Dave, UK

July 2009

I have recently come back from a superb diving holiday in Tenerife – so superb that I felt the need to write about it .....

I have been diving for 5-6 years now and one of the biggest issues I face is that my wife does not dive – so I am sole diver always on the lookout for buddies. In 2007 I found myself working for a nightmare of a company which ate into large amounts of weekend and evening time ... and I have not done anything beyond 2 quarry dives in the past 2 years. Then the dodgy company decided to make everyone redundant.... and it has been a very hectic time trying to sort out a new job (especially in the current climate) – fortunately I managed to get one to start right after the hols (which we booked before we knew what was happening) ... so the deal was - down tools, go diving, start a new life. I could not have been more psyched for a diving trip than this and I was not let down at all.

The club I came across (well – that my wife booked for me through Scuba Travel) was Aqua-Marina and I have to say that they are the best club I have ever come across (and i've come across a fair few round the world and here in the UK)....

The instructors and DMs are so friendly, helpful and make diving an absolute pleasure. After 2 years I was a bit rusty on some aspects of my own kit ... but 30 mins with these guys and it was all sorted and felt like only yesterday since I had been using it. Everything you need is to hand and on site – really well equipped wet centre, extremely organised and efficient... it became a 2nd home for a week.

The site itself is superb - right on the beach (Playa Las Vistas) with ribs to take you to all destinations (the longest trip out was probably 30 mins or thereabouts - all sites reachable within that time and most between 5-20 mins on the rib)... a short walk from the wet centre to the beach and you are in the water handing the kit up.

In the water the instructors and DMs know exactly where to look for the sea life...... they were extremely knowledgeable dive leaders and we got to see Turtles (v. playful and friendly), common rays, round rays, Atlantic rays, eagle rays (it was a ray feast on the Mushroom Forest dive – Los Champigñones.. now one of the top 3 dives ever for me!), cuttlefish, Octopi (great one on the night dive out and about in the water), Canarian rock lobster (on the red endangered list), trigger fish (watch them!), sleeping parrot fish , scorpion fish, roncadores, morays, stonefish, nudibranchs, barracuda, arrow crabs, flatfish, greater amberjack, spiny shrimp, trumpet fish, brown meagre (pretty rare), huge groupers on the Barranco Del Agua dive (Canyon In The Water), small baby angel shark , lots of phosphene fun on the night dive too (shrimp eyes reflecting like cats eyes form the torches)..... and stacks more.... the temperature in the water was 23-24 degrees with 20+ metres vis for most of the dives.

My wife was cool about sunbathing in the mornings/early afternoons when I was diving – generally we would be finished by 2:30pm.. meet up for lunch and then had the rest of the day/night to do whatever we wanted... no issues for the diver looking for buddies on this trip!!

The trip reminded me why I got into diving in the first place.... and yet I never thought of Tenerife as being up there on the list of places to dive – I just never read about it before.... but it was so fantastic I really wanted to share the experience so others can know its such a fabulous place to go. What made it really special was the great fun I had diving with Aqua-Marina... I honestly have not come across a friendlier, efficient and helpful crew – thanks to all of them for making it an unforgettable holiday!!

If anyone reading this was thinking of a place to go diving – check out these guys in Playa Las Vistas... I gather October is the best time for qualified divers to go out as the water is still 24 degrees and it will be mainly qualified divers so you will be taken to the best spots..... I can honestly recommend it....

Dave