5 replies to this topic

[Sharklover]

Hello,
I am thinking about spending some of my summer in Spain and Portugal. In particular, the Algarve in Portugal, and the Costa del Sol and around Valencia in Spain.
Does anyone have experience diving in these areas? My travel partner is not a diver. Yet. So we are talking about spending our time in places with both good diving and non diving experiences.

[dive_sail_etc]

Hi Leslie aka Sharklover,

I spent five years over two tours in Rota Spain. In that time I traveled as far West as Lisbon Portugal and as far east as Malaga Spain. Based on local recommendations regarding visibility, currents and water temperatures I only dived the harbor (several WWII wrecks are still there but one wrong fin kick and it becomes muck diving) as well as the seawall in Gibraltar. My research with other divers in the area suggested that on the Atlantic side the vis is better but the water colder (5mm minimum in summer). In summer the Med warms to bathwater and the vis is reasonable to good if you can book a boat to get you offshore a couple of miles.

You may wish to research the diving in the Balearic Island group off Spain's east coast, the island of Ibiza in particular sticks in my memory as having been rumored a favorite dive destination in the Western Med. At the time such a trip was priced out of my enlisted budget, so unfortunately I can offer no first hand experience.

Hope you have a great time and that you might share your dive adventures when you return!

[MNJoe]

I have no personal experience with Spain or Portugal, but....... I know someone who grew up in Barcelona, she talks about the Balearic Islands,Palma De Mallorca, and I see Velencia is not too far away and a ferry does make the crossing. I have no idea what the logistics are or what they have for dive shops. I do know it is a local vacation destination. I did get a chance to dive out of Nice, France a few years ago. Viz was good, dives ok, your not on a reef, but there was stuff to see. I am glad I dove while I was there.

I wish I had more info to offer.

[Sharklover]

Appreciate your replies guys. I will look into your ideas. I am struggling with whether or not to bring my gear at all, since my travel companion is not a diver. But I am likely to, afterall, we will be on the sea!

I understand that flights to the Azores is also easy from Spain and I am curious about them as a diving destination too. It may be that I fly solo for part of my time there.

[ScubaSis]

I know it's hard for us divers to do, but maybe just this once, you could leave your gear behind and rent if you dive. Would save some weight on a long flight??

[Sharklover]

My bad for the grammar goofs above, I don't seem to be able to edit them.
SS, I agree in theory, but I may be on an extended stay, won't have a defined itinerary up front, and I am also very hard to fit. But I will give some thought to that idea. I actually know some divers based in Castellon, maybe I can arrange equipment that I don't have to haul.