Diving Gran Canaria Diving - Sunset Divers Diving trips in Gran Canaria

Dives for qualified divers, groups, and clubs

We have made some changes to the way we dive with qualified divers. We now only take small groups (max. 3 per instructor) and we try to keep divers of the same experience together.

We find small groups give a safer, longer and more enjoyable day for all of us. Our days are a little more expensive than other centres, but we think the personal attention is worth it.

Groups and clubs are no problem. We team up with other centres with the same philosophy, so we can offer a varied dive holiday, with shore and boat dives in the south and the north. Coupled with our new accommodation contacts we can offer the complete package, just book your flights and we'll do the rest.

Arinaga or El Cabron Natural Reserve

This reserve is undoubtedly the best dive area on Gran Canaria, with around 6 different dives, for all levels of diver.

Discovery Bay or the "Aquarium" lives up to its name, you really expect someone to sprinkle fish food on the top or knock on the glass. It's a really safe dive with a maximum depth of around 16 metres, but with a large sandy area around 3m deep which is ideal for exercises, large rock formations and small caves, for beginners and divers seeking experience. It doesn't get any better than this!

The Channel leads to two chimneys which both are big enough to swim down, or we can go "over the top" and dive down to around 15m. From this point we have a choice of routes.
1. We can go right through a small valley and look up to a large shoal of barracuda, and often bump into large rays or angel shark, then join onto the Aquarium dive and take a leisurely dive back to the shallows, with a simple exit, max. depth 23m and sea life galore!
2. Turn left and we swim through a large arch with big trumpet fish and groupers then into a large cave and onto the stars of the show, the runcador, or in English "Bastard grunts" (got to be careful with that one!), a shoal of thousands of fish that will totally surround you, a fantastic photo opportunity.

The Bathtub, is the most popular entry point. Follow your instructor's instructions and it will be very easy, ignore him and it won't be! From the Bathtub turn left and work your way down to the deepest part of the reserve at around 30m and a piece of coral called a gorgonia. This is a deep dive and we like to do this dive as part of a package to assess ability and air consumption.

If we follow the edge of the table top we find a swim through that opens up the most popular part of the reserve, with a cave with a skylight, many shoals of fish, and leading to the runcadors. A world class dive!

Caleta

Manta Ray Bay, although around 75 minutes away, is a dive that can be worth the wait. Mantas used to visit this bay only at certain times of the year, usually August to October, however recently they have been spotted at all year round. I wrote this piece in February 2008 after diving with a 3 metre specimen this morning. Fantastic!

This dive site can be adversely affected by the weather, so it's best to take advantage when conditions are right. Entry and exit can be tricky and it's a long dive time, so we like to take divers to Caleta who have dived with us previously so that we can assess their ability and air consumption.

Sardina Norte

Maximum depth 18 metres, big caves, rock formations and manta-spotting

Boat Diving

Boat dives in the south

We can offer boat dives to all the popular dive sites in the south, Pasito Blanco reef, the artificial reef, El Pajar wreck, Arguinguin reef, and the Mogan wrecks. All these dives are between 14 and 22 metres deep, and generally harbour the same sea life, with rays, angel shark, barracuda, and large shoals of grunt and sea bream. Because this is the Atlantic, absolutely anything can turn up; I have dived with Hammerhead shark, Blue shark, large Turtles, and most members of the tuna family.

Boat dives in the North

With depths to 40 metres and subject to currents and swells, the boat dives in the north are a totally different experience from those in the south. They are strictly for advanced divers who have already dived with us so that we can assess ability and air consumption.

These dives can be testing, but the effort is far outweighed by the quality of the dives. There is a selection of wrecks and deep reefs and the fantastic Cathedral dive is truly world class. Unfortunately the weather is a major factor, and anything more than a light northerly wind can cause the day to be cancelled.