Admin2
Joined: 05 May 2006
Posts: 74
Home Country: countryx
|
 Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 3:33 am Post subject: LEBANON SCUBA DIVING : Scuba Diving in Lebanon Guide |
 |
|
LEBANON SCUBA DIVING : Scuba Diving in Lebanon Guide
Ship wrecks in Beirut:
"The Macedonian"
The "Macedonian" was cargo ship sailing regularly between Egypt and Lebanon. It sank in the early 60s during a strom. During this day, as sailing to close to the shore, the "Macedonian" hit the shollow reefs near Beirut
The wreck is located at 500 meters North of Raouche and several hundred meters in front of the Long Beach resort
Site's Description
The wreck is located at a depth averaging between 15 and 20 meters, which it makes it easy to access to all levels starting PADI's "Open Water" divers and CMAS * divers.
It is divided into two parts. The first one is only wreckage and the second one is the most interesting.
Currents are often strong on this spot and waves are generally high. Diving in this spot is quit difficult when the sea is rough and currents strong. When the currents are strong, one could end his drift dive on "Stingray reef" several hundred meters North-West. Visibility in this area is generally good (during July the visibility is average and some time low).
Marine life is very abundant (as you could see in the image above) in this area. You could encounter schools of fish, Groupers, moray eels and octopuses
"Le Souffleur"
This site is located at 10 Km south of Beirut in front on the small city of "Kahldeh"
To reach this site, take a boat from your diving center. That will take you between 30 minutes. Finding this site is very difficult, so be sure to have a good guide, eather you well lose the site
Site's Description
Divers should be minimum "Advanced Open Water" or CMAS ** divers and a good level of experience is required.
Descent and ascent should always be made along ancre line due to possible currents
The submarine wreck is divided into two parts distant from each other by some meters
The wreck lays at a depth averaging between 35 and 38 meters. The two parts of the submarine are well conserved. An antiarcraft cannon and a huge topedo lay at 150 meters from the wrec
On the botton of wreck's first part, you could spot a cannon and two torpedoes (it seams that one of then is in the launching tube !). The wreck is small, so do not try to go in it. It could very dangerous !
Marine life is generaly poor. You could encouter Nudybranches, Morayeels and some times Stingrays and Eaglerays
"The Alice B"
The “Alice B” is a cargo ship sank during the war by a group of militias in order to cash its insurance policy (1 Milion US $). Before sinking it, militias people took out nearly every thing including doors and cargo bay doors. Hence, “Alice B” is excellent for wreck dives
It is located at less than 1 miles North West of ATCL offshore Jounieh which is make it quit difficult to find
GPS : N 33 59.643 E 35 35.954
Site's Description
The wreck lies on a sandy bottom in a depth averaging between 34 and 38 meters. The visibility averages between 5 and 25 meters. When the visibility is good, the entire wreck is visible starting 10 meters depth !!
There is notting arround the wreck, so make sure to hit it !
This is a excellent wreck for wreck dives as it could be explored within 20 minutes
As it is a “Friendly Diver wreck” you could explore it’s interior starting from cargo bay, going through the sleeping quarter, engine rooms, the main control room, the kitchen and the living quarter. Don't forget to take a light, the wreck will appear to you better
Marine life is not abundant but you could encounter Schools of tuna, groupers, Lobsters and nudibranches
Diving Spots:
"The Sharks's reef"
The "Shark Reefs" or "Shark Point" are located about a 1,5 miles offshore of the Sea Rock (Raouche) and the sporting club of Beirut. It is composed of 5 reefs
Site's Description
"Sharks Reef" is formed by 5 reefs next to each other (the picture above is not completely exact but gives an idea of the position of the reefs), ranging from a depth of 25 to 35 meters, with drop off from 40 to 50 meters. Divers should be minimum "Advanced Open Water" or CMAS ** divers. A good level of experience is required
The site is washed by Southern currents bringing abundant marine life (including marine predators), and constantly renewing its waters. Those currents could be strong and hence one could made drift dives
Marine life is best between April and September. You could encouter huge Stingrays (on reef number 4), Eagle Rays, Morayeels, Octupus, Groupers and the two marine predators : the gray nurse shark and the smalltooth sandtiger. Those two sharks' type could be encountered in July and August. They usually disappear in September and October to come back again same time the year after
Underwater visibility avarages between 10 and 25 meters. Could be affected by currents and plankton
"The Stingray reef"
"Stingray reef" is located about a 0.5 miles north-west offshore of the military beach of Beirut
Site's Description
Maximum depth of this site is 30 meters and dives are done on an average of 20 meters. All divers could access to this dive starting PADI's "Open Water" divers and CMAS * divers
This site is a patchwork of rocky reefs and sand beds. Marine life is not great, nevertheless in June and July, divers could encounter in the sand beds big amount of rays : Stingrays, Eagle rays, Electric rays, Thornback rays ...
This site is washed by strong Southern currents. Underwater visibility avarages between 10 and 25 meters. Could be affected by currents and plankton
"AUB CANYON"
"AUB CANYON" is a facing AUB's (American University of Beirut) beach. This site could be accessed by boat or from the shore (AUB's beach)
"AUB CANYON" was called "Sharks Hole" by fishermen during the 60s and the 70s as sharks were encoutered and caputered. Nowadays sharks doesn't exist on this spot and could be encountered on "Shrak point ou Shark Land"
GPS : N 33 54.369 E 35 28.936
Site's Description
The bottom is rocky, starts at 5 meters down to 25-30 meters. "AUB CANYON" walls start at 25-30 meters and drop to 300 meters. This spot is good for all divers starting PADI's "Open Water" divers, CMAS * divers, technical and enriched air divers (Trimix, Nitrox ...) (be aware walls drops very quickly !! Control your buoyancy !!)
Between October and June, visibility is quit good. Visibility drops during summer (June, August and September). It averages between 6 and 20 meters. Rain and river run-off effect the visibility.
This spot is ideal when winds are blowing as it is protected by the near by land
Marine life is diverse. You could find groupers, Morayeels, Octopus, Calamrs, little fishes and Groupers. You could encouter rays and perhaps Spanish dancers !
Between 25 and 40 meters you could encouter small caves with corals and fixed Flora and Fauna (don't forget your light !!). You could encounter lots of fisherman nets and a huge ancre laying at a depth of 43 meters
"Halat Mushroom"
This site is located near of the city of Halat, at 20 kilometre north of Beirut.
Le Site
It is a big rock which shape is a big mushroom. It is located at a depth averaging between 35 and 45 meters, which it makes accessible only to divers with good diving experience (levels starting PADI's "Advanced Open Water" divers and CMAS ** divers).
This spot is quit difficult to find. Local divers such as « Xtreme Divers » could help you reaching it.
The mushroom partly surrounded by a beautiful rocky reef, full of corrals and some small gorgonas. A small tunnel separates the mushrom from the reef. You will firstly reach the upper part of the mushroom (35 meters depth), then you could go down along his trunk. until the 45 meters depth. Marine life is abundant. You encounter small fishes, groupers, moray eels, shellfish, jellyfishes, octopuses
Don’t forget your underwater light, small caves and small holes are abundant on the mushroom and the nearby reef. You could find some small corals (red ones !!), lobsters, moray eels and octopuses
Currents are weak on this spot. You could enter a cold thermocline at 40 meters depth.
Source:web.cyberia.net.lb
For more information on diving schools:
http://www.nisd-online.com
http://www.sharksdiveteam.com |
|
Register
Log in
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
