Gibraltar

Roman anchors and admiralty artifacts can be found among wrecks covered in marine life. A diver’s playground…

Take a step back into the past. Join us for some of the world’s best wreck diving among the most varied marine life of the Mediterranean.

Gibraltar sits at the entrance to one of the world’s natural crossroads, the Gibraltar Straits.

Home to a huge diversity of marine species, it is here, at this northern “Pillar of Hercules”, where the incoming current of the Atlantic Ocean mixes with the denser Mediterranean Sea to create a unique combination of flora and fauna.

Choose from wrecks dating back to Napoleonic times or World War II, or dive the Camp Bay Artificial Reef Project, boasting vast schools of boxfish, damselfish and Anthias, as well as pipefish, Atlantic Torpedo rays, octopus and cuttlefish.

  • Price: €120 (€105 own kit)

  • Visibility: 10-30 metres
  • Water temperature: 15-22°C
  • Time: 8am–4pm

Includes two guided dives, full equipment rental, transportation to and from the dive site in air-conditioned minibus, plus light refreshments (bottled water, fruit juice, cookies and après-dive beers).

  1. Bottle Site (5-25m)
  2. Pilot Boat (34m) A 15m, 150-ton steam trawler used by the Navy during WWI to patrol the waters surrounding Gibraltar. Sank in 1917 following an explosion, she now sits upright in 34 metres of water.
  3. Mount Olivet (22m)
  4. Cannon Pile (27m) A large collection of steel cannon believed to have come from a Spanish siege barge circa 1782.
  5. SS Excellent (25-28m) One of Gibraltar’s most popular dive sites, this 1082-ton, steel-clad steamer sank after a collision in 1888. Lying upside down, she has three access points, perfect for the PADI Wreck Diver Specialty. Home to a profusion of colourful marine life, from gorgonians and fanworms to spider crabs and lobsters.
  6. Italian Chariot (33m) There isn’t much left of this chariot after it was mistaken for a torpedo and blown up. It’s believed to have been the chariot that broke down on “Buster” Crabb.
  7. Mui (35m)
  8. Helen (21m)
  9. Pilot Boat (22m)
  1. SS Rosslyn (21m) A very scenic wreck dive, the 3679-ton, 340ft long steamer sank in 1916 and now lies at the bottom of the South Mole. Covered in Anthias and damselfish, this wreck – the largest in Gibraltar – is excellent for photography.
  2. Aircraft (40m) Bristol Bombay mono-plane bomber which ditched into the sea following engine trouble in 1941.
  3. Mortar Ball Site (39m)
  4. Rosia Bay Steeped in history, this area has a variety of features. The bay itself – sheltered and easily accessible – is a perfect spot for training as well as recording marine life such as seahorses. Expect to come across admiralty anchors and cannons as well as other anchors dating back to Roman times! Rosia Bay was also the Victualling Yard where Lord Admiral Nelson’s body was brought ashore in the HMS Victory after his triumph at the Battle of Trafalgar. The spectacular Seahawk wreck can be accessed just a short swim from the bay.
  5. Seven Sisters (0-20m) Boasting a profusion of marine life, these rocky pinnacles display the history of Gibraltar shipping. Anchors, clay pipes and pottery can all be found scattered around the site.
  6. Five Wrecks (20m)
  1. Ark of Jesus Christ (19m)
  2. Camp Bay Conservation Site (Beach-19m) Probably one of the most popular dive sites on the whole of Spain’s Costa del Sol! For the last three decades, a number of vessels have been purposefully sunk to create an artificial reef and encourage marine diversity. The result is the perfect divers’ playground! With 11 wrecks in the one site, Camp Bay is the ultimate locality for conducting the PADI Advanced Open Water diver course, plus PADI Specialties such as Wreck Diver, Underwater Navigation, Peak Performance Buoyancy and Project Aware Fish ID.
  3. The 482M (17m) This immensely impressive Royal Navy mooring vessel was deliberately sunk in 1990 as part of the artificial reef project. Sitting upright in 17m of water, the 482 is 30m long. Wreck Specialty divers can penetrate its engine room, while all others can marvel at the huge variety of both large and small fish.
  4. Europa Reef (18-62m) For experienced divers only, this spectacular dive has plenty to see.
  5. Los Picos (19-80m)
  6. Fred Flintstone’s Submarine (34-46m)
  7. Eastern Reef (36-46m) Large boulders inhabited by Conger Eels and grouper.
Gibraltar

WEATHER & DIVE CONDITIONS

The Costa del Sol has the perfect weather for taking a PADI course or just diving for fun, with over 300 days of sunshine per year. Hence its name! Summer daytime temperatures average 30°C (86°F), with winter around 16°C (61°F).

  • Water temp May to Sept: 19 – 29°C (67 – 85°F)
  • Water temp Oct to April: 14 – 18°C (58 – 65°F)

Due to our variety of dive sites, Simply Diving is the only 5 Star PADI centre in the area that can take you diving 365 days a year.

What do our divers say?

The artificial reef at Camp Bay has to be one of the best dive sites on the peninsula. The shipwrecks themselves are in good shape, but the marine life is everywhere and I managed to take some amazing photos and video footage.
David Cross, UK (Facebook)

What will you see?
Take a look… 

Have a date in mind?

Our dive trip schedule is dictated by weather conditions and diver request and we select the sites on a week-by-week basis. So although we will always do our very best to accommodate any date and dive site preferences, we may ask you to consider alternatives should either of these factors necessitate it.

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