After asking in the hotel about diving.I had been introduced to Tuncay.A well built and friendly ex Turkish special forces,who had just opened his own dive school.So he had all brand new shiny equipment.We had agreed to dive early the following morning,meeting at the the outside pool.
Starting off with a dive into the March Winter cold pool.One way to wake up!Then performing all the regular pre dive checks.I even left on a pair of socks,when I got kitted up as he had recommended due to the cold water.
We strode off down the beach to the waters edge.Fins on and entering in backwards,a short way.Then turning with face mask on and regulator in,swimming straight into the light surf.Gradually sinking as the beach sloped down between the rocky reefs.Practicing controlling my buoyancy with my breath.
We paused next to one of the reefs,as he pointed out an Octopus hiding in a crevice.Finally noticing its bulging eye staring out at me.Then he picked up a clam,what the Octopus was probably waiting for.Showing it to me and then handing it to me.Ooh!That's nice!But with one powerful pulse,off it went.D'oh!
Continuing on and floating over a deep drop,before the next hill.We then descended to the deepest part of the dive at 13 metres.When I started gasping for air.It was getting harder and harder to breath the cold dry air.Fortunately I had a good buddy.He looked back at me,noticing that something was up.After seeing me give the out of air signal.Immediately came over,giving me his spare regulator.While checking on mine.There was plenty of air!After fiddling with it,air started flowing again.Plonking it back in,checking I was and everything okay.We continued on.
After swimming around for awhile,noticing all the little fishes darting around.He suddenly grabbed hold of me,and looked down.What the hell was going on?Something beneath us?While at the same time we were ascending,until finally breaking the surface.My weight belt had fallen off!He went back for it,while I bobbed about.Even my wife had spotted us,wondering what was going on,while having a drink on the hotels terrace.
He arrived back.Not with the belt but a boulder.For me to hold onto,helping to weigh me down.So we could head back,while still underwater.Then once again my air supply started to falter.He was right next to me,so quickly checked and fiddled with it.It started flowing again.So we decided to go for a more direct route back over the rocky reef,with my boulder in hand.
Finally reaching the beach,but leaving the boulder behind.Bloody hell!It was heavy.I couldn't even carry it out of the water.We then trundled back up the beach to the Hotel.
This had definitely been an interesting 1st dive after passing my Padi Open water course.
Our Hotel was the Palm Beach Hotel,an Art deco affair.Which was in Famagusta,on the Turkish part of Cyprus.Right next to the border.Literally here,a barbed wire fence cut along the beach,continuing on into the sea.Just a few 100 metres away from the Hotel.On the other side of the fence 'Varosha'.A ghost(resort)town.An entire long sweeping sandy Hotel lined beach.Out of reach!Not a single soul,apart from a few Turkish officers and patrolling soldiers.While even on this side,we were also next to disused Hotels and apartment blocks.
The best travel guide on North Cyprus I found was from Bradt.As for background reading on Cyprus as a whole you can't beat Lawrence Durrell's 'Bitter Lemons of Cyprus'.
Famagusta-history of a 'prince of walled cities'
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