Scuba Diving in Spain - Tenerife

How does diving in warm waters with excellent vis, lots of sea life and less than 4 hours away? No, I‘m not talking about the Red Sea, I’m talking Tenerife.

Back in November I had the opportunity to go to Tenerife for a week’s holiday. Not being the one to pass up the chance of a dive in a different location, I set out to find a local dive centre. Having visited a couple of seafront premises that seemed a bit cramped and “busy”, I stumbled across a dive shop that looked clean and modern. After speaking to the owner, a “mad” Belgium guy, I thought “This is the one for me!”, I booked two dives for the following day.

Not being an experienced warm water diver I had two of the best dives I’ve had since going to Cypress. But that is another story! While on the first dive I was treated to the wonderful site of a “family” of sting rays swimming so close to me that I could have touched them! I was glad that the lenses on my mask were strong, as my eyes were out on storks in amassment!!!!! As it happens, on the second dive I did get to touch one of the rays. I must point out that I did not force myself to touch them I just held out my hand and let the ray swim under my hand. It was such a fantastic encounter!!!!

As the main reason for going to Tenerife in the first place was to see my sister and brother-in-law, who live out there, I decided to go again in February. Well, you have to, don’t you??!! This time I dived with another dive centre. Before I went out there my brother-in-law told me that a friend of his had just opened a new dive centre in Las Galliatas. So that was it! I packed all my dive gear and jumped on the plane.

After saying the usual hello’s and how are you’s I enquired about the diving. As you can imagine my sister was not best pleased. There I was in Tenerife to see my sister and all I wanted to know was were the diving was! Well, the following day I went to the dive centre, Sol Divers, and was introduced to the two partners, Baz and Andy. They used to work for another dive centre on the island but decided to go it alone.

The shop that they operate from is situated in a complex with accommodation, shops, bar and a swimming pool and a bar, and not far from the water, and a bar. Sorry did I mention the bar already? They were not officially open at the time but were keen to take me out for a few dives.

As they do not have their own boat yet most of the dives were shore dives. But they do have the option of getting places on a boat that runs out of Puoto Celon, near Los Americas. The diving was different to the first time I went but no less spectacular. Although we did not see any rays we saw lots of fish and some amassing drop off’s and swim through’s. As the island is volcanic and stuck in the middle of the Atlantic there are a lot of wreaks. The water was about 20o c. and the air temp. was about 26o c. Not bad for February!! The water temp does not change that much over the year.

So like I say it was pretty spectacular. If anyone is thinking of going diving in spain I can recommend Tenerife. And the food and beer is cheap and good quality.