Diving in Crimea

Diving in Crimea

Tourist diving in the Crimea originated in the 80s of the last century. Interest in diving here was formed due to the abundance of grottoes and flooded caves in the rocky shores. The history of navigation contributed to the diversity of dive spots in the region, leaving unique monuments on the seabed in the form of the remains of ships. The popularization of diving was facilitated by man-made underwater expositions organized by enthusiasts in bays protected from storms. Fans of man-made labyrinths are traditionally attracted by the "thickets" of abandoned metal structures in Port harbors.

Diving in the Crimea, of course, can not be compared with diving in the waters of Egypt, Thailand and other southern countries: the conditions and diversity of underwater life here are much more modest. Do not expect to see here beautiful colorful fish, corals, exotic underwater creatures. Diving in the Crimea is primarily a hunt for underwater artifacts, and the underwater living world here will be almost not interesting, especially for experienced divers.

Nevertheless, a significant part of the Crimean coast is located in a zone with a moderately warm climate, and the southern coast of Crimea (YBK) belongs to the subtropics of the Mediterranean type. The landscape of the shelf is decorated with hundreds of species of planktonic and benthic algae. The basis of the vegetation cover of the bottom is cystozyra bearded, almost everywhere spherical cladophora and purplish with calcareous skeletons are common. In secluded bays, you can often observe underwater meadows of flowering Zostera (sea grass), and in August you can enjoy the luminescent glow of Night Lights. On the continental shelf there are about two thousand representatives of invertebrates, more than 180 species of fish. In addition, flocks of marine mammals often swim up to the coast of Crimea. Among them there are white-bellied seals, white-bellied Dolphins and Black Sea bottlenose dolphins.

Diving prices

Training of beginners and diving of certified divers are organized in the Crimea by numerous dive centers. They are mainly located in large resorts. The largest number of diving clubs, licensed schools is represented in Olenevka (Tarkhankut Peninsula) and Sevastopol. A training course on the programs of international systems PADI and NDL with the issuance of a passport of international standard will cost at least 12 thousand rubles.

The cost of diving in the Crimea for certified divers from the shore starts from 2 thousand rubles, and for diving for 25-30 minutes from a boat, for example, in Balaklava Bay you will have to pay 3 thousand rubles. The night rate is traditionally one and a half times higher. Payment does not include the price of transfer to the port. Professionals in the Centers offer deep-sea descents (up to 40 m). In particular, the rec accompanied by a guide to the steamer "Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich", taking into account the rental of a boat, costs 5 thousand rubles per person.

Rates for beginners increase significantly:

• diving with an instructor to a depth of 12 meters – 2700 rubles;
• diving with children 8-10 years in shallow water (up to 3 meters) - 3000 rubles.

Thus, the price of underwater entertainment in the Crimea is low. It is much lower than in Egypt or Thailand. But it is worth recognizing that the entertainment of diving in the Black Sea, as in the resorts of Turkey, is seriously inferior to warm seas with coral reefs.

Dive sites

There are diving centers in almost every popular resort of Crimea, with the exception of, perhaps, the tiniest resorts and villages. Therefore, beginners can perform a test dive anywhere. Well, where there are no dive centers, dive excursions are offered, and you can buy them almost anywhere on the coast of the peninsula. If you are an experienced diver, then you, of course, need more interesting spots.

Spots on the southwestern coast of Tarkhankut are a kind of Mecca in the Crimea for lovers of scuba diving. Tourists who want to enjoy the fascinating dive sites of the peninsula stay in the boarding houses of the village of Olenevka, famous for the golden sands of its beaches, or in nearby Yevpatoria. The distance from the resort town to the dive sites by car is overcome in just 1.5 hours. The most famous sites in the specified water area of the Crimea are:

• "Alley of leaders" - underwater museum with alleys furnished with sculptures of Bolsheviks, composers and writers
• famous legends grotto "cup of love"
• cone grotto bottle (Monastery)
• The Sunken transport ship "Volga-Don"

Thanks to the picturesque underwater places, the surroundings of Cape Aya near Balaklava are also interesting for diving fans. During the dives here it is easy to meet a mustachioed Sultan, a striped smarid, a stingray or a Black Sea Ruff (scarpen). Among the attractions of the Bay are the cave cornice, the piercing Rock Fig, the phantasmagoric niches of the Ushakov wall, the grotto of holiness. A miniature exhibition of anchors of various historical eras is presented on the man-made site. The list of budget diving slots recommended for guests of Sevastopol also includes Kazachya and Omega bays, Cape Chersonesos.

The resorts of the Southern Federal District boast their own diving sites, so vacationers on the coast from Alupka to Sudak do not need to go far for diving. In the Green Bay (Novy Svet) at a depth of 10 meters there is an exposition made up of pirate schooners. The Centers in Alushta will offer to see the professor's corner with a monument to the oceanologist Cousteau, in Gurzuf-the Twin Rocks of Adalary, in Yalta – Cape AI-Todor, the rocks of camels, the coaster. Diving at Cape Meganom, which protrudes far into the open sea between Sudak and Feodosia, will arouse interest. In this water area there are a lot of stone crabs, rapans, originally brought from the sea of Japan, and radiant ophiura, vaguely resembling starfish. On the Kerch Peninsula for diving it is recommended to go to the flooded ancient settlement of Acre.