Visualizza questo post su InstagramDiveSite Spotlight: The Blue Hole and Azure Window Collapse – What to Expect Now
The iconic Blue Hole in Gozo remains one of Malta’s most breathtaking dive sites, even after the famous Azure Window collapsed into the sea. Starting from the natural chimney, you descend through a vertical swim-through that opens into the open blue at around 15 metres. The chimney itself is a photographer’s dream, with beams of light piercing the water and schools of damselfish flickering around the walls. Today, the collapsed rock formations have created enormous new boulders, forming dramatic swim-throughs and cathedral-like caverns that are still being explored. Our guides know every nook of this transformed topography, ensuring you see the best of both the old and the new.
Beyond the chimney, the dive continues along a vertical wall draped in colourful sponges and sea fans. Keep an eye out for octopus, moray eels, and even the occasional John Dory hovering motionless in the blue. The site plates out onto a sandy shelf where garden eels sway in the current, and nudibranchs hide among the seagrass. Because of its depth range and occasional surge, we recommend an Advanced Open Water certification or higher, and we always brief surface intervals at the nearby inland sea for a second dive. Pair it with the Coral Gardens or the P31 wreck, and you’ve got a Gozo day trip that divers talk about for years.
- Max depth: 25m+ inside the chimney, with wall bottoming out past 40m for technical divers.
- Entry: Shore dive via a rocky staircase – sturdy boots are a must!
- Best season: May through October for calm surface conditions and warm water.
Sidemount Diving in Malta – Why It’s More Than Just a Cave Diver’s Tool
Sidemount configuration isn’t reserved for sumps and caverns anymore; in Maltese waters it’s a game‑changer for wreck penetration, shore entries, and long boat rides alike. At DiveBase, we teach the PADI Sidemount Specialty using premium X‑Deep Stealth 2.0 rigs, because we’ve found their streamlined design perfectly complements our rocky coastline and rib launches. By carrying cylinders independently under your arms, you gain superior trim, redundant gas supply, and the ability to slide through restrictions on wrecks like the Um El Faroud or the Tug 2 without snagging a back‑mounted manifold. Students quickly fall in love with the “sports car” feel and the ease of clipping on and off right at the water’s edge.
We run sidemount try‑dives for qualified divers who want to test the waters before committing to a course, as well as dedicated workshops that fine‑tune cylinder handling, valve drills, and S‑drill procedures. Malta’s limestone topography means many shore dives require a short walk from the van to the entry point – carrying two smaller bottles instead of one heavy twinset saves your back and your holiday mood. Once you’re dialed in, we’ll guide you on advanced wreck dives, deep wall drifts, and even night dives where the extra bottle gives everyone that extra peace of mind. Whether you’re a photographer needing to get low without stirring silt or a recreational diver ready to up your game, sidemount opens a new dimension in Maltese diving.
Digital Underwater Photography Workshops – Capture Malta’s Wrecks and Reefs Like a Pro
Malta’s visibility often exceeds 30 metres, and with wrecks, caves, and critters at every depth, it’s a natural studio for underwater photography. Our Digital Underwater Photographer Specialty doesn’t just hand you a camera and hope for the best – it’s a structured, hands‑on program that teaches composition, manual white balance, strobe placement, and post‑dive editing. We’ll take you to sites like the Santa Marija Caves in Comino, where dark recesses contrast with brilliant blue arches, or the machine‑gun mount of the P29, a subject begging for a wide‑angle lens. For macro lovers, the Cirkewwa reefs are home to seahorses, flying gurnards, and nudibranchs the size of your fingernail.
The workshop typically runs over two days, with classroom sessions at the dive centre and four open‑water dives where you’ll practice specific assignments. One dive might focus on wreck silhouettes using natural light, another on close‑focus wide‑angle techniques with a buddy’s torch painting a wreck beam. We review images together after each session, giving constructive feedback so you can see real improvement dive‑by‑dive. By the end, you’ll understand how to shoot the iconic Karwela shipwreck staircase in Gozo or the interior of the Um El Faroud without backscatter ruining the shot. All rental cameras are available, but we encourage you to bring your own so you learn your gear’s quirks.
DPV Diving – Scooter Your Way Through Comino’s Caves and Channels
If you’ve ever wanted to glide past reefs without kicking or cover the entire length of a shipwreck in one breath‑taking run, a Diver Propulsion Vehicle is your ticket. At DiveBase, the PADI DPV Specialty introduces you to the art of scooter piloting, using Seacraft and Suex vehicles that slice through Maltese currents with minimal effort. The training begins in shallow, confined water where you master buoyancy control with one hand on the throttle, sharing the scooter with a buddy, and emergency drills like a stalled motor or a runaway prop. Within hours, you’ll understand why DPVs are revolutionising multi‑site trips around the islands.