malta

Where can we go and get our PADI advanced certificates? Let's check the last minute sites! OK, there is Corfu, Mallorca and Malta. Let's take Malta, they are supposed to have excellent diving with outstanding visability. That should be good! And no sandy beaches only rocky: perfect! Let's go! Click on pictures for slide show!

Two weeks end of June beginning of July 2000. The festa season was peaking with fireworks every evening and lots of mornings as well (!)celebrating a new saint every day. We started slowly with touristing in the capital Valletta, walking on the beach in Sliema and a day trip on the Fernandez.
The Blue Lagoon was blue and crystal clear, in spite of all the boats. We went snorkelling and swimming, excelling in diving from the boat. The water was what we came for: around 28 degrees and very salt. Lots of Kodak moments if you had a decent camera.

Saw the continental formations of Australia and South America. Plenty of soaking in the water!
Took time in Valletta again and the former capital of Mdina in the inland. Peaceful and quiet. A couple of sights were closed though, and we walked for ages in the heat: 42 degrees. Time to go below!

Instead of just buying a couple of dives we went for the PADI Advanced Open Water Diving Certificate. It included a boat dive - fun diving through caverns and a chimney, a navigation dive - a walk in the park, an underwater naturalist dive - enjoyable and interesting (now I know some species at least),
a deep dive - colder but quite ok and a night dive close to the Blue Grotto- pretty cool and relaxed. Went into a small cavern, saw the Marbled Electric Ray and others. Martin rented a camera and I fed the fish. Lots of willing photo object, but not as easy to capture on film as you might think.

Managed to make our visit to the megalithic structures in Qrendi, near Zurrieq and the Blue Grotto in the worst possible heat. Cover up with lungi and hat and drink plenty of water.
All text and pictures (except UW) by Elisabet Fornell. UW photo by Martin Malmsten.

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