Scuba Diving on the Costa Del Sol

Sharm El Sheikh. Thailand. Mexico. Australia. These are the locations people think when they think of diving destinations and, truth be told, they are not wrong. These are excellent diving locations, with some of the best diving in the World, however, they are all far from Europe. Mexico is at least a 9 hour flight, Thailand maybe 10 hours, and Australia over 16 hours at least. This is one of the reasons why any European based diver needs to start looking closer to home for diving experiences.

The Costa Del Sol on Spain's southern coastline has been a tourist hot spot for over 30 years, and why not? With 330 days of sunshine every year, hundreds of kilometres of beautiful beaches, countless bars and restaurants serving the very best of not just Andalucian cuisine but food from all over Europe, and yes, year-round Scuba Diving!

The Costa Del Sol may not be the top of people's diving wish list, yet, but with nearly every form of diving available within a 2 hours drive, the Costa Del Sol's diving stock is rising.

In the east you have the marine park of the Cabo Del Gato. Wonderful life and deep diving are on offer here and although technically just outside the Costa Del Sol's reach, it is definitely worth a mention.

Coming further west you arrive at La Herradura and Nerja. A top dive site for the whole of Europe, towering cliffs dropping down to over 60m means this place if a mecca for recreational divers as well as your "techies".

Moving on we arrive at the second 'capital' of Andalucia, Malaga. With a well developed and connected International Airport meaning getting here is no problem. Malaga district is also not short on dive sites itself with plenty of shallower dives ideal for the less experienced or for those learning.

Moving further on we pass Fuengirola and arrive at Marbella. Famous for its beaches and its debauchery, Marbella is still a wonderful and beautiful place to visit. Home to several dive sites, including El Torre and El Galeon, an 18th Century French warship.

Going even further west and south, we arrive at Gibraltar, the wreck haven of southern Europe. Hundreds of years of naval hsitory means a plethora of dive sites, ranging from recent wrecks sank for an artifical reef project, to Phoenician anchors long lost to the sea and now rediscovered. Gibraltar is, in my opinion, the crown jewel of diving on the Costa Del Sol.

Lastly, we arrive at Tarifa, the last outpost of Europe and Spains most southerly point. Diving off the peninsula in both the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, mean s crystal clear water, drift dives and wall dives. Absolutely spectacular with the chance of seeing Sunfish and Whales! What a trip.

Diving With Nic offers trips to all these locations and as we are conveniently located in the very middle of the Costa are one of the only centres to offer trips to every single location.

I hope you consider diving on the Costa!

Nic

A Colourful Craze - the humble Nudibranch

No matter where you dive or who you dive with there will be someone, Instructor, photographer or your average diver, who will be raving about Nudibranches. What are they? Why do they have such a dedicated following? And, indeed, why are they so awesome?

Tricolor doris - Gibraltar

Felimare picta - Gibraltar

      

      




First, and foremost, I am a dedicated Nudibranch fanatic. Ever since being introduced to these little critters of the sea I have, on the verge of obsession, been searching for them everywhere. Taking photos of these perfect subjects is passion of mine.

Varicose Wart Slug - Thailand

Marionia blainvillea - Spain

      

      











Nudibranch (pronounced Nudi-brank) are quite simply slugs of the sea, but unlike their land-trapped cousins, they are anything other than bland and boring. Nudibranch come in all range of colours, forms and sizes. Some are smaller than a fingernail (especially the young) others can be the size of a fist. Estimates range up to 6000 different species of Nudibranch worldwide.

Flabellina - Spain

Pink Flabellina - Tarifa, Spain

            

Nudibranch literally means “naked gill” and you can see this feature as a flower like protrusion from which the Nudibranch actually breathes. They have been found in shallow reefs all the way down to over a mile deep. They have succeeded in colonising nearly every part of the ocean despite being brightly coloured and slow moving. Why then have they been as successful as they have been?

Doris - Spain

Tricolor doris - Spain

            

Their secret is in how they defend themselves. Having shed their shell millions of years ago, Nudibranchs have developed ways to secrete poisons and stinging cells making them a very undesireable dinner. They are also carnivores and eat coral, starfish, even each other and each time they eat, they absorb the poisons and defenses and sometimes even the colours of that which they have consumed.

Add caption

Add caption

            












Why are so many divers (myself included) so obsessed with these creatures. Firstly, despite the bright markings, they can be hard to spot so the challenge itself is rewarding. Secondly, they make relatively easy and wonderful subjects for photography, Google images is replete with thousands of photos of nudibranches. Lastly, and for me this is the best reason: they are an essential part of the ecosystem. They eat vociferously and can sometimes be the last bastion against more invasive species such as Crown of Thorns starfish.

Blue Dragon - Cambodia

Jorunna funebris - Cambodia

            

So remember, next time you're diving and somebody does the nudibranch sign (two fingers like rabbit ears), don't dismiss them, go see the nudibranch and admire its beauty, its resiliance and its importance to the ecosystems around you.

- Nic
Diving with Nic
Nudibranch Pictures