NYC writer saying hello, questions about diving in Spain

[mmjnyc]

Hello! My name is Maureen, and I'm from New York.

I am actually not a diver. I write books for young adults, and diving will play a prominent role in my next story. I am trying to plan a fictional dive for a wreck off the coast of Spain, and am in despirate need of help. I have all kinds of questions, general and specific. I can rattle them off to anyone who'd care to take a shot!

Any help for a total, total newbie (as total as it gets!) would be appriciated!

Thanks!

 

[DandyDon]

Howdy and welcome to SB!

Maybe you need to become a diver...?

Good to have you here. Click here to PM me if I can help you get started in our various forums.

:bandit_2: don

 

[vkalia]

Ask away - I have done a fair bit of diving in the Spanish Mediterranean (mostly off Costa Brava). You can email me at vkalia at diveindia dot com, if you like, as well.

Vandit

 

[Bruciebabe]

Hello! My name is Maureen, and I'm from New York.

I am actually not a diver. I write books for young adults, and diving will play a prominent role in my next story. I am trying to plan a fictional dive for a wreck off the coast of Spain, and am in despirate need of help. I have all kinds of questions, general and specific. I can rattle them off to anyone who'd care to take a shot!

Any help for a total, total newbie (as total as it gets!) would be appriciated!

Thanks!

I've been diving regularly in Menorca for the last 8 years.
Excellent caverns/caves.
The Spanish have put the Med through a fine sieve so there isn't much fish life.
PM me any questions.

 

[SGT_Rock]

Hi! I lived in Lanzarote (Spanish Canary Islands) from Feb 2004-Jan 2005 and dove the area. Ask whatever you like and I will do my best to answer anything about the area if it is appropriate.

 

[ScorpioSphinx]

Hi, I live in Spain - Costa Blanca, halfway between Valencia and Alicante on the Med coast. I'm English, but have lived in Spain for ten years, and I learnt to dive here, and am diving most weekends. I'd be happy to help with answering any questions - diving related or Spain related.

 

[**ping**]

Hmm... Wreck diving is a bit difficult since a lot of wrecks (specifically WWII wrecks) are in or around the Straits of Gibraltar (or directly off Gibraltar)... the current there makes diving a bit of a risky pastime... definitely not something for kids.

If you go further North on the Mediterranean side, you will have a myriad beautiful divesites on the Costa Brava, specifically the Medas group and North towards Escala.

 

[mmjnyc]

Thank you for all of the offers of help! My questions are unfocused, as I'm just getting into the subject. One specific area I'm trying to understand . . . if someone was looking for a specific wreck (and perhaps you do?), and had only a general idea of where it might be, how might they organize a search?

And about how deep is the water off the coast of Spain. My very, very, very basic understanding is that you're not supposed to go much deeper than 170-200 feet. Am I completely off here?

Thank you again! It is great to find such an enthusiastic community! It almost makes me want to learn to dive! (Only my fear of deep, scary water prevents me!)

 

[String]

Depends what type of wreck and what you know. Shore based research in libraries, record offices to find approximate location, look at the maritime charts. Talk to locals especially fishermen to see if theyre nets have snagged on anything- these are usually very good at finding you wrecks.

Failing that the full hog with proton magnetometer and side scan sonar covering a search grid.

If its an older wreck or wooden wreck chances are its nearly totally disintegrated and all thats left are metal clips, fittings and in some cases cannons etc.

As for water depth, it depends where and how far, in some places it gets deep quite quickly. Generally >140ft or so and you need a fair bit of specialised equipment. Anywhere below 200ft and you're talking extreme diving with huge amounts of training and kit along with surface support/logistics. Deeper than that...Hire an ROV.

 

[mozamli]

i suppose that kids would never go more than 18 meters or so. how young are your adults? basic recreational diving (open water course by PADI) is limited to 18 meters (18 meter = 59.055 118 11 feet).
feel free to ask.
funny thing to find in a thread, really.