Isola Gallinara, Liguria - Italy

First dive back home in Italy! 

The meeting point was in Loano, Province of Savona, Liguria, around 220 km from where I am staying in Milano.  I had met up with Milano Sub during the week and joined their Whatsapp group thanks to Stefania.  

L'isola Gallinara is near Albenga, lower left of Liguria in the Gulf of Genova

 

Isola Gallinara - the island in the shape of a turtle! 

Andrea was the organiser and I arranged to meet up with him at 9am at the Marina Divinng Shop in Loano. My trusty dive bag finally needs replacing after around 20 years of use - not bad! A wheel buckled. This meant dragging it from the car park to the dive shop along the marina.

Marina Diving Shop Loano

 I was expecting a club RIB (rigged inflatable boat) but it was actually a decent size boat.

The journey out to Isola Gallinara took around 25 minutes.  The island has been protected from 1989 as the Riserva Naturale Regionale dell'Isola Gallinara.

 

 

 

 

Christ the Redeemer

Entry: 11:03

Dive time: 57 min

Depth: 25.9m

Temp:  24 degrees C 

Weights:  9 kg

Insulation: Dry suit without inner body warmer

 

 

 

 

 

Punta Sciusciau 

Entry: 13:23

Dive time: 42 min

Depth: 23.8m

Temp:  24 degrees C 

Weights:  9 kg

Insulation: Dry suit WITHOUT body warmer

 

 

Post-dive foccacia

Palm Mar Cueva to El Bufadero, Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Spain

Dive 5 Palm Mar Cave

Entry: 9:37

Dive time: 35min

Depth: 32.9m

Temp:  degrees C 

Weights:  4 kg

Insulation: 3mm

Saw two rays right at the start of the dive: Butterfly ray and Eagle ray.

There is a statue of the Madonna with child.

 

 

 

 

In front of the cave is a crucifix in remembrance of fishermen who lost their lives in the cave.

 

 

 

Went in the start of the cave.

Lots of eels on the way back.

Dive 6 Fishfarm to El Bufadero

Entry: 11:14

Dive time: 41min

Depth: 22.9m

Temp: 21 degrees C 

Weights:  4kg

Insulation: 3mm

Dive near the fish farm. Lots and lots of rays feeding below! Some of the rays were massive! 🤩

Eagle ray, Common stingray, Roughtail stingray

 

Playa Fuente de las Vistas and El Bufadero, Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Spain

Nico’s first dive

Dive 3 Playa Fuente de las Vistas

Entry: 10:45am

Dive time: 31min

Depth: 7.9m

Temp:  21 degrees C 

Weights:  4 kg

Insulation: 3mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dive 4 El Bufadero

Entry: 11:39am

Dive time: 19min

Depth: 12.3m

Temp: 21 degrees C 

Weights:  4kg

Insulation: 3mm