Dive in Gibraltar

The Bay of Gibraltar

The Bay (one of the deepest in Europe) is found at the extreme south of the Iberian Peninsula between 36’6’ and 36’11 North and 5’27’ and 5’21’ West.

The Bay can be approximated to a semicircular coastline around 30km long starting at Punta del Carnero and ending at Europa Point.

Diving Conditions

Gibraltar, like Great Britain, experiences semi-diurnal tides, that is to say there are two high and two low tides every day, with approximately 6.5 hours between high and low water. Tidal range varies on average between 0.4m on neaps to 0.9m on springs, although at extreme high water of springs (EHWS) it can be as much as 1.1m.

Unlike the fairly predictable tidal flows experienced in the English Channel, Gibraltar’s surface currents are largely wind-driven and as such, highly unpredictable. In 20 years of diving the Bay, we have found no reliable way to predict the strength or direction of water movement that will be experienced, but the following give a general idea of what can be expected: On the western side the flow is usually minimal, but can occasionally reach up to one knot on the surface, often with less below. The flow is parallel to the moles and strongest close in.

Dive Sites

Gibraltar’s waters provide some fantastic dive sites with opportunities for divers of every level to gain experience or explore the diversity of aquatic life. The variety of wrecks and reefs give us a chance to enjoy the under water world.

On the western side of Gibraltar there is Camp Bay this was set up as a Marine Conservation Area. In 1990 the arrival of the 482m, an old cable laying barge, having finished its service was sunk as an artificial reef to attract aquatic life.  Over time the 482m sitting upright has grown with marine activity, within the soft corals can be found many different types of Octopus, Starfish plus large shoals of Bream, Bass, Reef fish and Wrasse. Along with the Scorpion fish are Moray and Conger Eels which you will need to keep an eye out for.

The whole area around Camp Bay has now become littered with wrecks. There is a line of barges, one of which is lying on its side.

These wrecks have been scuttled to attract lots of aquatic life, they have gathered many different species of nudibranch, stargazers and gunyards even torpedo rays are occasionally spotted swimming along the sandy bed.