Cirkewwa is Malta’s most popular dive site. It is accessible from the shore just near the Cirkewwa ferry terminal. Gozo based dive shops usually go there by boat and anchor on the Cirkewwa reef. First level divers can enjoy diving on the reef itself. It is shallow, has a swim through, a small drop-off and the famous Cirkewwa arch which is essentially a small cavern with no ceiling. The water is usually very clear, the rock formation on the reef is spectacular and the marine life abundant. The MV Rożi wreck lies west of the reef and is only for more qualified divers.
The M.V. Rożi lies at a depth of 36 metres close to the Cirkewwa arch and reef. It is the wreck of an old 40m British tug boat that was built in Bristol in 1958. It was originally named Rossmore, then Rossgarth before being sold to Tug Malta in 1981.
The Rożi is well-established wreck since it was decommissioned and scuttled in 1992. In an effort to make it safer and more diver-friendly, the engines, doors and hatches were removed before the scuttling operation. It was initially scuttled as an underwater attraction for tourists on submarine tours that no longer operate. This wonderful little tug boat continues to sit perfectly upright on a sandy bottom, stern to the sloped rocky reef. The ship is now well colonised and all areas of the superstructure and bridge are accessible to divers. The deck and rails support a healthy growth of sea firs and hydroids. Different species of colourful nudibranchs can often be seen on this wreck. Photographers will enjoy macro photography, but the wreck is especially scenic for wide angle wreck shots.
The Cirkewwa reef lies north of the ferry breakwater and the Rożi wreck about 150 metres North West from the shore. In summer a buoy marks the wreck and this facilitates access. Our dive boat DIVEMANIA drops divers near the buoy and they just follow down the buoy’s chain straight to the wreck. The boat is then moved and anchored on the shallow reef. This is especially handy on days when the current is strong.
Suitably qualified divers are usually dropped near the buoa that takes them down to the Rozi wreck. They then have enough time to circle the wreck two or three times exploring the hull on the sandy bottom, the superstructure and the bridge. The view of the bow is spectacular. Divers also visit the engine room that is now full of rocks. The view of the stern and the rudder is also extremely scenic.
Shoals of Amberjack (Seriola dumerili) and Bonito Tunas (Sarda sarda) are often seen swimming at high speed hunting smaller fish around the wreck while larger fish like Barracuda and Dentex are often spotted hunting between the wreck and the Cirkewwa reef. Shoals of Damselfish, Chromis, Bream and Sand smelt are also often seen here while large anemones (Condylactis auratica) grow on the flat sandy seabed around the wreck.
When the time is up, divers leave the stern and climb eastward on the rocky slope towards the arch, passing over a small valley covered in Posidonia. This is a small caved in cavern that forms an arch and is covered in colourful corallites, sponges and anemones. It is quite common to see Barracuda, Dentex or Amberjack hunting in this area. From the top of the arch at fourteen metres divers follow the sloped reef upward and southward to the five metre plateau where the boat will be waiting for them. The last minutes of the dive are spent enjoying the marine biodiversity in and around the many cracks and crevasses on this shallow colourful reef.
The Cirkewwa Reef is also an excellent reef for snorkelers of all levels but snorkelling on the Rożi wreck is limited to experienced more proficient snorkelers.
thel6710/10 for Gozo Dive Second time with St Andrews. Fab instructor Ericka for my OW course, learned loads & went on further dive with Simon, hugely informative. Sites were amazing, what an island under & over water. Mark, Natalie & staff very welcoming, & organised our transfers, accommodation & gave suggestions. Very impressive team, working hard to cover everything & ensure safety. 10/10. Thanks Gozo Dive 💝
Erik SSt Andrew’s dive shop, Gozo Amazing dive shop! Martin made our week dive experience. Easy to work with and very accommodating. Recommended for diver with experience. My group is all advanced open water and Nitrox certified with no need for dive guide. Very knowledgeable about conditions and very accurate daily dive site recommendations.
Rory KIncredible people and excellent place to learn I did my Advanced Open Water padi course with St. Andrew’s Divers Cove the experience was exceptional. my instructor Simon is one of the best instructor I’ve had, friendly, excellent knowledge and amazing instructor. Simon has made me better and a more confident diver through conducting the padi course in a knowledge able and entertaining way!thel67Comes with Free bananas 😂😎 New to this dive school - happy customers. Well experienced staff, confident, informative, attentive & fun. Owner presence & oversight ensures well run system & quality delivery with good vfm. Thanks for the fun days out, til next time 🤗💚
SandraSuper Super ! Club très bien organisé, à l'écoute, polyglotte. Pour un séjour avec 10 plongées, l'objectif a toujours été de nous faire découvrir à chaque fois de nouveaux sites. Une mention spéciale pour Simon, qui a été notre guide, et qui est extra.
chris gSt andews dive shop gozo As a diver I have always known of this dive shop in Gozo and have had air fills from there . On a recent holiday we visited Gozo and my friends car who keeps his car in malta to use on holiday/ diving trips broke down with a broken clutch cable . I suggested we go to see Mark at St Andews dive shop to see if he could recommend a good mechanic . Well to cut a long story short Mark the governor was so helpful he arranged his mechanic to fix the problem and the car was fixed within four hours . We were delighted as we were only on gozo for one day and were due to fly out a few days later so thankyou Mark and his mechanics !! On my many visits to Gozo the St andrews dive shop is always busy and customer friendly . If your planning a diving trip give that diving shop a go
Olivier LBelles vacances plongée Pour une première à Gozo, réussite parfaite... Centre très pro,tant au niveau des plongées bien cadrées et sécurité,tant au niveau des sites magnifiques, tant au niveau encadrants agréables et vraiment disponibles ainsi qu'à l'orga des transferts et hébergements. De vrais vacances détendue, à renouveler sans aucun doute.
Laetitia WA faire Super moniteurs, très pro et bienveillants. Un bon bref de pré plongée, un bon débrief, d'excellents conseils. Merci à vous ! En revanche attention ce n'est pas clair, vous ne pouvez pas partager un pack plongée à plusieurs. Les prix sont par personnes ! Donc 3 personnes qui font une plongée le prix est de 3 fois une plongée... Dommage 😢
EvercuriosGreat days diving We had the best refresher day with st Andrew’s dive centre. We hadn’t dived for 15 years or more and we eeee a little apprehensive but that evaporated very quickly. We were set up so just the two of us went out with our dive master Erika in xlendi bay. She really helped us to feel comfortable and in control and we had full faith in her. She obviously new the bay well and gave us a beautiful experience pointing out various fish and squid then ultimately taking us through the ledge. She went above and beyond by taking many great photos of us diving and the things we saw which she sent to us as a memento. Mark in the office was reliable and well organised and all the team were super friendly. Really recommend
Damian MDive & tour with Gozo’s most experienced and best! My wife and I booked a private boat tour and scuba dive with Mark Busuttil, the owner of St Andrew’s Divers Cove, Xlendi, on the island of Gozo, Malta. What a fantastic day we had. Nothing was too hard for Mark. He is an excellent boat skipper, amazing tour guide and superb dive master. Mark took us to the best sites around Gozo and Comino, steered me through an amazing cave dive, and showed us why these islands are so popular with tourists from all over the world. Thank you Mark! We loved our day with you. Regards, Damian and Michelle.
thelma bleheinCompleted OWD with Erica & follow up dive with Simon. Really positive experience with GozoDive overall. Instructors were clear, with good briefing prior to each session- learned loads with ease & look forward to learning more. Would definitely recommend this dive centre, well organised, confident in their focus on safety, and good range of dive locations in what I saw. Mark Busuttil and team in the office were always cheerful, happy to help with any dive related, advice, as well info on locality. Transfers to/from airport, snorkelling for others in our group, accommodation all arranged seamlessly. This was my second time with Gozo Dive & will no doubt be back again. All in all a very enjoyable positive experience- a breath of fresh air !
Theunis vanAardtFrom the beginning of planning this trip for a group of 8 people, the people at St Andrews was wonderful. Helping with arrangements to get from airport and back. Giving good instructions for where to dive (we were there in March so windy days) and helping individuals with gear. I cannot stress how much I will recommend this store to anyone that plans to dive Gozo. Special thanks to Charlayne and Mark. We loved every dive - and the organization within the store (tanks and gear room) was brilliant! They would be the first name on my list for any future Gozo trips. Sadly I cannot give more stars and sadly we had to leave......
Matteo BizzottoIn school, a teacher can make you love or hate a subject. For me, the same was for diving. Dawn was such a great instructor, she made me fall in love with diving from the very first lesson. Professional and knowledgeable, she made me feel totally safe even before I stepped into the water, and all the time after. But being honest, the whole team at St. Andrew’s gave a very welcoming and family-like feeling, all very communicative and helpful. I recommend this place hands off!
Félicien PageUne première expérience absolument unique ! Une baie magnifique, des instructeurs très sympas et professionnels ! :)
David ApplebyBeen using St Andrew's for years now including when I was living in Malta. Mark and the team are always fantastic, always happy to help, and, free with their advice. Genuinely first class dive operation.
Taylor GloverSuch an incredible experience with Mark from the beginning. He was so personable and experienced with the weather and equipment advice that he provided. We were visitors from Australia who wanted to snorkel in the winter and the company were brilliant. Highly recommend!
Lillian NelsonHad an amazing experience with St Andrew’s Dive Cove! We wanted to snorkel in winter in Gozo, and these guys really looked after us. Checked the weather forecast, advised on best dive spots, fitted us out with gear (lots of sizes for wetsuits). Kind, organised, professional and very affordable. Definitely recommend!!
MarcelI rented equipment here for snorkeling in Xlendi Bay. I found it very inexpensive and the equipment was fine for me. The people in the shop were very helpful and helped me get into the warming neoprene suit.
Armelle DuvieusartWe had a wonderful experience diving with Charles the first week of January! Great guide and equipment, the whole team at the dive shop were lovely, helpful and interesting 🐙
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