I have spent my fair share of diving in the Canary Islands, and each time I have had a better time than the last. Fuerteventura may be a little less well-known than its sister islands Tenerife and Gran Canaria but trust me when I say there is plenty of reason to go! I actually ended up taking my Advanced Open Water Diver certification in Fuerteventura, and thought I would share with you all why diving in Fuerteventura should be on your list!
Learn more about diving in the Canary Islands here!
Easily Accessed Shore Dives
During my week of diving in Fuerteventura, I loved how easily accessible the ocean was. Just a short drive from the dive center, we had a vast array of dive sites to choose from; all accessible from the shore. Both my Deep Dive and Night Dive (my chosen specialty) were shore dives, and it made everything feel so easy and simple.
Good Visibility
The visibility on all of my dives was great, and I have since learned that the visibility in the area is usually around 30 metres, all year round! This makes for some epic dives, where you don’t have to worry about low visibility ruining your chances of exploring the underwater world.
Comfortable Temperatures
The water temperatures around the island are comfortable all year round. A temperature of 17-18 degrees Celsius (62-62 Fahrenheit) is common in the winter months, whilst the water temperature in the summer is usually around 23 degrees Celsius (73 degrees Fahrenheit). I went diving in February, in a 7mm wetsuit, and wasn’t cold at all!
Unique Experiences
I had to save this for last, but it is definitely the #1 reason you should go diving in Fuerteventura! During my night dive, I had an incredible and truly unique experience, that I’d never guess could have happened in the Canary Islands. In short, I saw the glowing bio plankton for the first time there – and had no idea they were a thing in Europe! During my Night Dive, my Dive Master and I sat down on the ocean floor for a bit. He motioned for me to relax and turn off my flashlight, so I did.
For a second we were immersed in complete darkness, before he started flapping his arms around like crazy, and signaling for me to do the same. All around us, in the water, blue sparks seemed to be coming alive and spiraling around as a reaction to our movement, and I swear I could have died happy right there. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one I never thought to have in Fuerteventura!
Ready for an adventure in Fuerteventura? Book your trip on PADI Travel.
