Even with the difficulties faced since March around the world we have still been fortunate to have enjoyed an excellent diving season this year and we are still diving regularly in November.

It has also been one of the best years of diving we have ever experienced with fantastic marine life encounters and the very best quality diving.

Due mainly to Cyprus doing an excellent job of controlling the spread of the covid virus the country was pretty much fully open from May and June of this year. Cyprus was also seen as a safe destination so while numbers of tourists were still well down it still faired quite well compared to other destinations. Local tourism also increased as people decided to holiday at home rather than travel to other countries.

All this meant that overall the seas around Cyprus were quieter as were the many dive sites.

The quality of diving for our divers is always of the highest levels possible but this was made all the more special with there being much fewer divers in general. Dive boats were quieter and there were fewer at dive sites on any given day, especially on dives like the Zenobia wreck or the Limassol wrecks for example. Also at dive sites where you might normally see 4 or 5 Dive Centres you were often there on your own or with maybe 1 other Dive Centre. It is of course a shame that dive businesses has been affected in this way but for the quality of diving it has been great for the divers that visited this year.

Due to this quality of diving and with there being less divers the marine life has been exceptional this year. It is always there in Cyprus, and particularly in certain places if you know where to go, but it has been much easier for divers to spot more with less bodies and noise in the water.

We have definitely dived with a lot more turtles this year which of course is always a pleasure and a privilege. I have never seen such large Jacks in such large shoals ever before and especially at the Limassol wrecks and Jubilee Shoals dive sites. Large bull rays have also been a regular sighting this year as have large shoals of barracuda and pods of dolphins.

Yes the year has been very difficult and all of our businesses have suffered here as a result, but personally we have loved the diving this year which makes you reflect on what you still have. The diving has been far more relaxing, diver numbers are less crowded, everyone seems less stressed and everyone is just glad to still be able to enjoy their diving. The diving has been superb and the extra special marine life encounters just seem to put everything more into perspective.