Diving On The Costa Brava
Friday, August 6th, 2010The Costa Brava is the rugged coastline that runs from Blanes – around 50 km north of Barcelona – up to the French Border in the Spanish autonomous region of Catalonia. The area is a popular holiday destination for foreign tourists and Spaniards alike and althoug the beaches are fantastic, the snorkelling unbelieveable and some of the walks breathtaking, it also has some of the best dive sites in Spain.
The two areas that really stand out are the Medas Islands – Illes Medes in Catalan – near Estartit, and the area near Cadaques which is called Cap de Creus.
Both areas are protected marine parks, which has resulted in an abundance of marine life, with coral that had been in sharp decline due to being harvested and fish that are quite tame – it’s quite something to dive with a 5 or 6 foot grouper following you on a dive.
One of the best dives on Cap de Creus is on Massa d’Or; you can go down to around 40 metres and experience fantastically clear water; however, the currents can change quite quickly and it isn’t really suitable for inexperienced divers. Check out Cap de Creus dive centres if you’re planning a dive here.
And the Medas Islands have a limit on the number of divers allowed each day, and have a total ban on removing anything from the area. The coral re-growth has been fantastic and the groupers inhabiting the chambers in Dofi Sud have to be seen to be believed. There are a number of dive centres in Estartit with daily trips to the Medas, as well as other dive sites between Estartit and l’Escala, which although are not currently protected are worthwhile doing.
There are also several dive centres in l’Escala which also run boat trips to the Medas, although you may prefer to drive to Estartit rather than the 40 minute boat trip.
