Blogs
Dive Indonesia Part 2: Raja Ampat Trip Report
This January The Scuba Place visited Ambon, Raja Ampat and Lembeh hosting agroup of divers. They stayed at some amazing spots and saw some amazing things. This is their trip report on their second stop in Raja Ampat.
Raja Ampat has always been on our bucket list – just like pretty much every other diver on the planet! We just had to go, and so the choice of liveaboard or resort was the only difficult one we had to make! We chose the latter and opted to stay at the enticing Dive into Raja Ampat.
This was, for some of our group, our second week in Indonesia, and we flew into Sorong from Ambon. Our other guests flew into Jakarta the night before, and flew on to Sorong in the early hours, catching the early ferry to Raja. Landing in Sorong, after walking across the tarmac and collecting our bags, we piled ourselves into the waiting SUVs and made the 20-minute trip to the port to catch the inter-island ferry.
It’s hot, loud, humid, busy, and seemingly disorganised chaos, but it works – welcome to the islands of Indonesia! Our drivers, provided by the resort, arranged for porters to take all our bags onto the ferry. We were shepherded upstairs into the VIP Cabin where the air-conditioning was very welcome. We checked every bag was present and got ready to relax for the two-hour crossing to our island resort. These are big and fast ferries, and they are super-stable, so we weren’t troubled by any seasickness, and a simple range of snacks (biscuits, crisps, and a local version of a pot noodle) and cold soft drinks were available from a small café on board. It seemed as though time flew, and we arrived into the port of Waisai on Waigeo, Raja Ampat’s largest island.
Disembarking was again an experience, but the resort staff were there to collect us and our bags, popping us into waiting SUVs and whisking us off to the resort – a mere 15 minutes away through some stunning scenery.
We arrived and were greeted with a cold drink, and a cold flannel, and welcomed to the resort. Our bags were taken to our rooms whilst we sat and chilled for a bit, and after a shower and a change, we were given a resort and dive briefing.
The resort, made up of 14 rooms, a restaurant, and the dive centre, sits underneath the jungle canopy and on a white sandy beach. There are three room categories – Garden terrace rooms, Seaview rooms, and Waterfront villas. The rooms are super comfortable, with effective air conditioning, vaulted ceilings with fans, a deck or terrace with furniture, en-suite shower rooms and an outdoor shower tap to rinse off. Each room also has its own water dispenser providing both hot and cold drinking water. The Seaview rooms and Waterfront villas have spectacular views, and the Garden terrace rooms have partial sea views too. More Waterfront villas are planned, and they really are on the waterfront – the sea comes right up the beach to the deck at high tide!
The restaurant offers water, tea, and coffee all day, and breakfast starts early for those who get up with the beautiful sunrises. Eggs and omelettes to order, plus fruit, cereals, toast, and a selection of hot offerings, both local and western, set you up well for the day. Lunch and dinner are again buffet style – a superb homemade soup, fresh slices of bread and then both Western and Indonesian main dishes, served with rice, noodles or potatoes. Fruit makes up the dessert at lunchtime, and a proper pud is offered at dinner. An afternoon snack is a welcome treat after the afternoon dive – expect cakes and pastries and all things non-diet related! Special dietary needs can be catered for if pre-advised.
The bar sits right alongside the restaurant and faces the sea – a great place to grab an ice-cold beer, wine from the small but decent wine list or a cocktail We sampled a few of these, in the pursuit of accurate research of course, and they hit the spot!
The resort fringes the jungle canopy, and it is just beautiful. Look up, and there is green everywhere – and birds of paradise, butterflies, geckos, and the cuscus bear – a sloth-like member of the marsupial family that clambers with great dexterity and no haste in the trees around the resort. Ask any member of staff and they will point to one without hesitation – which will save craning your neck for ages while you look for them with untrained eyes!
The dive centre is right on site, and the jetty to take you to the dive boats is a minute’s walk along the beachfront. The recently re-built dive centre has individual hanging spaces for each diver, rinse tanks behind and a superb camera room with separate rinse tanks, air guns and individual charging and assembly desks right next. Locked at night, the camera room opens at 6 am and closes at 10 pm, giving ample time to get in and organise yourselves! Nitrox, 15-litre tanks and even DPVs plus a whole range of equipment are available right on site.
The normal dive day comprises of a two-tank boat trip in the morning and a single-tank boat trip in the afternoon. The house reef is open all day! There are a couple of longer day trips with three dives and lunch on board the dive boats, and these are not to be missed. We took a trip to the famous viewpoint at Piaynemo and the manta cleaning stations, for both oceanic and reef mantas and these excursions should be on every visitor’s dive plans.
And the diving? Huge – that is the only word that I can use to describe the underwater world in Raja Ampat. Huge corals. Huge schools of fish. Huge reefs. Huge list of marine life encountered. And huge currents from time to time too!
The resort is in the Dampier Strait, home to many of the dive sites on any Northern Raja safari itinerary, so we sped out to the best of the best dive sites each day. And a strait it is – a through route between islands that inevitably brings in currents and big tides moving nutrients through the waters, both of which are reasons why the reefs are so incredibly healthy
We saw mobula and eagle rays, barracuda, jacks, snapper, grunts, banner fish, batfish, tuna, billions of glassfish and sweepers, rainbow wrasse and so much more. Cuttlefish that were happy to interact, wobbegongs sleeping below overhangs, huge green and hawksbill turtles, octopus, signal gobies, and blennies galore. We found numerous types of clownfish in their multi-coloured anemones. Even some very very territorial ones who would defend their homes from about 5 metres away! Frogfish, ornate ghost pipefish, banded pipefish, porcelain crabs, squat lobsters – the list goes on and on – and then on some more!
Oh – and the manta rays! We saw both reef and oceanic mantas. And let’s not forget the sharks! Grey reef, black tip, and white tip reef sharks were seen on lots of our dives, and on some of the bigger current dives, we saw them in big numbers off the edge of the reef.
Special thanks to Rob and Susie for sharing some of their amazing photos from the trip.
Visibility varied from 20+m to less than 10m, depending on the dive site, current and tide, but whatever it was, there was loads to see. The corals are immense, and the reefs go on and on. Staghorn coral forests, gorgonian giants, whip coral jungles, stunning sponges everywhere – I have never experienced so much life underwater anywhere! The water temperature hovered around 29′ for every dive, but there were one or two thermoclines that brought on a shiver for a moment or two. Most of us wore 3mm full suits and didn’t have an issue maintaining core temperatures, and we did a lot of diving!
We did some gentle bimbles along the reef, some deliberate drift dives, and some hard-core dives into the current to get to points where the shark action was taking place, and we did a dive in the biggest current I have ever experienced! All the big drift dives previously experienced across the globe became like a kid’s slide in a soft play park compared to this one at Kri Island. We were simply grabbed by the current without any notice and launched at breakneck speed over the top of the reef, whipping past bommies and pillars, using our fins to steer between fans and a shiver of half a dozen reef sharks, we were eventually catapulted out into the blue at the end of the reef – what an experience!
We did a couple of additional excursions in our week with Dive into Raja Ampat – a three-tank day trip to dive with the monitored populations of manta rays, and a three-tank day to take in the iconic views of Piaynemo.
The mantas are monitored by scientists, and there is an observation platform on top of the reefs where they visit a favourite cleaning station for the Oceanic mantas. Across the reef, we also dived on the lookout for reef mantas, and we had Lady Luck with us as they turned up! As we continued down the reef, a fever of at least 16 mobulas flew by in formation.
The trip to Piaynemo was great fun with two awesome dives, and then a big climb up the hill to the viewing platform. We had blue skies and captured that photo that is synonymous with being in Raja Ampat. A third dive on the way back home under a pier was excellent. It gave us a lovely backdrop for photography and was complete with turtles and curious batfish.
The dive staff were amazing for the whole week – they know their dive sites and found us all sorts, and they always kept an eye on us and ensured our safety. You can have thousands of dives in your logbook, but a different environment can be a real leveller, especially if there is a huge current or reduced visibility.
The dive boats are big, fast, and comfortable with a roof deck and an open bow area with seating if you wanted the sunshine, or a covered deck if you wanted to stay in the shade. A sea toilet on board made things easy and there was ample cold water, tea, and coffee, plus biscuits between dives! Backward rolls were our method of entry, and the ladder to get back into the boat was sturdy and easy, even for us with old bones and joints!
In one week, we dived most of the dive sites that a safari boat would do on the Northern Raja itinerary – we even tied up alongside one or two of them while our dive guides caught up with their friends on surface intervals! We love liveaboards, and there are some absolute stunners in Indonesia, but a week at Dive into Raja Ampat is exceptionally good value for money and considerably cheaper than a liveaboard, so we still can’t answer the opening question – Resort or Liveaboard?
We had a blast, loved the diving, loved the resort, and loved the whole experience – Raja delivered everything that we had anticipated, and more!
Key Facts:
- Getting there :We suggest flying with Emirates from Heathrow to Jakarta via Dubai. From Jakarta you can fly direct to Sorong on Garuda Indonesia. We prefer Garuda with their free 23kg dive equipment baggage policy and the flight is 4 hours. We were greeted at the airport and transported to the ferry port for our VIP crossing before a quick 15 minute transfer to the resort.
- Air temperature : Wageo in Raja Ampat enjoys a tropical rainforest climate – average daily temperature throughout the year is 29 to 31°C. The warmest and driest months are August and September and the wettest months are usually November and December
- Water temperature :An average of 30°C. A 1-3mm full suit or shorty will suit most.
- Visa requirement : We purchased our Visa on Arrival at the Jakarta airport for $35 USD (or 500,000 IDR) The visa is for an initial period of 30 days. Make sure you have pristine bank notes if paying in USD or exchange your GBP when you get to Indonesia. The bills must be unmarked and undamaged to be accepted. The Customs Declaration must be completed online and the provided QR code is shown to the Customs officers.
- Currency : Indonesian Rupiah(IDR) or US Dollar are accepted most places. We exchanged Sterling for Rupiah at the Jakarta airport for an attractive rate.
- Electricity :230V with European style (round pin) two-prong plugs. Our room and the camera room had extension leads with UK plugs so no adapter was needed.
- Internet and Wi-Fi : There is wifi in resort and worked well in our room. We were able to email, WhatsApp and post on social media without issue.
Price Guide: A week at Dive into Raja Ampat, including flights from the UK with baggage and transfers, on a 3 dive per day package including full board accommodation in a Garden terrace room, costs from £2599 per person, based on double occupancy. The bulk of the cost is the flights, so the cost of staying longer is surprisingly low! Extras: Indonesian Visa on Arrival, NITROX, soft drinks and adult beverages, and tips.
Our Advice: Indonesia is an amazing destination. Dive into Raja Ampat was the second top on our three-centre trip and the perfect stop for the big stuff in between our macro destinations of Ambon and Lembeh.
Packing tips :
- Rechargeable fan(s) :Perfect for warm planes, stuffy transfers and still evenings. We can’t believe we travelled without them for so many years! Join the fan club and grab one off Amazon… you won’t regret it!
- Travel laundry line : We find this comes in handy for any mid holiday hand washing and definitely at the end of the trip to hang SMBs, reels, dive socks etc.
- Insect repellent : We’ve made a habit of throwing some repellent in our dive bags every trip!
Sunscreen : Don’t forget to protect yourself when you’re in the sun and on the water!!
Come Dive with Us!
The Scuba Place designs and builds custom scuba diving holidays. With personal knowledge and experience diving in many of our destinations, there is no one better to help build your dream dive holiday. Come Dive with Us!
Call us at 020 3515 9955 or email at reservations@thescubaplace.co.uk
Find us at https://www.thescubaplace.co.uk
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/thescubaplace
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.scuba.place/
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH684OdioYirI-zzdT58Ceg
In this series, the Shark Trust will be sharing amazing facts about different species of sharks and what you can do to help protect them.
As we’re currently in butterfly season, this month we decided to concentrate on the Butterfly Rays!
Within the family Gymnuridae, there are two genera and 12 species of Butterfly Ray. These species are morphologically different to lots of other rays because of the width of the disc and pectoral fins – in contrast to many other species of Butterfly Ray, their bodies are much wider than they are long, especially considering their very short tail. This gives them the appearance of gliding or flying across the sand.
Gymnura altavela – Spiny Butterfly Ray
Gymnura australis – Australian Butterfly Ray
Gymnura crebripunctata – Longsnout Butterfly Ray
Gymnura japonica – Japanese Butterfly Ray
Gymnura lessae – Lessa’s Butterfly Ray
Gymnura marmorata – California Butterfly Ray
Gymnura micrura – Smooth Butterfly Ray
Gymnura natalensis – Backwater Butterfly Ray
Gymnura peocilura – Longtail Butterfly Ray
Gymnura sereti – Seret’s Butterfly Ray
Gymnura tentaculata – Tentacled Butterfly Ray
Gymnura zonura – Zonetail Butterfly Ray
Spiny Butterfly Ray, Gymnura altavela. Playa La Granadella, Spain, Mediterranean Sea.
Today we’re taking a look at Gymnura altavela, the Spiny Butterfly Ray. Like all Butterfly Rays, the Spiny Butterfly Ray is a demersal species, meaning it spends the majority of its time on the bottom of the seabed. Butterfly Rays are known for their burying behaviour in the sand, a technique they use to camouflage themselves when they are resting during the day. This protects them from predators, in some areas larger sharks. It also aids them in their ambush hunting technique – by hiding themselves under the sand they are able to easily snatch up their dinner – usually crustaceans, molluscs or other small fish – as they swim by unawares. This behaviour can leave tell-tale butterfly-ray shaped imprints in the bottom of the seabed.
Spiny Butterfly Rays can grow up to 260 cm (disc width (wingspan)), although average is around 200 cm. They give birth to live young, and each litter consists of 1-8 pups. This species has also been found to aggregate, likely for mating. One study found that aggregations of primarily females in the coastal regions off Gran Canaria may correlate with the shifting water temperature.
It is estimated that the species has undergone a population reduction of 50-79% over the last 33 years. This is primarily due to fishing pressure – the Spiny Butterfly Ray is targeted and bycaught in both industrial and artisanal fisheries types using a variety of gear types. The species is now Critically Endangered in the Mediterranean and Southwest Atlantic.
Scientific Name: Gymnura altavela
Family: Gymnuridae
Maximum Size: 260 cm (disc width)
Diet: crabs, shrimps, various invertebrates, fishes, small crustaceans, and molluscs.
Distribution: throughout the Atlantic and Mediterranean and Black Seas.
Habitat: muddy and sandy substrates down to 150m.
Conservation status: Critically Endangered in the Mediterranean and Europe, Endangered Globally.
For more great shark information and conservation visit the Shark Trust Website
Banner Image: ©Tomas Willems. Main image: ©Andy Murch
The UK Dive Season has begun, so to get you all excited about the adventures that await you this Summer, we’re throwing the spotlight on some of the fantastic dive spots that can be found in UK waters.
You’ve got to make sure you’ve got the right kit for the job, of course, so we’ve teamed up with some leading dive equipment brands who offer the gear you’ll need to experience UK Diving.
So let’s get started!
SCAPA FLOW, ORKNEY
For wreck diving this has to be the premier dive location in the UK, where the remains of the German High Seas Fleet lie after being deliberately scuttled by the German Navy in 1919. Along with the blockships like the Tabarka, that lie in shallower water, there are also several WWII vessels to explore. There is a shipwreck for every experience level in the Flow, and one trip may not be enough!
XDEEP @ NAUTILUS
Email: info@nautilus.uk / Web: www.nautilus.uk/brand/xdeep/
XDEEP Facebook / XDEEP NX Series Facebook Group / Nautilus Facebook
For over a decade XDEEP has innovated in the scuba industry sector and evolved into a manufacturer reknowned for cutting edge design and development. Born from the need to explore, the design and implementation of advanced exploration equipment has made its way into the recreational and technical diving arena, much as Formula 1 motorsport. Now each product is recognised as ground breaking in its design and being the most effective in its class. Premium components and the most advanced manufacturing techniques mean reliability is second to none whilst retaining both function and form.
Email: info@nautilus.uk / Web: www.nautilus.uk/brand/xdeep/
XDEEP Facebook / XDEEP NX Series Facebook Group / Nautilus Facebook
ST ABBS AND EYEMOUTH, SCOTLAND
This protected area of coastline has a wonderful array of marine life. The rocks here are festooned with soft corals, anemones, sea urchins and starfish. A huge diversity of fish including wolf fish and conger eels keep divers coming back trip after trip.
OTTER DRYSUITS
Email: sales@drysuits.co.uk / Web: www.otterwatersports.uk / Telephone: 01274 379480
Facebook / Instagram
Otter understands what it takes to make a great drysuit. When we say our suits are ‘exploration grade’, we mean it – with over 37 years of experience behind us, Otter suits are the choice of some of the biggest names in dive exploration. From the deepest wrecks to the longest caves, diving explorers choose Otter to protect them from the harshest conditions.
Otter Drysuits was founded in 1986 by John Womack Snr in Bradford, West Yorkshire. A renowned diver in his own right, John was directly involved in major technical diving expeditions sponsored by Otter, including three on the renowned Britannic wreck in Greece, HMS Victoria off Lebanon and the wrecks of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse in the South China Sea.
From the outset, Otter Drysuits has been known for innovation, and this is as true today as it has ever been. Our popular Brittanic drysuit offers amazing fit and comfort and is one of our toughest suits, with a telescopic section allowing easy movement out of the water. The Atlantic range offers unequalled stretch and movement for the wearer, whilst using hard-wearing materials and even Kevlar to protect in even the most extreme environments. Top-quality components from YKK, Apeks, Si-Tech and KUBI ensure Otter Drysuits can offer the ideal drysuit to suit the needs of even the most demanding of divers.
The result of years of development and unrivalled experience, our award-winning suits are renowned for their quality, fit and durability. Available either made-to-measure or in a full set of standard sizes, we offer a range of materials including membrane (trilaminate), neoprene and now the incredibly tough Kevlar.
We offer every possible option on our drysuits – from multiple valve positions to pee valves and field-changeable neck and wrist seals. With each suit made entirely by one single craftsperson, we work closely with our customers to provide a customised suit at an outstanding price. As our many customers across the globe will attest, our reputation for quality, value and customer service is second to none.
Our trilaminate drysuits are renowned across the world for their quality of build and incredible durability. It’s not by accident that you see so many Otter drysuits worn by professionals on television and in the media. They’re built to perform; dive after dive, year after year. Wherever your diving takes you, choose Otter.
Email: sales@drysuits.co.uk / Web: www.otterwatersports.uk / Telephone: 01274 379480
Facebook / Instagram
ANGLESEY, WALES
Anglesey, across the Menai Strait, has a great number of shore dives at shallow depths, easily accessible and with fantastic marine life. A whole holiday can be spent doing relaxed gully and reef dives accessible from the local beaches. With several hundred wrecks along the coast, including the SS Missouri and a B-17 Bomber, there are boat diving options too and diving for all experience levels.
AP DIVING
Email: info@apdiving.com / Web: www.apdiving.com / Telephone: 01326 561040
Facebook / Instagram
AP Diving began life over 55 years ago as a small family business. Today we are an award-winning internationally respected dive manufacturer with a legacy of pioneering and landmark products – from the AP Valve, the TEKWING and the COMMANDO BCD range to the constantly evolving and world-beating INSPIRATION closed circuit rebreather. Our mission has always been to help divers dive better, explore further, stay longer, and enjoy the adventure. Take your diving to the next level with AP.
Email: info@apdiving.com / Web: www.apdiving.com / Telephone: 01326 561040
Facebook / Instagram
PEMBROKESHIRE, WALES
Home to the Skomer Marine Reserve, this spectacular reef is teeming with life, from dolphins to nudibranchs, seals to seahorses. Walls drop off to deep water, caves lure explorers and hundreds of wrecks mean there is something for everyone.
URSUIT @ LIQUID SPORTS
Email: info@liquidsports.co.uk / Web: liquidsports.co.uk
Ursuit Facebook / Liquid Sports Facebook
Ursuit Oy is a Finnish company established in 1964. The factory is located in Turku, Finland.
We manufacture Ursuit® drysuits for all kinds of water activities, both under and above the surface. Main product groups are diving, rescue and recreational drysuits. The Ursuit drysuit range consists of over 15 standard surface drysuit models and over 10 standard diving drysuit models in many colours for both men and women.
All of the Ursuit drysuits are handmade and therefore they can easily be modified according to customer needs and wishes. A standard model can easily be customized with different kinds of pockets, MOLLE-system, relief zippers etc.
The drysuits can directly be produced according to the user´s measurements, even in big quantities. We have produced made-to-measure drysuits with individual customizations for fire departments, coast guards, police and military forces, maritime crews and several other professional instances.
Our production is carefully controlled and audited annually by a Notified Body according to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, SOLAS/MED and EASA/ETSO requirements. These quality assurances make it possible that the user can concentrate on the most essential, the activity.
Email: info@liquidsports.co.uk / Web: www.liquidsports.co.uk
Ursuit Facebook / Liquid Sports Facebook
LUNDY, DEVON
Lundy Island, in the mouth of the Bristol Channel about 12 miles off the coast of North Devon, is a Marine Conservation Zone with fabulously rich marine life, impressive visibility and numerous wrecks to explore. The local seal population can be very playful and the biodiversity some of the best in the UK waters. Tidal currents can be strong, so this is best dived by experienced divers.
FARNE ISLANDS
Famous for its brilliant seal encounters, the Farne Islands have a large and playful population of grey seals. Diveable year round when the weather is calm, there are sites for all levels. Rock faces covered with crevices and gullies to explore shelter a host of marine life, such as lobsters, crab, nudibranchs and anemones. There are also several good wreck dives in the area. The islands are also home to the beloved puffin, which can be seen in the nesting season.
BIGBLUE DIVE LIGHTS @ LIQUID SPORTS
Email: info@liquidsports.co.uk / Web: liquidsports.co.uk
Bigblue Facebook / Liquid Sports Facebook
Big Blue is dive light manufacturer providing new innovations in all market segments : Recreational, Videography, Photography, Technical, Commercial, Back-Up and Rescue. Big Blue is the fastest growing dive light manufacturer in the industry building our brand through quality, creative and great customer service. With advanced designs and unprecedented affordability, Big Blue offers the most affordable and technologically advanced LED lights on the market. We incorporate the latest technologies producing the most efficient portable illumination. In addition to brilliant design features, we offer the most ideal lights for underwater illumination, night diving and video lighting.Whether you are looking for a simple recreational dive light or a full-blown technical underwater illumination system. With a lumen offering from 250 to 65000 Big Blue has a light for you!
Email: info@liquidsports.co.uk / Web: www.liquidsports.co.uk
Bigblue Facebook / Liquid Sports Facebook
PORTHKERRIS, CORNWALL
Porthkerris lies on the Lizard peninsula of Cornwall. It is a famously treacherous area of submerged rocks like the Manacles which has resulted in hundreds of shipwrecks, now a haven for sea life. Dive sites in the area are suited to a range of experience levels, from an easy yet beautiful shore dive at Porthkerris beach to boat diving offshore pinnacles like Vase rock, now covered in swathes of jewel anemones. Basking sharks are also seen in the area in late spring to early summer feeding on plankton blooms.
KUBI DRY GLOVES
Email: Sales@kubistore.com / Web: www.kubistore.com / Tel: 01162 388 255
Facebook / Instagram / LinkedIn
KUBI Dry Gloves represent innovation and quality in diving equipment. Designed to keep divers’ hands warm and dry in cold water environments, KUBI gloves offer a reliable seal that prevents water from seeping in, ensuring comfort and dexterity during dives.
Crafted from durable materials and engineered with precision, these gloves prioritize both functionality and durability, making them a trusted choice among professional and recreational divers alike. Beyond gloves, the KUBI brand extends its expertise to essential accessories like transport bags and dry bags. Crafted with the same dedication to quality and functionality, these accessories offer divers reliable solutions for storing and transporting their gear.
The KUBI brand is synonymous with excellence in diving gear. With a commitment to meeting the needs of divers worldwide, KUBI continuously pushes the boundaries of design and performance. KUBI’s dedication to innovation and customer satisfaction has earned us a reputation as a leader in the diving industry. Whether exploring vibrant coral reefs, descending into the depths of wrecks or going deep into a cave/mine divers can trust KUBI Dry Gloves to provide the protection they need to enjoy their underwater adventures to the fullest.
Email: Sales@kubistore.com / Web: www.kubistore.com / Tel: 01162 388 255
Facebook / Instagram / LinkedIn
DORSET
Dorset has several excellent wreck dives, from submarines, to warships, and sailboats to tanks. The M2 submarine off Portland is a stunning wreck with a tragic story. If wrecks are not your thing, or you’d like a shallow dive to finish off the day, Swanage Pier is an easy and excellent shallow shore dive. The Victorian era pilings are covered in life and the structure provides a nursery for pollock, bib and ballan wrasse. The shallow depth means the light is superb for underwater photography and there are usually plenty of willing subjects like the ever popular tompot blenny and cuttlefish.
MAXSHOW LTD
Email: enquiries@maxshow.co.uk / Web: www.maxshow.ltd.uk / Tel: 01162 388 255
Facebook / Instagram / LinkedIn
Maxshow LTD is a premier distributor known for its diverse portfolio of up to 10 esteemed brands catering to the diving industry and more. Among its offerings are Miflex hoses, renowned for their durability and flexibility, providing divers with reliable hoses for their underwater adventures.
KUBI, another staple brand, delivers innovative Dry Gloves and Thermal Gear, ensuring comfort and protection in cold water environments. OmniSwivel offers advanced swivel systems, enhancing divers’ mobility and safety during dives.
Maxshow LTD also represents other brands such as Best Divers, Varma, Oceanarium, Sticktite, and Bags of Paper, each offering unique solutions for divers’ needs. Best Divers provides a wide range of accessories, while Varma offers quality wool apparel. Oceanarium specializes in creative products, Sticktite offers adhesive solutions for sight and Bags of Paper provides environmentally friendly packaging. AquaSketch rounds out the lineup with innovative underwater writing slates.
With Maxshow LTD’s commitment to quality and diversity, divers can trust in the reliability and performance of these brands for their diving endeavors.
Email: enquiries@maxshow.co.uk / Web: www.maxshow.ltd.uk / Tel: 01162 388 255
Facebook / Instagram / LinkedIn
RATHLIN ISLAND, NORTHERN ISLAND
Rathlin to the north of Ballycastle has some fantastic diving. The strong tidal currents in this area mean the marine life is numerous, varied, vibrant and healthy. The northwest cliffs drop to depths of 200m just offshore making an impressive wall dive. Tides hitting the cliffs can create powerful up and down currents, so experience and staying close to the rock is important, but well worth the effort. On the east coast the wreck of the S.S Lochgary, a converted government transport ship, which was involved in the WWII Dunkirk evacuation, before sinking in her current location in 1942.
Happy diving!!!
-
Blogs4 weeks agoDive Indonesia Part 3: Dive into Lembeh Trip Report
-
Gear Reviews1 month agoGEAR REVIEW – Revolutionising Diving Comfort: The Sharkskin T2 Chillproof Suit
-
News3 months agoPADI Teams Up with Wellness Brand Neuro to Drive Ocean Change and Create a Blue State of Mind
-
Blogs2 months agoMurex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Blogs3 months agoDiver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Blogs2 months agoSeagrass Awareness Month brings critical food source for Manatees to centre stage
-
Marine Life & Conservation3 months agoSave the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
Blogs2 months agoSOMABAY: Scubaverse interviews Wolfgang Clausen, General Manager, ORCA Dive Clubs