The MV Scotscraig was built in the 1950s to provide a ferry crossing from Dundee to Newport. It was later used in the Robin William's film, "Popeye" and after the filming concluded it was scuttled in Anchor bay. It is too far from shore to dive and has to be dived by boat. The popular Popeye village attraction is located nearby. The wreck was scuttled at 21m, so this is another good wreck which is suitable for level one divers are well as being of interest to everyone else. As this site is not frequently visited, a good variety of marine life, has made it their home, including moray eels, octopi and groupers.
photo by Nige Thacker
photo by Nige Thacker
P31 Patrol Boat (ex-Pasewalk)
This is the sister ship to the P29 at Cirkewwa. The P31 was scuttled at a much shallower depth in order to provide a wreck for open water divers. The wreck is at 18m with a maximum of 21m under the bow. One can enter the P31 at the stern and swim all the way to the bow without exiting the wreck. The mast has been removed, and the stern is buried in the sand after the wreck moved a substantial distance during storms over the winter 2010-2011. The wreck now lies about 25m from the navigational hazard buoy in the direction of Alex's cave. There has been a build up of sand inside the engine room, but this does not prevent swimming through the wreck.
The P31 is 53m long and is an excellent site for divers of every level. You can expect to encounter rays, flounders and razor fish on the sand. On the wreck itself, we have spotted trigger fish, filefish, octopus, nudibranchs and numerous small reef fish. Mussels, oysters and tube worms have started to colonise the wreck and the buoy.
Photo on P31 courtesy of Sue Baines
The P29 Minesweeper Patrol Boat The P29 minesweeper patrol boat is Malta's latest wreck. The Kondor Class minesweeper was orginally built for the German navy but later used by the Armed forces of Malta as a patrol boat. The sinking of the Patrol boat as a diving attraction was arranged by the Malta Marine Foundation and sponsored by the Malta Tourism Authority. A sister ship is due to be sunk later off Comino. The P29 was sank quite some distance from shore but can be dived by the fit. It is much more easy to dive this wreck by boat and it has been a huge hit with our diving clients. The wreck is around 52 metres long and hit the bottom end on before lying flat at 37 metres. The superb photos of the sinking were taken by Welsh diver Susan Davies from shore with an Olympus camera.
Of course as soon as the P29 was sunk, we couldn't wait to dive it. Our instructors went that same afternoon to familiarize themselves with the wreck before taking clients. The first row of underwater photos of the wreck were taken by our instructor Willem Weeseman and the second row by our client Prof. Ernst Luecker.
The Rozi Tugboat
The Rozi tugboat wreck was sunk in 1992 as an underwater attraction by a company offering submarine trips. The submarine trips fizzled out but the wreck of course remained as an outstanding diving attraction. Lying in a depth of almost 40 metres, the wreck can be seen complete due to the exceptional visibility which is frequently over 30 metres. This wreck can be dived from shore but during summer we prefer to dive it by boat, gaining precious extra minutes on the wreck and avoiding the crowds at the shore entry point. The photos which follow were taken by our client Rob Allen during the summer of 2005.
These evocative, monochromatic shots of the Rozi were all taken during May 2005 by Sue Baines, of the UK; a regular visitor to Malta.
The Um El Faroud
We keep the wreck of the Um El Faroud up our sleeve for when the North West wind blows strong over the Maltese islands. Sheltered by the valley named 'Wied iz Zurrieq, the Um Al Faroud usually be dived when many of the other sites are blown out.
The Um El Faroud was the scene of an explosion in Malta Drydocks which resulted in the tragic loss of nine dockyard workers in 1995. The wreck was sank off Wied iz Zurrieq (Blue Grotto) in 1995, as a diving attraction. At over 115 metres in length it certainly warrants more than one dive. The main deck lies at 25 metres with a further 10 metres to the sand. The photos that follow were taken in the summer of 2004. I'm ashamed to say I have lost the details of the photographer. If you recognize them as yours please let me know so I can acknowledge your work. - Alison
Karwela and Cominoland
Two of Malta's latest wrecks, Karwela and Comino Land, were scuttled very near us at at Ix-Xatt l-Ahmar, Gozo during August 2006. The ex ferry boats have provided new artificial reefs for divers. We have already made several trips to these wrecks with our diving boats, as they are already very popular with our clients, having had lots of publicity in diving magazines and forums. Air-filled buoyancy tanks, were used during the scuttling to ensure the ships remained upright at 35 metres below the sea. The photos which follow were taken by our Dutch clients, BJ and Nathalie t' Jong. The VW Beetle is on the deck of the Karwela. Some people just have to park, right at the dive site!
More shots of the Karwela wreck taken in September 2006 by Máximo Escobar Muñoz
Davy Jones Diving - PADI 5-star Gold Palm Centre, Gran Canaria Scuba Diving and exploration of the best dive site in Gran Canaria - the El Cabrón Marine Reserve. Friendly dive centre offering beginner, experienced and training packages; PADI & BSAC courses and snorkelling.
The Malta Beach Holiday Guide The Beach Holiday and Travel Resource to Malta, including where and when to go, scuba diving, flights, car hire and airport parking deals.
