Diving on the Coast

DIVING

ON THE COAST

Of the numerous hobbies enjoyed by human beings, diving is arguably the closest one can get to Heaven. Immersed in the cool blue of the water, watching fish and sea creatures of all colours, characteristics, and even facial expressions swim by, it is difficult not to feel the beauty of life, or be profoundly touched by the beauty of nature. If you want to teach your children why global warming is worth fighting against, why plastics need to become a thing of the past, or why marine sciences are so fascinating, get them off their computers and take them diving. WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

“The best way to observe a fish is to become a fish”

Jacques Cousteau

A nudibranch

Málaga is home to many scenic diving spots, including Marina del Este, located between two villages in Granada – La Herradura and Almuñecar – and bordering the Nerja Coast. This underwater paradise contains a cluster of hidden coves and caves that are home to numerous marine species.

The Coast has a select number of wellreputed, safe, five-star PADI diving centres, with friendly staff who can teach you to dive in a few hours or days (depending on the course you opt for). They offer classes to kids (from eight years of age upwards) and adults, teaching absolute beginners and seasoned divers alike. Top centres to watch out for include:

SIMPLY DIVING MARBELLA

Simply Diving SL is a premier PADI dive operation on the Coast. Located in the heart of Marbella, it serves a 240km stretch of the Costa del Sol, Costa Tropical, and Costa de la Luz. Its incorporation in 1999 makes it one of the longest-established dive operations in the area. It offers a full range of courses (from beginner to PADI pro) and certified dive excursions to customers from all over Europe and beyond, all year round. ›

A school of cow bream

This company is the longest-running, British-managed PADI IDC Dive Centre in Spain, and it was purchased by its current owners in September 2008. A small business operating one minibus a day grew to over five times its size in as many years, with owner, Simon Bell, extending the range of dive courses and sites.

Following its completion of the PADI Course Director training programme, Simply Diving was awarded the status of PADI Five-Star Career Development Centre. Next came the expansion into Marbella and many new achievements. Some of the many activities it offers include boat diving, shore diving, wreck diving, deep diving, and drift diving.

g Tel: 600 506 526. www.simplydiving.com

Colourful marine life

SCUBA TOURS MARBELLA

Scuba Tours Marbella is part of the Scuba Tours Group, which comprises a selection of five-star PADI IDC (Instructor Development Course) diving centres in Sunset Beach, Benalmádena, and Marbella. Scuba Tours takes clients to a host of destinations on the Costa del Sol, as well as Tarifa. Children and adults can take part in various classes, including the Bubblemaker class (in which kids aged eight and upwards learn to use scuba diving equipment in a pool), Scuba Diver (which allows you to become a qualified diver in just one day), Open Water Diver (one of the world’s most popular scuba diving certifications as it qualifies one to dive to a maximum of 18m), and many more PADI advanced and specialty courses. Clients can also train to become Diving Instructors.

I recently spoke to Jason Wust, the friendly Australian owner of Scuba Tours Marbella. He mentioned that the centre organises fun day trips to Marina Del Este. “There is a lot of animal activity there. You can see octopi, colourful eels, and vividly hued nudibranchs (soft-bodied marine gastropod molluscs). There are around six nudibranch species at Marina Del Este.”

Scuba Tours also has a sizeable centre with an impressive shop, classroom, compressor room, and more. Scuba Tours Marbella receives regular strict inspections and has The vibrancy of life a strong focus on safety, cleanliness, and underwaterhygiene.

g Tel: 622 804 039. www.scuba-tours.com

The beauty of the underwater world

ABYSUB DIVING SCHOOL

This Fuengirola-based, five-star PADI diving school takes its students throughout Málaga and selected sites in Andalucía. It offers a full range of scuba diving courses with qualified PADI instructors, as well as diving trips and excursions to selected locations – including wreck sites. Abysub offers a host of courses ranging from beginner to instructor level. Personalised diving experiences are arranged in small groups and high safety standards are followed throughout.

Just a few of the places you can visit with Abysub include the reef by the Fuengirola port, Marina Del Este, Almirante Rock near Cabopino (which houses a stunning reef), the Marbella Mineral Tower (with an antique cargo ship, a gathering of sea stars, and octopi), and Tarifa (featuring beautiful reef dives and a white, sandy bottom).

g Tel: 657 644 906. www.abysub.com

Swimming with fish

Nic and Ellie

A purple nudibranch

DIVING WITH NIC

Diving With Nic, a five-star PADI Dive Centre in Las Lagunas de Mijas, focuses on customer-centric experiences, not on timetables and numbers. I can testify that the owners (couple, Ellie Hudson and Nicoli Unt) are so friendly, even I am tempted to join them for a day out at sea! They are a kind, proactive couple who recently drove to the Ukraine to bring donations to those affected by the war. The video, which can be viewed on their Facebook page, is emotionpacked, indeed! Based near La Cala de Mijas, the centre offers PADI courses for beginners or advanced divers. If you’re already certified, they offer day trips to see some of the most beautiful dive sites on the Costa del Sol and Gibraltar.

If you’ve never tried scuba diving before, the Discover Scuba Diving

Celebrating women who dive

experience (a five-hour day course that offers you the possibility to dive in the pool and sea to a maximum depth of 12m) is a great option. Popular courses also include the Beginners Course (a four-day course which certifies you to dive up to 18m with a buddy) and the aforementioned Bubblemaker (featuring a three-hour scuba diving session in their training pool).

Nic recently purchased a new location and constructed a bespoke teaching and training centre near La Cala de Mijas. It boasts two dedicated classrooms with a full multimedia suite, maintenance facilities, full disabled access, a large equipment room, and a well-stocked shop providing SCUBA and snorkelling gear. The Diving with Nic team comprises five members.

If you are a female diver, take note. The seventh Annual PADI Women’s Dive Day will be taking place on July 16, 2022. Thousands of female divers across the globe will be diving to help create a balance between humanity and the ocean, and to celebrate equality within diving. The meeting point will be the Diving With Nic Centre. Divers will drive to Marina Del Este and enjoy a barbecue on the way back.

g Tel: 697 141 759. www.divingwithnic.com