Scuba Works Malta
Welcome to Scuba Works Malta – Your Underwater Partner

Jan20

The Cirkewwa Voluntary Marine Reserve

By Antonio Anastasi

When in 1985, I, together with George Vella and Tony Lautier  started the first Marine Conservation Society to promote the banning of spearfishing with aqualungs and the creations of marine sanctuaries, we were supported by many UK divers. Also giving us a lot of input were the MCS of the UK. One of the things they had mentioned was the efforts that were being made at St.Abbs in Scotland to make this a Voluntary Marine Reserve (VMR).

During the past 26 years I had often listened to visiting divers about the merits of diving there as well as read many features about St.Abbs. So it was no surprise that at a moment of frustration at governmental red tape this VMR of 26 years popped into my mind like a blinding light.

http://www.marine-reserve.co.uk/

To gain more grass root support the DECLARE CIRKEWWA A MARINE SANCTUARY NOW group on Facebook, asked and received positive and generous support from the local diving clubs that between them represent some 4000 local and expat divers. These clubs are ATLAM, BSAC Calypso, Amphibians as well as those others represented by the Federation of Underwater Activities (FUA).

Realizing that  it is going to take at least a couple of years for Cirkewwa to have a legal standing as a Marine Protected Area (MPA)

I sat down with the representatives of the local diving clubs and we agreed that the best way  forward was to take steps and follow through on the example of the St.Abbs VMR and  declare Cirkewwa a VMR. We contacted Lawson Woods who is a founding member of the  St.Abbs VMR, and since then we have their moral support as well as advise on how to go about things. read more...

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Dec11

Mmmm Bites

After any dive the now customary Scubaworks debrief takes place! We simply find the nearest bar / restaurant and chat about the dive and up and coming events. BITES is simply a forum to express members personal views on the quality of service and food we find in the Maltese Islands. read more...

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Dec5

Friday – should I work or should I dive?

BaraIt was a damp Friday morning, so rather look at the scenery under the water than the grey sky above, rather dive than do house work, Annette and I agreed!!

We decided that the Faroud at Zurrieq would be the place to dive, so four of us got together ,brave ones in short wet suits, not so brave in dry suits…well the sea temperature was 19 degrees!!

Off we set, with Dave leading, along the reef, past the helmet and then on to the stern of the Um El Faroud. It was abundant with sea life, with my favourites the Barracuda. read more...

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Sep20

Bombs and Seahorses

Sea horseBy Paul Addams

We could round up three members of Scubaworks Malta for a midday dive at Zurrieq on Sunday. Good enough! We decided to go left out of the harbour; well it makes a change from the wreck, and I had never been along that part of the reef.

The vis was excellent, Debbie, Bent and I spent twenty minutes or so heading east along the bottom of the reef until we came to an encrusted object laying just off the reef on the sandy seabed at 34 metres. This is a WW2 shell or bomb as everyone refers to it, more specifically ‘Bents bomb’ as he discovered it some time ago. Examination of the cavity in it revealed there was no occupant; previous tenants include an octopus and an eel. read more...

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