Moving to Crete, Greece…diving suggestions?

[Jeff in SD]

We dove 2 days with Chania Diving Center last week and really enjoyed it! We stayed a bit closer to town, in Agia Marina, and they picked us up.

 

[stepfen]

We dove 2 days with Chania Diving Center last week and really enjoyed it! We stayed a bit closer to town, in Agia Marina, and they picked us up.

Great to hear that you had nice time. Nikos (the owner of the dive store) is away to an expedition (helping excavating the famous Antikythera shipwreck Antikythera wreck - Wikipedia ). But the rest of the team is great too.

Did you do the Elephant cave??? How was the weather?? For as long as I remember, from end of April or so till September every year clouds (not to mention rain) are usually nowhere to be seen. This year has been crazy - clouds, clouds and more clouds is the norm so far. But I think last week there were few sunny days so maybe you were lucky to enjoy typical Greek summer conditions.

 

[Alekseolsen]

As for operators the most "serious" one is Chania Diving Center (catering everything from snorkeling, up to rebreather/trimix/cave dives and courses).

Are there any divable "proper" caves on the Island? Id love getting a cave dive or 4 in, I've done the seal, and elephant Cave, but not much penetration in the traditional sense

 

[stepfen]

Are there any divable "proper" caves on the Island? Id love getting a cave dive or 4 in, I've done the seal, and elephant Cave, but not much penetration in the traditional sense

I don't know details as I don't do caves myself. For sure there is at least one "proper" cave in the area that Nikos discovered/explored few years ago:


but I don't know if/how/when they dive there. You'd better ask them directly.
I'm going there now and then to fill my tanks so I will ask the guys and report back (if I remember).
All the best.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Are there any divable "proper" caves on the Island? Id love getting a cave dive or 4 in, I've done the seal, and elephant Cave, but not much penetration in the traditional sense

The right person to talk to about cave diving in Greece is Stratis Kas. Find him on Facebook. He's incredibly helpful.

 

[JMBL]

Here's a nice video about Amfitri's cave, in the Cyclades, located between Paros and Panderonissi. It's my only cave experience in Greece. I had the opportunity to dive there twice, some years back, when the cave was rediscovered by Sara Goretta. Since then, it's has been explored further and several films were shot about it, several are available on YouTube.

 

[Jeff in SD]

Great to hear that you had nice time. Nikos (the owner of the dive store) is away to an expedition (helping excavating the famous Antikythera shipwreck Antikythera wreck - Wikipedia ). But the rest of the team is great too.

Did you do the Elephant cave??? How was the weather?? For as long as I remember, from end of April or so till September every year clouds (not to mention rain) are usually nowhere to be seen. This year has been crazy - clouds, clouds and more clouds is the norm so far. But I think last week there were few sunny days so maybe you were lucky to enjoy typical Greek summer conditions.

Yes, we dove the Elephant cave. The weather was cloudy / partly cloudy, but fine. Many of the locals were commenting on how cold and cloudy May was. I imagine that on bright sunny days, the dives would be even more striking.

 

[VirgKipik]

Hello I’m in Crete atm, not too far from Xania (in Rethymno) and looking for a dive center that is open and is offering dry suit dives … does anyone know if it’s possible ?
Thanks a lot for your help !

 

[stepfen]

Welcome @VirgKipik
The only open dive store I am aware of at the moment in the western part of the island is Chania Diving Center ( chaniadiving.gr ). All other stores are open for the tourist season only (from April to October more or less).

Nikos (the owner of Chania Diving) is busy doing technical (trimix/CCR etc) training practically all year around. I don't think he has drysuits for rental though but you never know. Go ahead and contact him and hope for the best.

There might be some more open dive stores in Iraklio, but I doubt they have drysuits either as, in the winter they get very very few customers while the water is not too cold (min 15-16oC ).

Let me know if you find a way to dive and I might join you as I haven't dived much in Rethymno, or if you want to join me here in Chania. I try to dive once a week.

All the best

 

[VirgKipik]

Hello Stefan thank you very much for your answer ! I didn’t find a dive center with dry suits (too late to contact the one in Chania unfortunately I’m leaving tomorrow).
Anyway I’m back en of April and will have my dry suit (yes ! I’m a « sisi » I dive dry until 22 degrees ) but if you want in may to have a dive together I would be very happy to do so ! Maybe we can keep in touch