Xlendi, Gozo #2
The Blue Hole and Azure Window
Summer 2016
The return visit to Gozo is nearing and we're all looking forward to it tremendously. Our daughter is accompanying us this time so it will be nice to share a relaxed week with her, away from the humdrum daily slog of normality. Hoping that she will decide to learn to dive after her Discover SCUBA Diving session at Easter. She got on well with the skills and her buoyancy was spot on, according to the instructor.
We fly out of Manchester airport this time, well somebody has to, I suppose, but they offered the cheapest fights by a substantial margin. We got another excellent deal on-line with Chevron Holidays, staying B&B at St. Patrick's Hotel in Xlendi. I'm also booked in with UTINA Diving College again, which is just across the piece from the hotel.
Went to Stoney Cove on 17th April, first dive of the year, I'm ashamed to say, and I was feeling withdrawal symptoms so it was good to get in the water again. It also served to test out my gear ready for the coming year's diving.
Me at Xwejni Bay
Thursday 9th June 2016
With an early start, the drive up to Manchester Airport was uneventful. I'd pre-booked parking in the short stay multi-storey at Terminal 2, so it was an easy transfer to Departures. Take-off was a few minutes late but nothing to worry about and we were met in Malta for our transfer to Gozo via the ferry.
Checked in at St. Pat's. and happily found that we are in the room next door to the one we were in last time with the same great view over Xlendi Bay. Dropped bags off in room and headed over the square to Utina to book the first dive of the holiday on Friday morning, 08:30 sharp. Don't know where the dive will be yet but can't wait to get wet!
Meeting with the Holiday Rep at 6pm. Probably book the round island boat trip.
Friday 10th June 2016
Aaagh. I've lost Scuby! First dive of the holiday in Xlendi bay and we went through the tunnel to emerge on the seaward side of the cliff. Pootled around for a while, came across a Stonefish resting on a rock and looking very inconspicuous, checked out a few shallow caves but they were bare, and eventually headed back through the tunnel after around 40 minutes downtime. I pulled Scuby out of my BCD pocket as I followed the dive guide into the tunnel, intending to take a picture of him in there, but I must have let go of him at some point because I realised I no longer held him and when I turned he was floating away up to the surface. It took a few seconds to attract my buddies attention and let him know I was going after him but when I turned around again Scuby was nowhere to be seen.
Sadly I had to abandon the search and come back through the tunnel without him. I will be mourning him this evening though, well, it would be rude not too!. Saw a nice Cuttlefish in the bay as we returned but he was very shy and my camera battery had died at this point. Not surprising really as the battery had been in it since the camera was last used in the Azores! Battery replaced with a spare and I'm ready to go on the second dive of the day this afternoon.
Stonefish
Went to the almost unpronounceable Mgarr Ix-xini this afternoon. Despite it's exotic name the dive was quite unremarkable apart from the thousands and thousands of Jellyfish that had made the narrow bay their home. My wetsuit and reef gloves gave me good protection but my head was exposed as I didn't bring a hood. Luckily, I managed to escape unscathed this time. Mrs C and daughter were going to snorkel but that was quite impossible. They decided to go for a snorkel in Xlendi Bay when we got back, but guess what? Yes, Mrs C got stung. There were only two in their proximity and one of them got her on the thigh. Hope tomorrow is better. Time to mourn Scuby now, I guess. Now, where's the bar?
Slipper Lobster
Saturday 11th June 2016
The first dive today was Ras Il-hobz, otherwise known as 'Middle Finger' on the south of the island. It is a huge column or pinnacle rising from the deep to end 8m below the surface. The pinnacle lies about 25mtr off the headland. Our dive took us to around 26mtrs. A Mediteranean Slipper Lobster had made a home in a hollow in the pinnacle at this depth and seemed quite happy to pose for a quick picture.
There were a few other divers there and in places it was quite busy, easy to lose track of who is your buddy unless you recognise their fins or other bits of kit. I've momentarily tagged onto another diver before now in such a situation, you focus your attention on taking a photograph and when you look up your dive buddy has moved on and there are so many divers around all dressed in black wetsuits. But not this time, Doris, the dive guide, is quite small and distinctive.
Mrs C and Daughter got off on their boat trip around the island ok so a quick pot of tea in the hotel and then back to the dive centre for this afternoon's dive.
Went to Xwejni Bay this afternoon. A nice bimble at around 10mtr for 68 minutes. Must confess to have started feeling a little chilled by the end (water was 20 degrees) but once back out I soon warmed up in the 32 degrees air temperature. Many Scorpion Fish of all sizes and pipe worms that disappear into their tube when feeling threatened. The bay is an old river bed so lots of nice gullies to explore, and the unbiquitous Poseidon grass (Posidonia oceanica), of course. Ready for a beer tonight (for a change!).
Sunday 12th June 2016
Went to Reqqa Point, the most northerly point on the island, first thing today. The entry was a little challenging over volcanic rock but the dive was well wrth the effort. At 35mtr to the bottom it was a good deep dive and as we descended we were rewarded by a huge Moray Eel swimming in the open between hiding places. A huge Grouper cruised by, keeping its distance but otherwise not bothered by our presence as it went about its business. Several large Mediteranean Tuna also paid us a visit. On the way out we entered a chimney which took us up from 17m to 6m. All in all a good dive for 42 minutes, to within 3 minutes of Deco time.
Billinghurst was the next dive, a huge cavern like a small Cathederal. Hiding in the nooks and crannies we found Red Lancer, Norway Lobster (Nephrops norvegicus - Scampi), one or possibly two Conga Eels (difficult to say as the head was visible in one hole and the tail protruded from another, so could have been one very long one or two medium sized ones). Up in a crevis in the vauted roof was a very large Slipper Lobster. Another good dive to 25 mtr for 53 minutes with Deco time threatening.
Norway Lobster - Scampi (Nephrops Norvegicus)
Had a lightening show tonight on the balcony as we drank our G&T's, hope the conditions are still good to dive tommorrow!
MV Cominoland
Monday 13th June 2016
This morning we went to Xatt L-Ahmar. We entered the water and followed the reef at 6 mtr for around 100 mtrs and then down a wall to 18 mtrs and then set out into the blue to the MV Cominoland wreck (previously described in my visit last year). A nice swim through the deck and then out to the f'ward mast, gradually ascending up past the wheelhouse. In the distance a school of Tuna could just be seen and then we headed back to the reef where we came across a good sized Octopus hiding under a rock. Hitting 35 mtrs depth and 55 minutes dive it was the most challenging of the holiday so far.
After lunch it was a shallow bimble at Hondoq Reef, heading out towards the island of Comino. A nice easy entry point and after a bit of a swim we were at the reef, a little dived but interesting location according to our guide. Lots of swim throughs, arches and overhangs with a Moray Eel in a hole in the reef. I saw a Wrasse with some sort of parasite attached to it's tail and a good number of Scorpion Fish and a few Nudibranchs for a change.
Tuesday 14th June 2016
Wow, it is my last day of diving today and it was brilliant! After the high winds and heavy seas of yesterday evening, things were still unsettled this morning. The dives today needed to be in sheltered parts of Gozo's coast and the two dive sites we went to were just perfect.
We went back to Mgarr Ix-Xini where all of the Jellyfish had now gone, blown out of the bay by a change in wind direction. First we saw a well camoflaged baby Cuttlefish followed by a tiny (5mm) white Sea Slug(Elysia Timida), Flounder and Weever fish, then the highlight of the day, Janey, the TDM spotted a Long Snout Seahorse and I snapped the picture of the year so far. Fantastic. Next we came across two Flying Gurnards, absolutely crazy and wonderful fish with wings that extend from the sides of their body.
Common Stingray
For our second dive we went back to Hondoq bay. Choosing a different dive this time we headed out, by following the water pipeline, into the straight between Gozo and Comino looking for Stingrays. Soon we found a small Common Stingray but the current was against us and making it hard work, not to mention using up air fast, so we had to head back in towards land. However, Pearly Razorfish, Cardinal Fish and Peacock Tube Worms were plentiful.
Both dives were very enjoyable, the first being 60min and the second 50min. A great way to spend two hours of your life.
Long Snout Seahorse
Wednesday 15th June 2016
No diving today
Popped into UTINA Diving College to see if they had any luck on their morning dive expedition to find seahorses again, but they didn't. UTNA have been really good and I highly recommend them if you find yourself in Xlendi. All of their staff are knowledgeable, and helpful, as well as being professional in what they do. Sally and Neil do a great job although sadly Neil is out of it at the moment due to needing two hip replacements. Well done UTINA Diving College.