland reached after only 400m is Reen Point. Here the depth drops off rapidly to 40m just off-shore in several jagged steps. There can be a gentle tidal current and excellent walls of jewel anenomes.
The bay between Reen Point and Brow Head was known as a mating ground for basking sharks, but they are rarely seen now. There is good 30m diving all along under the cliffs heading West to Brow Head with no noticeable current. An old anchor was spotted a few years ago about 800m short of Brow Head in 20m of water but there is no sign of any wrecks.
Mizen Head
THE FOLLOWING DIVES ARE ONLY SUITABLE FOR THE EXPERIENCED
IN CALM WEATHER CONDITIONS!
NB: The Mizen Head area offers some of Ireland's best diving, but can be dangerous. Make sure your equipment is reliable, 2 boats and a VHF radio should be considered the minimum. Be on the look out for changing conditions when the tide turns.
Brow Head
There is spectacular diving under the towering cliffs at Brow head, the Southern most point of Ireland. The tide can be very strong here so it should be only dived at slack water.
For those ready for it there is a stunning drift dive from the tip of the headland going West towards Mizen Head when the tide has just turned to ebb.
There is a reef about 20m which runs parallel to the flow and lasts for at least 1km. With a gentle current and good visibility, you can cruise from ridge to ridge which, due to the high energy environment, are carpeted with Dead Man's Fingers and Jeweled Anenomes. Taking care not to slip off the top of the reef into deeper water on either side, you can get a full half hour drift while keeping above 24m. Excellent boat cover is essential.
Every diver should also carry some additional method of signaling in case of separation. Being alone 1km off the end of Ireland is very lonely!
Carrignagower
This rock, which is awash at high water, lies 50m off shore about 1km before Mizen Head. even in the calmest weather the swell breaks against it. The outside of the rock is an excellent wall with marine growth on every square inch. This is a slack water dive only! There is a safe passage inside the rock for those heading for the Mizen.
Mizen Head
When the weather is very calm this is the place to head for, but conditions North of the point can be very different to those on the approach. If you are unhappy about rounding the point there is a lot of good diving close in between the point and the bridge where 35m is easily reached.
On the mainland side of the bridge the water is shallower and the diving less demanding. For those who have the necessary permit, the cannons and anchors of the L'impatient (sunk 1796) lie off the small headland which also has a small pier and access steps.
Back to the tip of Mizen, right under the lighthouse there is a deep gully where at least 3 boats have been wrecked, 2 trawlers, Ribble (1906) and Manoes (1908) along with the yacht Taurima (1975). The weather must be flat calm to allow divers to venture right up to the gully, but who knows what nay be found among the rocks!
The reef out from the tip of the Mizen offers diving that is hard to beat anywhere with stunning scenery and large shoals of fish. However since the tide runs across the reef (rather than along it as at Brow Head) you can only dive here at exactly slack water, so plan to travel a little earlier and be prepared to wait.
North of the Mizen is a graveyard of many steamers and coasters from around the turn of the century. Irada (1908), Bohemian (1887), Memphis (1896) and several more. Very little structure has survived the ravages of a century of winter storms, but wreckage can be seen on almost every dive in this area.
The Copper Boat
The remains of the "Oswertery" lie wedged on the North side of a towering stack 500m North of Mizen Head. Sometimes mistakenly called the Irada the wreck got it's name from the 40kg copper ingots that were in it's cargo and could still be found up to a few years ago. A couple are still visible but have resisted all attempts to move them! There is little structure left but the wreck is easy to find, only 15-20m deep and it is the most impressive site for a rummage.
Shore Dives
Apart from the straight forward shore dive at Galley Cove, there are several advanced shore dives at exposed small piers around the Mizen Headland. They all require a walk from the car to the access point and it would be wise to check the conditions before kitting up. If there is a significant swell do not enter the water as it can be difficult to get out after a dive when you are tired. There is no significant tide runs at these sites, but at low tide access steps will be high and dry.
Vaud Cove
Follow the road West from Goleen towards Mizen Head. 800m past the Barley Cove Hotel the road widens on the left. Turn down here towards a farmhouse. Just before the house turn right through a gate along a track towards an isolated modern house. From here the footpath goes off to the left before swinging round and down to a small pier after 200m. Entering the water it is worth snorkelling across to the right hand point and diving on the cliffs beyond. This site is exposed to S and SE winds.
Dunlough Pier
Approaching Mizen Head, ignore the turn to the left before the Barley Cove Hotel and continue straight on up to the T junction. Turn right and follow the road until it ends in about 2 miles. To reach the pier, walk straight ahead, cross the steep slipway and clamber about 3m and you will see the steps leading to a small pier about 50m away. In the water snorkel across to the point opposite before going down and out along the gullies where 30m depth can be easily reached. This site is very exposed to Westerly swells and winds.
Toor Pier
While technically in Dunmanus Bay, this site is grouped under Mizen Head shore dives due to it's similar exposed and spectacular location approaching Mizen Head, about 1km before the turn off to the Barley Cove Hotel, there is a National School on the right. Take the next turn to the right after about 100m. Follow the road up and over the hill and down towards Dunmanus Bay until the road ends, from where there is a footpath 100m down to the pier.
In the water the best diving is along the cliff to the right of the pier where ridges run out to meet the sand at about 30m. For the more energetic the diving around the right hand point of the Island is well worth the effort, while the tunnel through the headland and surrounding area is shallow but quite interesting, but the gullies run in all directions making navigation difficult. It is an excellent spot for the advanced snorkeller.
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| Ireland |
Bantry Bay is the longest of the many narrow bays that cut into the coastline of West Cork. The town of Bantry is situated at the head of the bay and the major fishing town of Castletownbere is about half-way along the Northern shore. The south shore is accessed by a minor road called the "Goats Path". Turn right just after the West Lodge Hotel when leaving Bantry on the N71 heading South. The road goes out to Sheep's Head 30km away. The North side, which is over 50km long, ends at Dursey Island with Kenmare River to the North. There is deep water right up the bay and this was the reason for siting a major oil terminal on Whiddy Island as it could accommodate the largest oil tankers in the world. This now effectively closed.
The diving on the south shore is not spectacular with bare rock faces plunging rapidly into the depths with little growth. There are a couple of location worth a mention:
Gerahies Pier
About 8km along the goat's Path from the West Lodge Hotel is the small harbour of Gerahies with a good slip, usable after half tide, giving access to the coastline to the West, where there are some interesting gullies just beyond the pier. It is also possible to shore dive by entering the water a little East of the pier across a rocky reef.
Collack Pier
A further 8km along the Goat's Path there is a turn off to the right down to the water at Collack Pier. The access road is a little rough, but it should be possible to launch a medium sized boat here. There is no shelter from Westerly winds, but on a calm day shore diving around the pier can be rewarding.
It is 16km on the T65 from Bantry to the picturesque village of Glengarriff, where the road splits and the L61 heads off towards Castletownbere along the Northern shores of Bantry Bay.
Zetland Pier
7km beyond Glengar take a left marked "Zetland Pier" and follow the road down to the shore for 2 km until you arrive at a charming open spot with a simple pier. while there is no slipway, it is possible to launch an inflatable into the water without much problem, while RIB's would have to be launched in Glengarriff or across the bay at Gerahies. The area around the pier is suitable for snorkelling while the attraction for divers is Sheelane Island about 800m offshore.
At the Western end of the island is a small outlying rock with a splendid open cave to explore. The rocky bottom is covered with brittle and feather stars as it runs down into deeper water and life begins to peter out around 30m.
Roancarrigmore Lighthouse / Lonehort Point
16km beyond Glengariff lies the straggling village of Ardrigole dominated by Hungry Hill beyond. 5km beyond the centre of the village take a left turn down to Bank Harbour which has a small pier suitable for small inflatables. This is the best location for departures to the rocks and reefs to the East of Bere Island. There is a wreck of a Spanish trawler here, but it is completely dry on the rocks!
Bardini Reefer
Continuing West past the large camp-site there is a left turn signposted for Bere Island Ferry, which brings you, after 800m, to a pleasant little harbour with a good slipway. About half-way across the bay towards Bere Island lies the wreck of the factory ship "Bardini Reefer" which sank about 10 years ago in 15m of water after catching fire at anchor. Finding it is no problem as the masts are visible above water!
The wreck is almost complete and it is possible to poke your nose into some of the openings. Due to the gentle currents that bathe the wreck there is a lot of growth on the superstructure. Given the shallow depth it is best to plan your dive at high water, when you can spend as long as you like exploring without going below 10m. Being within Bere Haven it can be dived when it is too rough to dive in the open bay.
Spanish Trawler
This 30m long fishing boat struck the rocks just West of the entrance to Castletownbere and sank in 30m. It is still substantially intact and lying on it's side. There are 2 slips at Castletownbere Harbour. The one at the far end of the pier complex is less public and more suitable for a group of divers with all their gear.
The wreck lies at the narrowest part of the Western entrance to the harbour about 3.5km from the pier, exactly on the leading lights, which can be spotted in daylight by the fluorescent orange backing plates. Continue out to sea along this line until Sheep's Head appears across the bay from behind the cliffs of Bere Island. About 100m further and a house will appear between the rocks on the mainland and this is the second transit for the wreck. It is easily picked out with an echo-sounder.
Watch out for heavy trawler traffic that comes through the narrow channel, avoid Sunday afternoons when they all put to sea! Be sure to dive your A-Flag flying and your divers have SMB's and be on the constant look-out. It is possible to launch a smaller boat at Dunboy Castle and thus half the journey to the wreck (Head West out of the town on the L61 and turn left at the signpost after 1.5km).
Black Ball Head
Head West out of Castlebere on the L61, passing a junction to the right to Allihies after 10km. About 1km further a national school is passed on the right. Take the next left turn and then quickly right onto a narrow lane and Black Ball Harbour is reached after 1km. It is possible to launch medium sized boats across the rocky beach about 100m before the pier.
Heading out of the harbour and turning left, after 300m, brings you to the dark imposing cliffs of Black Ball Head. Here the cliffs rise 60m above the sea and plunge 45m underwater with hardly a pause. Finding a bottom to anchor is quite a problem! The underwater scenery is marvelous with massive walls of rock carpeted with life running down to a sea floor of massive boulders. Enter the water very close to the cliffs in order to find "shallow" water. This is obviously only suitable in calm conditions and slack water.
Garnish Pier
Continuing along the B61 Westward, the scenery gets wilder, but after driving through a narrow pass a valley opens up on the right with a road heading down at a junction signposted "Garnish Pier". Continue straight on here and after 2km you will reach the end of the road and the unique cable car connecting with Dursey Island.
Arriving at the pier there is a lot of space with a good pier and slipway usable except at low water. there is even a nice sandy beach for relaxing on! The bay is quite sheltered and if it is too rough to dive "outside" then interesting diving can be had in the vicinity of the rocks, with a bollard on them, out to the right.
There are the remains of an old coal boat here. When the conditions are right, the long journey to this remote spot is rewarded with superb diving around to the left beyond Garnish Point. If the tide is high it is possible to pass directly from the pier to the open sea, otherwise you must motor 1km around the islands. The whole area between the point and the entrance to Dursey Sound offers excellent diving with rock faces tumbling down to 40m and beyond. It is a very high energy site and thus rarely calm, however this also means the rocks are ablaze with life to 35m. This whole area offers a multitude of other top class dive sites suitable for the advanced diver when conditions are very calm.
Crow Head
6km from Garnish pier by boat, after passing through Dursey Sound, you reach the long headland of Crow Head sticking out into Bantry Bay. There is a rock just awash just off-shore and the whole area is an amazing jumble of massive rocks and boulders, some over 30m high in an area that is generally 40-45m deep. Great care is needed to avoid too much ascending and descending, but when the visibility is very good this is the closest you'll get to flying! Obviously slack water is essential.
Bull Rock
For a major expedition off-shore for a group with the right boats and personnel, look no further than Bull Rock, 5km beyond the end of Dursey Island and 15km from Garnish Pier. This very impressive rock rises almost vertically from the sea on all sides to a height of 80m and is topped by a lighthouse. There is a large archway right through the middle of the rock, through which it is possible to take a dive boat, but watch out for the thousands of sea birds that nest on the cliffs! Although it is probably possible to dive in a tidal shadow, it makes sense to plan a dive here for slack water to reduce risks.
Excellent deep diving is assured here wherever you enter the water with the life running on well beyond safe diving depths. The helicopter landing pad, 60m above sea-level, was washed away by a wave during a storm some years ago. Needless to say it needs to be exceptionally calm to dive here. There are two other offshore rocks nearby, the Crow and the Calf, equally impressive.
Mykonos
Tuesday, 22 December 2009 12:43 |
| Greece |
Mykonos (Greek: Μύκονος) is a Greek island and a tourist destination, renowned for its cosmopolitan character and its intense nightlife. The island is part of the Cyclades, lying between Tinos, Syros, Paros and Naxos. It spans an area of 105.183 km2 (41 sq mi) and rises at an elevation of 341 m (1,119 ft) at its highest point. The island is composed primarily of granite. It has little natural fresh water and relies on the desalination of sea water in order to meet its needs. There are 9,320 inhabitants (2001) most of whom live in the largest town, Mykonos, also known as Chora (i.e. the Town in Greek, a common denomination in Greece when the name of the island itself is the same as the name of the principal town), which lies on the west coast.
It is believed that the island was named after a local hero, who is considered an offspring of the god Apollo and was worshipped locally in antiquity.
Lefkas
Tuesday, 22 December 2009 12:38 |
| Greece |
Lefkas is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea on the west coast of Greece, connected to the mainland by a long causeway and floating bridge. The city of Lefkada, is situated on the northern part of the island, approximately 20 minutes by automobile away from Aktion National Airport. The Prefecture of Lefkada comprises Lefkada island plus the smaller nearby islands of Meganisi, Kalamos, Kastos, Madouri, Skorpios, and Sparti. It is the smallest prefecture of Greece in both land area and population (2001 census).
Lefkada Town (population: 6,903), has a pedestrianised main street, a marina, and bus access to Athens.
Zenobia Wreck
Tuesday, 22 December 2009 12:12 |
| Cyprus |
The ferry " Zenobia " sank on it's maiden voyage in 1980 off the coast of Larnaca. It now lies 16 to 42 meters down, on it's port side. The Zenobia weighs 10,000 tons, is 172 meters long, and 28 meters wide. On board there are more than 100 lorries and cars, many of these can be found outside of the ship.
It listed on it’s side for a few days before being towed 1400m of the coast of Larnaca where it now rests.
The Zenobia wreck has now become a protected artificial reef, with many species of fish making it their home, including Dusky and Striped Groupers, Sea Bass, Amberjacks, Barracuda, Parrotfish, a variety of Bream and Wrasse, to name but a few. In fact, the marine life in and around the wreck is unique, and the Dive Site is currently rated amongst the top ten wreck dive sites of the world.
The Zenobia wreck dive is an absolute must, for all serious divers, visiting Cyprus.