This was a family trip with just myself Kevin and wife Sandra departing Saturday from Gatwick to Paphos Airport for 2 weeks All-inclusive in the sun, booked through Thomas Cook (lucky was not a few months later). I had already booked a dive package with ABC Dive for myself as Sandra is a Scuba widow and would rather lounge around the pool with a drink and good book.
After unpacking and exploring the local area for the first few days I was picked up from the hotel reception at 9am as arranged, placed my gear in the back of the truck and driven to the dive shop by Dave who was to be my guide for all the dives. Dave was a British ex-pat who had served and learnt to dive in the Army and now retired.
On arrival at the shop we transferred to a mini bus with trailer and met Alan and family who were from Chelmsford. The first/only dive that day was a check dive from the beach at Cynthiana Bay this was a 12m dive which offers plenty of small holes, gullies and overhangs to explore.
The following dives to Amphitheatre Bay, which appears to be an Amphitheatre at 9-12m which is actually a geological feature, where moray eels, grouper and trumpet fish can be seen.
Pistol Bay, has easy access from the shore, and a rock slope entry, we were guided around rocky crags and sand patches as we made our way to ‘The Pit’, a large sand bar surrounded by large boulders and with a rock wall running around the perimeter, where Dave pointed out Fire worms and uncovered Brittle stars.
Edro III Wreck another shore dive with a 5min surface swim. Once under water we were guided through a short cave, past some twisted wreckage, then around the props and along the semi submerged hull and followed the bow chain to the anchor.
Zenobia Wreck, the must do dive when in Cyprus, early pickup with Dave and Alex who was to be my buddy. Unpacked kit onto the dive boat and after a short journey arrived at the dive site, first dive was around the stern and props where Dave pointed out a lone turtle near the surface above us. Plenty of lion fish around the wreck. The dive was ended after 15mins as Alex was running low on air.
Dive 2 was to the Bow and a swim though which was interesting but again dive brought to an early end as buddy low on air.
The rest of the holiday was spent with Sandra taking in and enjoying the local sights and culture of Cyprus.
Contact details are https://www.abcdivecyprus.com or E-mail: info@abcdive.info