Malta diving

The Maltese Islands

Malta

Marfa point, known locally as Cirkewwa is an outcrop of land in the Northwest of Malta next to the Gozo ferry boat quay. This site offers a number of very differing dive profiles which will suit all tastes. The alternatives range from 'Beginners' Valley', a 6m dive, 'The drop-off', The Rozi wreck in 30+ metres and 'The Arch'. All dives can be easily accessed from a number of points along the quay which runs along the point. Entry to the dives is just to the left of the main car-park were cars queue for boarding the Gozo ferry. A path leads to a shallow pool of 1.5m's which is ideal for finning-up. Swimming out of this pool a shallow shelf with "valleys" no deeper than 6 meters, hence the local name. 'Beginners Valley'. Many of the Islands Dive schools do their training here as the area is has easy access, a sheltered shallow depth and sealife including octopus, small morays and many small fish around the rocks.		Cirkewwa/Marfa point: Cirkewwa (pronounced 'chew-cow-a') is one of the most favoured dive-sites in Malta. The site has a number of alternative dives to suit all tastes and levels of experience. With a handy car-park beside the sea-wall with plenty of room to kitup, a walk entry into a 3m's is accessed via steps (hidden from view middle-left of photo).
The 'Drop-off' dive is an extension of 'Beginners valley' with a similar easy entry point. Starting at 17 meters and gently dipping to 35 meters, the wall towards the left is rich in small and colourful marine life with numerous overhangs and small caverns. A torch is handy here to peer into the small caverns to see what's hiding out. The right hand side has a less spectacular wall but presents more variety among the large boulders in the sand just off the drop-off. At 15 meters just off to the right from 'beginners valley' is a statue of the Madonna in its own little grotto.		The Madonna Statue: The Madonna statue was placed in a small cove in the wall at about 15-16m's by a Sub-Aqua club some years ago. The 5 foot statue has a small plague at its base.
The Rozi Wreck is a 35 metre shore dive though accessed further along the peer facing towards Gozo via an iron jetty. A giant stride entry from the rocks by the jetty puts you in 5 meters of water. Exit at the end of the dive is around the headland to the left and up through Beginners' Valley. The Rozi was a 40 metre harbour tug deliberately sunk in 1991 as an attraction for the operators of glass-bottomed boats. Apart from the engines and propeller which were removed prior to sinking - the Rozi is completely intact and sits upright on the seabed with all other fittings still in place. This is a fabulous dive site which has quickly become one of the most popular within the Maltese Islands. Many divers choose to cross over to the vessel in mid-water and deliberately avoid the deeper waters of the seabed in order to spend a greater time inspecting the superstructure where there is much to see and explore.		The Rozi wreck: The bows are quite dramatic with large lorry tyres - once used as fenders are still in place. On the forward deck space you find the wheelhouse. The doors have been removed so that it can be easily and safely entered.
To reach the Rozi, is straight along the metal jetty were the bottom drops off and after a 150 meters fin, the Rozi sits in 35 meters. The boat was sunk as a natural reef and is usually teeming with small and large fish. Large shoals of damselfish are not uncommon here. Close to the bow and on the way back to the exit at 'Beginners Valley' , an old anchor stands out. at just over 31.1 metres. Well according to my dive computer anyway!		The Anchor at Marfa point: An old admiralty anchor stands out in solitude in sand at a depth of about 32m's