Leko,
Alan here. I have some experience in the areas you mentioned. I finished my Open Water in Naples, Italy and did a lot of diving in that area in the mid 70's. Then I recently worked in Athens and did some diving in that area. The first thing you should know is that there is very little fish life in the Med. Back in the 70's in Naples, spearfishing was still a big part of diving. When I returned to the states, divers would ask me if I was into spearfishing and I told them that there weren't any fish big enough to spear in Italy. There really were only small fish. Then in Athens from 2002 to 2006, the same thing applied. I remember that when we first arrived in Athens, we were advised to ask the price of a fish dinner at the local restaurants, because you could be having the $100 fish, because the fish were imported. I had $60 and $70 fish meals and they were nothing to speak about.
BUT, the water in Greece was crystal clear. There were more fish around the islands, but it was still really sparse. There are also different laws about diving for each island. I dove around Santorini, Hydra and Zakinthos. I am not sure about diving around the other islands. If diving is allowed, there will be plenty of dive shops to get gear from.
Rome, Italy
Sicily, Italy
Athens, Greece
You have to be careful all over Greece to avoid the "SCUBA police". With all the antiquities, a lot of the area is off linits to diving. I did many dives down the coast from Athens to Sunion Point where the Temple of Posiden is (Worth a look). There is also some diving around toward Nea Makri and Marathon. But in that area, there are a lot of areas off limits because of antiquities. I was training at a beach out that way for a year and then the next year when I showed up, I was told it was an "Underwater Park" and that I couldn't dive there. But if I called the Coast Guard and told them I was coming, I could dive. Then the next year, that didn't even work. So, my advice in all of Greece is to be careful and discuss diving with the local shops. Again, not much to see, but the water is clear.
Mykonos, Greece
Ephesus, Turkey
Rhodes, Greece
Santorini, Greece
Dove a couple of times there. Again, clear water, but not much to see. There were more fish, but still not many at all. I dove in the Caldera there and it was pretty neat. Don't tell anyone, but that is where Atlantis is. I know because I saw a road sign under water there saying Atlantis was 300 feet below LOL.
Naples/Capri, Italy
Naples was from the mid 70's, but there were not many fish. I did dive Capri and got to go into the Blue Grotto. That was pretty neat.
Istanbul, Turkey
So, overall, you should have some fun diving in that area, if you love diving like I do. Just getting wet is fun. One other location in Greece is the island of Zakinthos on the Italy side of Greece. There is an area where Turtles mate and it is neat to be around them. However, the divers have to stay out of that area, but you can take a boat ride to see the turtles. We went out on a boat that "Garanteed that we would see a turtle. So, we rode around for a few minutes and saw one and rode alongside it for a few minutes and then found another one and I think a third one. So then the captain of the boat walked up to each one of us and asked "Did you see a turtle"? to be sure we did and that we didn't ask for a refund when we got back.
Anyway, my recommendation is to make the effort if you really like to just get wet. There won't be much sealife to see, but I enjoy just getting wet. Write me at
alanmayfield@yahoo.com if you want any more information. Have fun.
Alan
PADI MSDT 6009
i will also need details on some dive shops where I can get tanks and air fills.
