Philip Johnston

I have been diving the Les Medes Islands near Estartit for around eight years every Summer during the months of July and August. It’s busiest time and it never fails to impress me nor bore me.

Estartit is a small to medium sized town in eastern Spain. It is situated north of Barcelona on the Mediterranean Coast and East of Gerona if you were looking for it on a map. I think it’s the jewel in the Crown of Spain. It’s the type of place you can go with your family ( then leave them and go diving!). Don't worry, they’ll find lots to do as there is lots of beach space, shopping, restaurants and walks.

But back to the diving...

I dive with La Sirena Dive Centre, a family run dive centre (and if by family you think small, then think again). I believe that La Sirena have the most boats, the biggest crew of instructors/guides who are very easy going, full of fun and very safety conscious.

I met Hugo while trying to work the Log on/in computer at the centre. He welcomed me, chatted like friends, showed me how to use the log in system and the following morning I was ready for the 9 o’clock dive.

My favourite dive on the Islands is the Dolphin South. It starts at about 16mtrs where you can swim through a narrow cave and just when you begin to wonder how long this goes on for a beautiful ray of light illuminates the massive cave system. But keep your hands to yourself. A two to three metre conger lives in this cave and if you look for him you’ll find him. You can swim out of the caves and along the rocks on your right to some other caves. These are smaller but with a lot of Groupers. The dive time goes fast with maximum dive time 1 hour and maximum depth 26mtr.

The Groupers: I love the Groupers here. For the Most part they are a bit like gold fish . But I got a great buzz out of the way some of them come up to you as if to try and recognize you. They are generally harmless creatures but be careful when they’re mating because they “ protect their women” ( They might growl).

Cornall Barnat: Another great dive with lots to see- Barracuda, Ray, Grouper and lots more including moray eels (again if you look). Depths of anything from 16 - 35 metres can be achieved here, but 16 - 20 metres is best for to see a lot of fish life.

On a nine o’clock dive one morning (the first dive of the day), Frank, the instructor on the boat, told us that the current was running so it would be better not to attempt the swim around the island. However if we wanted to go to 25 metres north east a shoal of Barracuda would be passing. I went and I still don’t know how he knew, but there was a shoal of Barracuda just like he had told us.

I could write lots more but there’s no need. My advice is it’s a great place for any diver any grade, and you should make a trip there yourself.

There are flights to Girona from Shannon, and to Barcelona from Cork at reasonable rates, so getting there shouldn’t be a problem. I have also driven there - Cork- Rosscoff by Ferry and drive down through France into Northern Spain. It’s a long drive and expensive by ferry, road tolls, etc., so flying is the best option.

As for Dive centres, I did dive with other dive centres while doing a course a few years ago so trust me when I say to use La Sirena - you won’t be disappointed.

La Sirena on the web: http://www.la-sirena.net

January 2006

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