| The Los Gigantes Diving Centre is an English owned dive facility
located in the marina of Los Gigantes. Established in the village
for some 10 years the centre caters for visiting divers and visitors
who wish to try this exhilarating sport for the first time. The Los
Gigantes Diving Centre is a 5 star IDC, Instructor Development Centre,
as defined by the world's largest diver training agency P.A.D.I or
The Professional Association of Diving Instructors. They are also
a recognised B.S.A.C, British Sub Aqua Club, training facility with
qualified instructors from both agencies. |
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The Diving
Around 25 established dive sites are regularly visited
by the centre. With dive sites to suit all diver qualification levels
there is something for everyone. The training sites, and those used
for dive initiations, are shallow protected one's that have an abundance
of fish life for the trainee, first timer, to marvel at. The dive
centre operates two boats, a traditional Canarian fishing boat re-conditioned
for the rigours of diving, and a 6m inflatable. Both boats are moored
just 50m from the dive centre thus allowing for easy access.
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| The majority of dive sites can be reached within a 5 to 15 minute
boat ride upon leaving the marina. With water temperatures that vary
between 24°C in Summer to a comfortable 19°C in winter the water's
surrounding the Los Gigantes area are an invitation to visiting divers
to explore the wonders of the deep. Visibility can at times reach
40m, horizontal, this mixed with the year round sunny climate allows
divers with an interest in underwater photography or videography to
benefit from high ambient light levels and incredible "viz".
With names such as Atlantis, Octopus Cove, Black Coral and "Los
Chuchos" the dive sites are yearning to be discovered by visiting
divers. |
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Octopus Cove - This is the training
site used by the dive centre for the varied courses and "Try
- a - Dive" programmes aimed at getting non-divers into the water.
The sandy bottom is ideal for training and exercising during qualification
courses for diver skill evaluations. The main attraction of the site
is a small undercut table where coral polyps are starting to put in
an ever increasing appearance. Apart from the table there is also
a very scenic "Wall" feature that serves as home for an
astounding array of wonderfully coloured a sea anemones and as a home
to an incredibly diverse amount of macro life. This site is also used
as the preferred site for night dives that are frequently planned
throughout the year. |
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Atlantis - This site is one
of the dive centres more frequently visited. Due to it's almost
lunar appearance it has become a firm favourite of the visiting
divers. The dive boat anchors on a plateau made up of Basalt rock
that drops sharply from 14m to 22m to a sandy bottom that is pebbled
with rocky outcrops. A varied array of small caves and overhangs
offer themselves as home to Moray Eels and Red Reef Lobsters (pictured
right) as well as Anemones and timid Atlantic Bigeye's. Following
the line where rock meets sand the divers encounter a wonderful
Yellow Gorgonia Fan in the middle of a sandy patch. Swaying with
the gently moving water the Fan is a fantastic subject for the avid
underwater photographer.
Punta Blanca - Often considered
by many as one of the best dive sites in Tenerife Punta Blanca hosts
an amazing amount of fish life. A resident school of Salemas, that
numbers in the thousands, gives rise to incredible photographic
and underwater video footage. The site, one of the deeper visited
by the centre, drops off of a plateau to 32m where the sandy bottom
offers, at the right time of year, encounters with the inoffensive
Angel Shark. A spectacular overhang also houses enormous Black Stingrays
and Atlantic Bigeye's, or Catalufas as they are locally known. A
tip for divers, look out into the blue for possible encounters with
larger pelagic, or Ocean going, species.
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Barranco Seco - An intermediate
site that allows for either a deep section for the more experienced
diver to a shallow option for newly qualified divers or for those
wishing to "knock out the cobwebs" after an extended period
of dive inactivity. The attraction of the site is an archway in
just 7m depth that allows divers to easily pass underneath. Due
to the porous volcanic rock the divers bubbles that become trapped
under the arch work their way slowly through the structure and form
a steady stream of almost champagne like bubbles to the surface
from the top of the archway. A favourite site for Trumpetfish and
Stingrays.
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Los Chuchos - Translated
as "The Stingrays" this site rivals the infamous Stingray
City of the Cayman Islands. In just 20m depth the divers descend
to a sandy bottom where anywhere up to 40 Rays of varying species,
and size, await their feed of fishy titbits. From the graceful movements
of Eagle Rays to the almost frenetic pace of the Common Stingray
the divers are surrounded by a mass of attention, and food, seeking
animals. A supporting cast of huge Guelley Jacks and Grunts make
this site truly remarkable. From time to time the site also hosts
visits from Bull Rays and Angel Sharks and on the odd occasion small
Hammerhead and Blue Sharks.
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The Los Gigantes Diving Centre caters for a full range of diver qualification
courses as well as a highly tuned programme aimed at introducing people
to the sport of diving for the first time. The clear, warm water's of Tenerife's
favourite family destination are the ideal place to learn this exhilarating
sport. With calm seas and highly professional instructors the first underwater
experience is one that will stay with first time students for a lifetime.
For visiting groups the Los Gigantes Diving Centre also offers diver accommodation
for groups of up to nine divers as well as for individuals. For the ultimate
souvenir the dive centre also works exclusively with Ocean-Eye Video, a
highly professional underwater filming and video and DVD production company
based in Tenerife. A comprehensive Underwater
Filming service is offered to divers wishing to take
home a wonderful reminder of their diving adventures with The Los Gigantes
Diving Centre.
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The well equipped dive centre offers frequently
serviced rental equipment for those divers wishing to travel
light. They are also official dealers for Mares and Cressi Sub
diving equipment. With bargains to be had in the dive computer
range the centre can also arrange delivery of almost any dive
equipment article requested by visiting divers. Cylinder wise
the centre uses mainly steel cylinders of either 10, 12 and
15l capacities, a few aluminium cylinders are also available
for those who so wish. Wetsuit wise it is recommended that a
5mm is sufficient for the Summer months and a 7mm or Semi-Dry
for the Winter months. |
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The Los Gigantes Diving Centre
- is located in the picturesque marina of Los Gigantes. The arcade
is situated next to the Pizzeria Bella Napolli. Both of the dive
boats are moored on Pier 6, less than 50m from the dive centre.
For More information on dive times, courses, Try-a-Dive programmes,
diver accommodation and group deals contact the Los Gigantes Dive
Centre either by Tel/Fax: +34 922 860431 or
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