{"id":536,"date":"2017-04-01T18:16:18","date_gmt":"2017-04-01T17:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.josephcaruana.co.uk\/diving\/?p=536"},"modified":"2017-04-03T21:02:24","modified_gmt":"2017-04-03T20:02:24","slug":"technical-dive-at-reqqa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.josephcaruana.co.uk\/diving\/2017\/04\/01\/technical-dive-at-reqqa\/","title":{"rendered":"Technical Dive at Reqqa"},"content":{"rendered":"

Another Saturday has come around, and therefore, another dive. \u00a0With a South wind blowing, we chose to do this morning’s technical dive at Reqqa (a site in the North of Gozo).<\/p>\n

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Reqqa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We planned a maximum depth of 55m and used\u00a0a 50% O2 mix for our decompression gas. \u00a0After placing the stages close to our entry point, we kitted up in pleasantly warm temperatures and jumped into the inviting blue. \u00a0I actually thought I would not have any pictures to show from this dive, as the GoPro housing I’m currently using is rated to 40m (so I did not take it with me for this deeper dive). \u00a0However, my\u00a0fantastic dive buddy, Brian, from Atlantis Diving Centre<\/a>\u00a0brought along his Braun Master which is rated for up to 100m. \u00a0All underwater\u00a0pictures from this dive have been snapped by Brian,\u00a0with a quick colour-correction & sharpening\u00a0edit by myself.<\/p>\n

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Yours truly… for once without a camera!\u00a0(Image: Brian Azzopardi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As we\u00a0made our descent I couldn’t help but admire the beauty of the wall to our side, dropping\u00a0into the darker blues of the depths below us. \u00a0And looking behind us, the silhouetted\u00a0view\u00a0of Reqqa’s pinnacle receding into the distance as the light grew ever fainter was a sight to behold. \u00a0Fish darted around as we made our way to deeper waters.<\/p>\n

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The Pinnacle at Reqqa (Image: Brian Azzopardi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We then came across this ghostly creature. \u00a0We also saw\u00a0some nice Dentex at depth.<\/p>\n

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Ghosts of the deep. (Image: Brian Azzopardi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When our bottom time was up, we proceeded to a shallower level, being greeted by wonderful schools of fish dancing around.<\/p>\n

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Fish glimmering in sunlight. (Image: Brian Azzopardi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Upon reaching the 21m mark, we could safely switch to our decompression gas.<\/p>\n

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Switching to our deco gas.\u00a0(Image: Brian Azzopardi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Decompression is never boring when you have the majesty of underwater cliffs to explore.<\/p>\n

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Finning by\u00a0the wall at Reqqa.\u00a0(Image: Brian Azzopardi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here’s another angle of the wall, with fish dancing\u00a0underneath a cliff-hang.<\/p>\n

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Silhouetted fish underneath a cliff drop. \u00a0(Image: Brian Azzopardi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As if to entertain us while completing our decompression, a school of Salema came close by, busily scurrying around in pools of ever-brightening light.<\/p>\n

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A\u00a0school of Salemas going about\u00a0with their business. (Image: Brian Azzopardi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We then ascended to our next decompression stop, always surrounded by stunning rock formations and beautiful shafts of sunlight.<\/p>\n

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Some of the shallow-water scenery of Reqqa. (Image: Brian Azzopardi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But the dive wasn’t over yet. \u00a0Once again, we were very lucky to encounter the rare jelly\u00a0Aequorea victoria<\/em>. \u00a0That’s twice in a week, in two completely different sites!<\/p>\n

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Aequorea victoria<\/em> (Image: Brian Azzopardi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Having completed the final decompression stop, I hovered by the exit ladder for an additional safety stop of 3mins.<\/p>\n

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Completing the final decompression stop\u00a0(Image: Brian Azzopardi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When all was done, it was time to make our way out of the water using the newly-reinstalled ladder.<\/p>\n

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Proceeding\u00a0to the ladder. (Image: Brian Azzopardi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It’s always nice to be welcomed by warm sunlight when you emerge from underwater!<\/p>\n

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The trusty Atlantis Landy waiting for us in the sun.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here goes a screenshot of the dive profile\u00a0as recorded by\u00a0the Shearwater Petrel 2 dive computer (black line=dive profile, red=decompression ceiling).<\/p>\n

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The dive profile (black line).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a bonus,\u00a0here’s a very quick edit I did of the footage that Brian obtained during this dive:<\/p>\n