Scuba diving introduces you to a whole new world filled with different shapes, textures, colours and creatures. This invigorating world of water and sea life awakens an undiscovered search for adventure and an incredible sense of freedom. Turkey’s clear seas offer some fantastic opportunities for scuba divers and for those who have longed to try the sport but never got round to it, there are plenty of scuba diving courses available to take you from curious novice to PADI professional!
The Art of Scuba Diving
Scuba diving provides a unique experience whereby divers can stay under water for prolonged periods of time, unobstructed by air lines to a distant air source. Each diver carries a tank of compressed air on their backs attached to a face mask, which allows each individual the freedom of movement, which thus enhances their exploration of underwater areas such as caves, coral reefs and sunken wrecks. Scuba divers can propel themselves quickly through the water by the aid of flippers and many now use a DPV (driver propulsion vehicle), a kind of underwater motor scooter, which moves through the water even faster. If you don’t have al of your own equipment, you will be able to hire it from the Turkish dive centres.
PADI Certification
It doesn’t matter where in the world you intend to scuba dive, you cannot do so legally unless you have a Professional Association of Diving Instructors or PADI certificate. Dive schools in Turkey will ask to see your certificate before hiring equipment or enrolling you onto a dive trip. PADI is the widest recognised diving association, with more than 5,300 dive centres and resorts in more than 180 countries and territories. Translations of PADI materials are available in more than 26 languages. It is possible to obtain your PADI certificate in Turkey by enrolling for a course with a reputable dive school.
Under Water in Turkey
The best time to dive in Turkey is anytime between May and November with the summer months offering the warmest water temperatures of anything up to 29 degrees. The best diving on the Turkish coast can be found around Fethiye, Kas and Kalkan, although there are many other resorts offering scuba diving. Turkey offers much to see in the way of amphibian species, such as barracuda, grouper, amberjack, ornate wrasse, bream, Pandora, damselfish and the occasional ray and there are plenty of invertebrates including an abundance of colourful coral. The waters around Fethiye offer clear visibility and some interesting underwater walls and rock formations. Good diver groups will point out submerged ruins and ancient artefacts. There are over 100 dive sites in the waters around Kalkan; they take around 45 minutes to reach by boat. The waters around Snake and Heybeli Islands are particularly good for novice divers, whilst those more advanced will find the water away from the southern tip of Snake Island alive with a wall of colourful fish. There are also some rich coral reefs off Heybeli and Oksuz Islands. At 25 m just off the mainland there are some great sand bottom caves to explore, but beware, the temperature in the caves is chilly thanks to their fresh water seeps. The waters around Kas offer the best visibility for scuba divers and the broadest range of sea life. There are around 30 dive sites in this area; a third of these are located around the Cukurbagli peninsula. The waters offer much for novice divers including a tunnel 15 m in depth and a cave fed by icy spring water. The Canyon is reserved for moderate divers. In drops of 4 m, divers pass through a sea canyon rich in marine life and also the site of some old shipwrecks, although these are generally left to advanced PADI divers. The canyon route involves a traverse across a large wall drop-off and a return via a system of tunnels at 15 to 18 m in depth.
