Location d’Appartements
Apart. Mimoses
C/Montgó nº 12
l’Estartit
“Montse Salvans-Gesco Serveis” msalvans@economistes.com
(testé septembre 2005 : appartement **, accueil: **, très bon marché)
Club Unisub
http://www.unisub.es/
Bien rodé, pas de surprise. Grand Bateau.
Info Utile
Comme c’est une réserve protégée, chaque club va à tour de rôle sur chacun des spots, tout au long de la semaine. Choisir ses sites préférés et appeler les clubs pour voir quel est leur planning.
Commentaires
Il n’y a pas une visibilité extraordinaire, car pas mal de courant et le relief fait que c’est tjs bien brassé.
Beaux reliefs sous-marins.
Pas mal de faunes pour la méditerranée. Quelques beaux specimens de mérous !
Diving Spots
SHIPWRECKS
- Reggio Messina Deepest point -35 meters.
It’s a ferry-boat of some 115 meters which used to carry trains to Italy. After spending some years half wrecked in Barcelona’s harbour, it was towed to L’Estartit in 1991 and let sink at the same spot where it is today.
Its huge rooms, its mast and its wrought iron give the place an eerie and imposing atmosphere, broken now and then by a shoal of sea bream, mackerel, sargus and the familiar lobster. - Marmoler (the marbel cargo) Deepest point -42 m.
This is the popular name given to a ship actually called Avvenire, a 50 meter freighter loaded with marble which sank in 1971 after crashing into the Montgri coast. It stayed perfectly upright upon the sand bed, as if it was still sailing.
Because of its location 2 miles off the coastline, this dive in free waters, offers a magnificent opportunity to plunge the “deep blue”. After descending some 25 or 35 meters (depending on the clarity of the waters the day of the dive) one begins to distinguish the shapes of the ship under.
CAVES
- Les Vetes Deepest point -22 m.
It’s a set of different caves, some of them connected to each other through tunnels. Some of them are no good to visit, due to the great amount of mud that soils them, but others are very easy and simply beautiful. The main cave, of an impressive width and penetrating some 50 metres into the rock, has a magnificent air chamber at its deepest end, where one can admire stalactites shaped by the water filtering through along ages. The light getting into the chamber through the water makes it possible to enjoy here the most gorgeous and unique hue of blue. - Coves del Milà (del Milà caves) Deepest point -25 m.
Set of connected caves offering great passage ways lit at different points by light from the outside that comes though holes in the rock. - Cova de la Sardina(Sardine cave) Deepest point -18 m.
It’s practically straight, with no ramifications. Some 40 m into it, the sea waters melt with a well of fresh water filtering down from the mountain above. This makes an obvious change in the water temperature and saltiness. From that point on, until the far end, some 100 m into the coast, the transparency of the waters and the bare and rugged rock, shape up a very unusual lunar-like seascape.
TUNNELS
- Tunel de la Pedrosa (Pedrosa islet tunnel) Deepest point -20/-33 m, depending on experience.
This tunnel which crosses the islet known as La Pedrosa, is some 70 m. long, completely straight and really wide and high, so that it presents no difficulty. Also, it is always lit. Its walls are carpeted with coloured corals, sponges and anemones. The views against the light at its Eastern end make of it one of the most beautiful tunnels in the area. - Tunel de la Ferriola (Feriola tunnel) Deepest point -22/ -33 m, depending on experience.
It is 30 m. long, very wide and fairly well lit, so that it is not a difficult dive. Inside it, the walls are coloured by the several species of invertebrates. The light coming from its two mouths makes for beautiful sights, and in its holes, we can usually see haddock or conger. Once out of the tunnel, if we take a tour around the islet, the octopus, the lobster and a few other species of fish will become the leading roles. - Tunel del Dofí (Dolphin tunnel) Deepest point -25 m.
The little sculpture of a dolphin placed at its mouth give this tunnel its name. It crosses the Small Meda islet. It is 30 m long, fairly wide and fairly lit. It’s an easy dive. In this area, the great variety and amount of fish, together with a magnificent red coral wall only 12 m deep, is the most remarkable, red grouper being the most spectacular species. During the same dive, we can also cross the Long Tunnel, of 90 m with beautiful gorgonia walls at its Northern mouth. - Tunel de la Vaca (Cow tunnel) Deepest point -25 m/ -35 m.
One of the most popular diving spots in the Medes Islands. It’s perfectly straight, wide and very well lit. From inside it, great sights against the water can be enjoyed. At its northern mouth, the leading role is taken up by the gorgonia walls, the great amount of big fish, as groupers, gilt-heads and brown meagre.
WALLS
- Cap Castell (Castle cape) Deepest point -20/ -35 m.
It’s a comfortable beginners dive, since it does not present difficulty and can be enjoyed at relatively little deepness. At -22 m, a group of gilt-heads, sargus, lobster and grouper will accompany us while we enjoy the feeling of flying that a wall dive provides. - Puig de la Sardina (Sardine pinacle) Deepest point -37 m.
It’s an underwater hill, some 200 m off the coast. It raises from the -37m at its base to the -13 at the top. The dive starts at the bottom and we go round the hill climbing up. At the bottom, we enjoy big amounts of the elegant temporaler (Anthias). Higher up, yellow and red gorgonia (Paramuricea), surrounded by shoals of burres and the blue as a backdrop, offer impressive views. - Furió de Fitor (Fitor pinacle) Deepest point -60 m.
It’s another hill south of L’Estartit, near the Cape of Begur. Its base is more than -60 m deep and its top is at -14 m. The vertical walls are carpeted with gorgonies and there are plenty of lobster and haddock. It’s a really unique dive for the most experienced. - Pedra de Déu (God’s rock). Deepest point -20 / -45, depending on expertise.
During this dive, we can admire some of the most magnificent yellow and red gorgonia (Paramuricea Clavata) walls in the Medes Islands, as well as a the great variety and quantity of fish for which the islands are known. In the deepest spot, there are a couple little caves full of lobster and red coral. - Pota del Llop (The Wolf’s Paw). Deepest point: -25 / -50 meters, depending on expertise.
If we continue along the Pedra de Déu walls towards the East, we get to the area known as Pota del Llop, thus called because the rock formation above sea level looks like the footprint of a wolf. The dive offers, like the previous one, impressive views of gorgonia walls. At the deepest point, there is a small cave extending into a chimney which can take us a few meters higher. - Medellot (the small piece of the Medes). Deepest point: -30m.
The Medellot is the islet situated to the North of the big Meda island and which resembles the shape of a boot. It’s one of the less frequented areas in the reserve and this fact shows in the attitude of the fish, much more elusive than their neighbors in more popular diving spots. Here we will spot groupers, large scorpion fish, octopus, sargus, gorgonia, and so on, plus a cave of red coral, yellow madrepores and lobster. - Carall Bernat (the stack). Deepest point: -20/ -55m, depending on expertise.
This is the islet situated furthest to the East in the Medes, and one of the best known areas in the reserve. The beds around this area allow for many different types of dive, fit for all levels and tastes: gorgonia walls, grouper, sea bass, gilt-head, …
SOFT BEDS
- El Negre del Falaguer (The black wall in the pleasant bay). Deepest point: -12 /-28m, depending on expertise.
One of the most frequented diving spots on the Montgri coastline, due to two facts: the beds here are very versatile, allowing for try dives as well as deep diving, and on the other hand, the area is well sheltered from the tramontana wind. How many times have we thanked God for this place which offers the only shelter along the whole coast on tramontana days. Here we find mainly sargus, octopus and a wide representation of the Labridae family. - Punta Salines (Salty Rocks Cape). Deepest point: -26m.
This area offers one of the most magnificent gorgonia walls on the Montgri coastline, as well as the possibility to spot some groupers who are not accustomed at all to the presence of divers. On Summer afternoons, when the garbí wind blows hard, this spot provides great shelter. - Salpatxot (Salty Rocks Cape). Deepest point: -26m.
This area offers one of the most magnificent gorgonia walls on the Montgri coastline, as well as the possibility to spot some groupers who are not accustomed at all to the presence of divers. On Summer afternoons, when the garbí wind blows hard, this spot provides great shelter. - Tascons (the wedges). Deepest point: -25 m.
The big Tasco and the lesser Tasco are two islets located to the South of the smaller Meda island, near the Carall Bernat. They allow for relaxed diving, shallow and with no problems. At the same time, they offer a high density of fish, specially of the king of these islands: the grouper. From the Tascons area, one can take to the South and reach the place called l’Escribana, a rock walls formation covered in gorgonia, dropping down to -45 m. - Ferranelles Deepest point: -25 m.
One of the softer beds in the Medes. The Ferranelles islet is to the South of the smaller Meda island, between this and the Tascons. It abounds in large scorpion fish, sargus, toothed bream and grouper. From here, like from the Tascons, the diver can continue South to the l’Escribana, where we can reach down to -45m deep.
Place of interest in the area around L´Estartit
- Torroella de Montgri (6 km): old town, medieval castle, museum.
- Empuries (15 km): Greek and roman archaeological site
- Figueres (40 km): Salvador Dali Museum
- Pals and Peratallada (10-12 km): medieval villages
- Girona: cathedral, museums, old Jewish quarter, major shopping, art galleries, nightlife…
- Emporda Marshland Nature Park (25 km)
- Creus Cape (50 km): beautiful seacoast preserved landscapes and views.