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Diving in Greece | Antiparos
Tourna Island reef
Antiparos, Greece

The Greek islands became known as a scuba diving destination when the government lifted an embargo a few years back. Previously, there was concern that divers might take any ancient artefacts they found. Some areas are still restricted but many of these islands now have dive centres.

Some say the Mediterranean is "fished out" and perhaps it is compared to destinations like the Red Sea. However, from the moment you drop below the surface, you see lots of small fish. There are hermit crabs, morays and octopus, even an occasional nudibranch. The topography is varied with rocky reefs, steep pinnacles and seagrass beds. There are excellent cave dives where you can ascend inside a chamber to see the stalactites.

Antiparos is also location of the MS Express Samina. This ferry went down in 2000 with the loss of 82 people but the vast majority were saved. The vessel now lies on it's side at 35 metres. You can penetrate a few areas and see a discarded lifeboat, rows of seats and the remains of a bathroom.

Antiparos dive photo gallery Scuba diving features

Marine Life octopus
moray eels

wrasse
Top dive site MS Express Samina
Seasons April to October
Visibility 10 – 20 metres
Water temperature 21 – 25º C
Deco chambers Athens
Flights from Athens to Paros (40 minutes) then transfer by bus and small ferry
Dive operators and accommodation Blue Island Divers and
Maria's Place

Antiparos and Santorini
INFORMATION Antiparos dive video
PROS and CONS
Greece is a short flight for anyone that lives in Europe and there are plenty of connections from further afield. Athens airiport is outside the city but internal flights to the islands are frequent. Inter-island ferries are less frequent so to reach small islands like Antiparos, you may need a stopover. All encompassing dive resorts don't exist, so you can choose your dive operator and accomodation seperately, although most dive shops work in tandem with a few hotels or guest houses.
SCUBA DIVING
Diving conditions around Antiparos were easy while we were there (early September) with no currents and good visibilty. At the end of the season, winds can be strong but the dive boats don't go out when they are. The water temperature required a 5mm wetsuit.
OPINION

Although our qualifying dives were done in Cyprus too many years ago to mention, we had no real expectations and were pleasantly surpised. The wreck was a real highlight and the marine topography was interesting. With more time and a better understanding of the local environment, we would have seen more. Greece is definitely on the list for a return visit!

Complete reports on this area are in
Diving the World.

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