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.
ExcellentBased on 317 reviews
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Brigitte SSuper organized diving center with great equipment and varied diving spots This year I went diving on Gozo. As I was looking online for a diving center that offers diving to the "Tuna Farm", I came across Gozo Dive St. Andrews, which turned out to be a great find. I was able to clarify everything in advance by email, so all the paperwork was already done when I arrived. Well organized and very friendly. I was looked after by Anthony, who chose the right equipment for me with me. Everything was very new and well maintained :-) As it wasn't that busy yet, there was only one other diver in our group. Anthony gave us good information about the spot and we went straight across the street into the water. Everything was very relaxed. As we realized on the second day of diving that my qualifications were not sufficient for the spot, Anthony and Lean immediately looked for options. They offered me the "deep diving" course so that I would no longer be restricted in the future. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time for this course this time. Even during the trip across the island to the spots, Anthony gave us interesting details about the island. Thanks again for the all-round support :-) I will definitely come back to Gozo and my choice will again be "Gozo Dive St. Andrews".Verified
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 💝Verified
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.Verified
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!Verified
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 🤗💚Verified
SandraGreat Great ! Very well organized club, attentive, multilingual. For a stay with 10 dives, the objective has always been to introduce us to new sites each time. A special mention for Simon, who was our guide, and who is great.Verified
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 goVerified
Olivier LBeautiful diving holidays For a first in Gozo, a perfect success... Very professional center, both in terms of well-structured dives and safety, both in terms of magnificent sites, both in terms of pleasant and really available supervisors as well as the organization of transfers and accommodation. A truly relaxed vacation, to be repeated without a doubt.Verified
Laetitia WTo do Great instructors, very professional and caring. A good pre-dive brief, a good debrief, excellent advice. Thank you ! However, be careful, this is not clear, you cannot share a diving pack with several people. Prices are per person! So 3 people doing a dive the price is 3 times a dive... Too bad 😢Verified
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
ExcellentBased on 186 reviews
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Graham DawsonHad a great time diving at Gozo Dive St Andrews. First dive in 20 years and Erika put me right at ease. Great value for money for a 1-1 session. Would recommend to anyone. Thank you again.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Sakshi SareenDid my first beginners scuba dive today at Gozo drive -st Andrews. It's a scintillating experience to say the least. The staff is very accommodating and are the instructors. Beginners dive is basic and good if you wanna start. But if you have done a dive before considering a beginner dive with dad instructions could be better.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Add Koti1Great experience with the best instructor Erica. Make sure to ask for her as she speaks English and Italian.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Emin KurtiIt was such a great experience diving with air tanks as the first time. Our instructor Erica helped a lot. She speaks English and Italian so it made things easier for us. When you go to the place, ask for Erica as she will make your experience better.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
laurent salviFait mon baptême de plongée avec Stéphan , beaucoup de gentillesse et de bienveillance de sa part, une très bonne équipe très pro sur l'ensemble,je recommande vivement.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Richard CollinsHad an absolutely fantastic time Anthony really looked after me and my daughter on our Try Dive. Would really recommend, all the staff are very friendly and helpful we will definitely be back. Thanks all.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
KasperAwesome dive center! Great fast communication, well equipped with a wide variety of courses and specialties. Special thank you to Jacques for teaching me the RAID Deep 40 and Nitrox. Congrats on your 30th and you were right about Burgers.Ink!Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Mark VassalloGreat dive for a rusty diver like myself and my girlfriend. Xlendi bay and the adjacent tunnel seem ideal for this. Jack, our instructor was very patient and we felt in good hands all the way, which is what we wanted.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Fränze Svarre-LindnerFantastic diving experience for me and my boyfriend who were a little rusty. Jack, the instructor made us feel safe the whole dive without being too concerned and letting us experience xlendi bay and the underwater tunnel. Also have to mention service was 5/5 😊Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Keith TandyThe team was great to work with! Very professional, adaptable and flexible. I provided a few preferred dives and a small window of opportunity. As we closed in on the date, both the dive shop and I had to move things around. In the end, they provided my top two locations, had perfectly sized gear from head to foot (I'm quite tall), provided a great instructor (thanks Jaques), and we had a seamless day with a bonus of almost unlimited visibility (40 M+). To top it off, back at the dive shop, we lunched right around the corner in a nice seafront cove restaurant at the Moby, their recommendation.
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