Diving in the CostaBlanca

Nearly surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Cantabrian Sea and the Mediterranean, Spain offers a wonderful array of dive options. A combination of cold and warm water attracts a large variety of aquatic life and there are numerous points of interest for divers throughout the country. Spain has also a number of marine reserves including Cabo de Palos, Cabo de Gata and the Columbretes Islands in the Mediterranean and La Palma, La Restinga and Isla Graciosa on the Canary Islands in the open Atlantic. Each area has its own attraction. Some, such as the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean are known for their visibility. In the south of Spain, near the straits of Gibraltar, areas such as such as Granada, Málaga, and Cádiz, have warm water nearly all year round. In the transition zone from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean, marine mammals are common and there are tremendous opportunities for whale watching. In the north, Cantabria, Galicia, Asturias and the Basque Country have colder waters, more significant tides and a bit less visibility, but they more than make up for this with a proliferation of sea life.
Visibility – Depending on the dive site, visibility can range from 3-50 meters/10-160 feet.
Water Temperature – Varying between different regions, water temperature ranges from 10-26°C/50-80°F with a maximum of 30ºC/86°F in the Balearic Island zone during the summer months.
Weather – There are three zones: Mediterranean, with dry warm summers and cool mild winters; Oceanic, with warm summers and cool winters, in the north; and semi-arid in the southeast.
Featured Creatures – Grouper, moray eels, moon fish, codfish, mobula rays and barracudas are all frequent visitors. You’ll also occasionally see dolphins, whales, turtles and some angel sharks in areas with sandy bottoms. The invertebrate life and abundant coral are of particular interest to photographers.