XATT L-AHMAR
Xatt l-Ahmar or Red Coast is a small bay close to Mgarr harbour that is home to the three wrecks – the MV’s Karwela, Cominoland and Xlendi (the latter is no longer safe so please don’t penetrate). These are former ferries that were deliberately scuttled for the diving community as artificial reefs in 2006, as the Xlendi was in 1999. They all sit on a sandy bottom in about 42 metres, but coming back up the wall off the wrecks the reef averages 14 – 6 metres by the exit ladder. If you don’t want to dive the wrecks then you can go off to the right or left as these are both great dives for depth progression – slowly shelving, but always with a bottom, and the boulder fields warrant hanging around for the grouper and other creatures that hide in there.
Have a nosey around the big boulders and into the fault lines when you are back in the shallows too – moray and juvenile scorpionfish are regular inhabitants along with the bream, goatfish and parrotfish, as well as the occasional octopus.
MGARR IX XINI
Mgarr ix Xini is a classic ‘U’ shaped bay dive suitable for all levels of experience. From the slipway, or the platform, with the wall on your right you can head out having a good old gander around all the rocks and boulders for the octopus, moray and cardinal fish that like to hang out there. Don’t ignore the sandy patch in the middle of the bay though, as often you can see flying gurnards and flounders, the bottom feeding goatfish, occasionally, rays and of course – seahorses. Depending on the speed that you go, but at a nice calm and sedate pace, you should, after about 15 – 20 minutes and at about 12 metres of depth, reach a small cave which is worth having a look in (it has a wide entrance and you don’t have to move too far from the light if you don’t want) – it has a very sandy bottom which slants upwards towards the rear, however, good buoyancy control is needed so you don’t kick up dust clouds. With a good torch you can see the fabulously colours of the soft corals, and quite often the wonderfully named discodoris nudibranch which resembles a Friesian cow’s blotchy markings.
On exiting the cave, with sufficient air, you can carry on round to another smaller cave about five minutes later, or more usually exit the first cave and cross over the bay to turn left and back towards the entry. Following the wall, again on your right hand side, you will gradually return to the shore line, and lots more small rocks and boulders, again home to lots of ‘small fish’. This is one of those dives that you can spend the majority of your time in the shallowest part of the site and see so much.
RAS IL HOBS
Although accessible from the shore (the steep unmade road is difficult after it’s been raining) Ras Il Hobs is better done as a local boat dive. A pinnacle rising from over 50 metres depth to about 9 metres at the top, is dived in what is usually seen as a corkscrew manner, picking your maximum depth and winding your way back up. The wall of the pinnacle is home to moray, common and slipper lobsters, and quite often you can see amberjacks, sardines and barracuda circling around – and just occasionally, rays can be seen on the sandy patch and swimming out to the blue. The reef between the shoreline and the pinnacle regularly offers octopus and cuttlefish amongst the usual suspects.
XLENDI TUNNEL AND XLENDI REEF
Xlendi Tunnel and Xlendi Reef are just two of the several dives you can make out of the small resort of, not surprisingly, Xlendi. Because of the shallowness of the bay (about 14 metres maximum) you can generally combine them into one long relaxing dive, and the reef also makes for an excellent night dive. The tunnel entrance is at about 2 metres below the water line on the right wall out of the bay and once you have entered the first ‘bowl’ you need to follow the tunnel to the left – even with a torch it can be deceptive as you think you are heading into blackness, but as it turns a slight dogleg, you can see a glimmer of blue in the distance. Watch your buoyancy though, although it’s by no means a small entrance, you could find yourself knocking pillar valves on the roof. Once out of the tunnel, keeping the wall on the left, you start to head back in towards the bay. Once you see the mooring buoys above your heads, you can explore the grasses and boulders around the pinnacle (which houses the small lighthouse) on your way back. Flying gurnards are fairly common here, as are the other bottom feeders such as goatfish, mullet etc.
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