Cyprus Dive Sites- The Blue Hole

Re-visiting our Cyprus Dive Sites series, Let's look at another local shore dive site in the Protaras area. This is Cyprus' very own Blue Hole.

The Dive

The Blue Hole is very easy to access, being in the same area as Green Bay, but heading out East instead of North. We clamber over a couple rocks before dropping into some very shallow water and heading out over a shallow reef. You have to keep your eyes open here, as there are usually plenty of little fish to keep you occupied with the occasional squid and turtle sighting.

Following an Easterly bearing we drop into a sandy channel, which you follow South to the "Millenium Falcon". Before you Star Wars fans get too excited, it isn't the real one crash landed in Cyprus but a rock shaped like the famous starcraft!

Behind the falcon is a lovely archway hiding squirrel fish, sponge and moray eels.

Continue East and the depth begins to increase to around 12 metres where you find the drop off and 2 cracks in the ground, the second of which is our Blue Hole.

Drop into the top and swim through the cave, that is home to more squirrel fish, grouper and purple corals.

We exit the cave onto sand at 18 metres and if you swing around to the right, you can find the old wreck of the car that is starting to become visible again after the recent wind storms.

Maximum depth here is 22 metres.

Heading to the left takes you around the next little bay and through the abandoned fishing nets, where if you are lucky, you can find Octopus, nudibranchs, squid and Barracuda.

This bay gives a gradual ascent to 6metres and if you keep a check on the west heading, you should find yourself at cave number 2, which will exit in the same channel the Millenium Falcon was in.

The Blue Hole is a fantastic dive site where you never know what you might see but the fish life can always be found if you know where to look. Be aware of the boat traffic over your head and we would recommend carrying your DSMB for this dive, just in case!

If you have sufficient gas left, we can usually exit through Green Bay to make it a gentle walk out. Two Dives in One... now that is a bargain!

Cyprus Dive Sites-Cylops

Continuing our log of the Cyprus Sites for Scuba Diving, we come to our second most popular Dive Site, which is known by a couple different names depending on who you dive with!

We call this dive site Cyclops, as at the top of the cliff, you will find the cave that was once home to the one eyed monster and legend has it that he is still there deep within.

Others call it the Cliffs or Cape Awkward.

I have to admit that this is my Favourite shore based Dive Site, since you never know what you will see here. The fish life can vary from tiny little nudibrancs to large schools of amberjack and sometimes Tuna.

Somewhere in the middle, you can find Moray Eels and Octopus, the occasional seasonal Squid and Trigger Fish. If you are very lucky, turtles can be spotted here too!

The dive begins with a backward roll entry and underwater, the seabed gently drops away over rocks to about 3 metres where you will find a sandy runway that runs parallel to shore, sloping to 9 metres.

Once at this point you can choose to follow the rocks down and around to 25 metres then head off deeper (but be sure to take a compass, as the bottom turns to sand and it can become somewhat disorienting) to 40 metres +. Alternatively, you can start to ascend from 25 metres or remain shallow at a respectable 14 metres for the whole dive.

At the far turning point of the dive, there is a cliff wall stretching from the surface to the seabed at 14 metres, which looks spectacular in the morning light and all around you on the ground, are clam beds so be careful where you put your fins.

This dive site does have the potential for current but it is usually pretty mild and the current often signals there will be plenty of life to see.

All in all, this is a dive site that has a little bit of something for every level of diver in Cyprus.

So, come and Dive it!!