Open Water Courses
Santa Pola attracts divers year round due to its temperate climate, although the high season is considered to be from May until October. It rarely rains, and the wettest months are September and October. The average air temperature varies from 12-26C/54-79F. The average sea temperature is 14C/57F in January and 25C/77F in August. Visibility varies from 10-30m/33-98ft.
What to see
The waters surrounding this island are protected by a national marine reserve, so there are lots of marine species and Neptune seagrass (poseidonica oceanica). Divers can spot many different examples of marine life, such as octopi, stingrays, barracudas, salema, various varieties of bream, wrasses, nudibranchs, morays, flying gurnards, and many other fish.
There are lots of sites worth visiting in the area around Santa Pola. Some of the best sites are Los Arcos, Cueva del Elefante, Moraig Cave. Further north are Bajo de Dentro, the Naranjito (aka Isla Gomera), Carbonero wreck (SS Lilla), and Bajo de Fuera (aka Piedra de Vapor).
Santa Pola is a coastal town situated in the comarca of Baix Vinalopó in the Valencian Community by the Mediterranean Sea. It is located only about 20km/12mi from the Alicante Airport. The town was already known during Roman times and a castle (built in the 16th century) marked the repopulation of Santa Pola. Nowadays Santa Pola is a fishing and tourist town. It is best known for the Salt Marshes Nature Reserve, a fortress castle, the Virgen de Loreto Chapel, a variety of cultural and archeological museums, and a Municipal Aquarium. It has a modern marina and some 13km/8mi of coastline, where tourists can enjoy water activities and scuba diving as well. There are shore and boat diving sites in the area for beginners and more experienced divers alike. At the nearby dive sites, it is possible to explore different types of dives: wrecks, caves, sandy bottoms, rock formations, and swim-throughs. Divers can take an interesting boat trip to the Island of Tabarca.