Latest DIVE News
|
|
|
|
|
|
related videos
... no results
INDepth – Lanzarote & Fuerteventura
Page 1 of 2
For a reasonably priced holiday with guaranteed sun and blue water, the Canary Islands offer plenty of scope.
     |
LANZAROTE
Lanzarote is part of one of the world’s most spectacular volcano ranges. It also happens to be the closest Canarian island to the African mainland, and is subject to a cooler oceanic current. A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since the early 1990s, Lanzarote’s volcanic landscapes contrast with hillsides dominated by cactus and beaches of ‘salt and pepper’ sand. Settled in pre-history by the Guanches and conquered by the Spanish in the 15th century, it is the fourth-largest Canary island and has five small satellite islands, notably the marine reserve of the Chinjo Archipelago.
Though the volcanoes are dormant, the landscape has been subject to changes that register as recent on the geological scale. Remnants of ancient and recent eruptions are ubiquitous – the last major volcanic event lasted from 1730 to 1736, enlarging the island and creating a new topography. Today, Lanzarote is better known for its mild climate, the result of prevailing northeasterly winds and oceanic currents. It has become a popular tourist destination, catering for everyone from the adrenaline junkie to the bucket-and-spade brigade.
As a dive destination, Lanzarote has been something of a slow burner. Many divers may feel drawn to the wrecks of Gran Canaria or the idyll of El Hierro, but over the years Lanzarote has grown its own band of devotees, mostly European divers who return again and again. Most of the commercial dive centres are located around the area of Playa Chica on the east coast, where the deep lava cliff is closest to land.
Attracting Mediterranean, temperate Atlantic and African subtropical species, the island’s lava and sand sea bed provides a habitat for a diverse marine ecosystem, with numerous endemic species. Look more closely at the sand and you’ll see sharks and rays, gobies, flatfish, stargazers and much more. Volcanic activity has created a legacy of undersea caverns, overhangs and lava tubes that provide shelter for fish.
On any given dive, you can expect to see dusky grouper, barracuda, jacks and clouds of damselfish in the water column, while down on the reef there are various anemone species, moray eels, shrimps and orange tree corals. Ambush predators include scorpionfish, octopus and cuttlefish, while seahorses are commonly found on old mooring ropes, along with nudibranchs and flatworms. Anyone hunting for such elusive little creatures is advised to bring a torch.
Currents vary depending on the site, and with boat and shore diving being conducted alongside other water users, a delayed SMB and reel is recommended. Dive centres can provide boat and night diving, as well as supporting nitrox and rebreather diving. With drop-offs plunging from the surface to 100m, and average visibility of 25m, there is much to occupy the visiting diver.
DON'T MISS THESE DIVES!
Playa Chica night dive
Located between the old and new sides of Puerto del Carmen, this beach has easy shoreline access to a twilight world of marine creatures. The dive is mainly conducted around the outer parts of two lava ridges, where deep cracks and numerous rocks are home to shrimp and scorpionfish. It’s a great opportunity for finding cephalopods, especially the rare white-spotted octopus. Cuttlefish are often out hunting, and thousands of burrowing anemones litter the sand fields. If you’re lucky, you’ll run into a pregnant stingray or perhaps a baby angel shark.
Charco del Palo
This northern site offers a pleasing contrast to the walls of the south, with its topography of sand-swept lava ridges, deep caverns, lava tubes and plateaus of white sand. Look out for cave gobies, forkbeards and large-scaled scorpionfish. If you time your entry and exit, you should run into a school of juvenile barracuda. The maximum depth is about 40m. Be warned: the Charco del Palo area is a haven for naturists, so don’t be shocked to see holidaymakers milling about sans clothing.
Cueva de las Cañas
This maze of lava bubbles is located below the towering Famara Massif cliffs in the marine park. Schools of barracuda and bream merge in the blue, while clouds of small, sardine-like bogue are seen everywhere. The reef is dominated by yellow and red fan corals, and you can find slipper lobsters and the endemic red Atlantic reef lobster, also known as the Canarian lobsterette.
Colorades
At the bottom of the island, a fractured sea bed at 13–17m plays host to dense schools of bream and sardines. Trevally sweep in from the blue, while the sea bed is dotted with large clup-tipped anemones, each with attendant scarlet lady shrimps or arrow crabs. A swim-through is home to small grouper, sponges and a cluster of Spirographis worms.