Everyone knows that Valletta is a top tourist location for culture, history, restaurants and nightlife. Yet, a very obvious first class attraction is often overlooked: Valletta is literally surrounded by the beautiful blue Mediterrranean sea. The Valletta including some provides A few minutes down the road from Carafa Valletta Residence one finds the secluded St. Elmo Bay. This lies on the south side of the entrance to Marsamxett harbour, below the majestic bastion walls. Besides being a unique swimming site, it is also a popular diving site in Malta due to the ship wreck HMS Maori, a British Destroyer which was sunk in WWII.
The sheltered position and depth of St. Elmo Bay make it an ideal spot for easy dives and training purposes for beginners, although it also offers fascinating attractions for the more seasoned diver looking for alternative diving sites in Malta. The Maori lies at a depth of 14m, and it is possible to swim the full length in favourable conditions. There are still plenty of original features to be found on the wreck, including the brass base of the front gun and the upper deck structure. Marine life here is bountiful, with small morays, cuttlefish, red mullet, scorpion fish, flatfish, blue neons and occasionally large shoals of salema fish. Also night diving this site is likely to bring you little commensal anemones and hermit crabs.
More experienced divers may be interested to explore the main reef, where within 3 minutes from the water’s edge you can reach a depth of 12m with a drop off to 20m. This site is a place to explore with many gullies and boulders to rummage. It has a wide array of life including, moray octopus, red groupers, damselfish and shoals of salema fish.
If you are interested in diving in Malta, always seek the professional advice and assistance of licenced diving instructors who are familiar with the area. One of the most reputable diving schools which knows St. Elmo Bay very well is Lagoon Dive Centre Malta. Check out their website www.lagoon-divecenter.com for more information.
