Other Sea Info

WHAT IS THERE TO SEE?
With its crystal clear waters and astonishing sea life the South West of Crete offers some of the best snorkelling and diving opportunities on the island. You may see beautiful rock formations, underwater caves, corals, tubeworms, sponges and plants, starfish, octopus, squid, cuttlefish, lobster, crabs, moray eel, conger eel and a variety of fish. Many of them vary with the seasons. Some of them are dusky grouper, scorpion fish, needlefish, seabass, salema, parrotfish, amberjack, breams, mullets, sole, comber, atlantic torpedo ray and many, many more... Although more rarely spotted, you may even see a sea turtle.

DIVE SITES
We’re using a wide range of high quality dive sites, so you will not get bored should you choose to dive more than once with us! Where we choose to take you may depend on how experienced you are, but even more so on the weather, as Paleochora is famous for its temperamental winds.

USEFUL INFORMATION FOR THE DAY OF YOUR DIVE OR SNORKELING TOUR
You will need to clear your calendar for at least 3 hours. We will come and transfer you from your hotel. We do our best to be punctual, but due to the nature of our business appointments sometimes run late. So keep your phone with you and we promise to contact you should we be delayed!

Remember that it is necessary to wait at least 24 hours to go scuba diving after or prior to any airplane flight.

Make sure you are hydrated! This is especially important if you are diving with us. On your dive you will breathe compressed air, which does not contain any water. That means that the body will use a lot of its own water. So drink, drink, drink lots of water and stay clear of heavy benders the night before!
Remember to bring swimwear, a towel and any certification you may have with you!

On All Day Snorkeling tours we recommend you to bring sunscreen, extra cash and anything else you might need on that day. We will have soft drinks and sandwiches on board but may also stop for lunch at a beach canteen, where meals can be purchased. Do not bring clothing or other items sensitive to water, e.g. non waterproof cameras or cell phones.

For recommendations on what to bring on your trek check out the trekking section!

WHO CAN COME SCUBA DIVING / SNORKELING / FREEDIVING WITH US?
We recommend that you can swim at least 100 meters. If you due to a medical condition are unsure if an underwater environment or any of our activities could be dangerous to your health, we strongly advise you to consult your doctor for a professional opinion before booking your appointment with us. Should you be under the age of 18 you will need written permission from a legal guardian.

FRIENDLY TIPS & ADVICE FOR SWIMMERS & SNORKELERS
If you want to see fish, try swimming slowly in rocky areas. Bring some bread with you and feed the fish! Some good places in Paleochora for this are e.g. Methexis beach and the rocks in Pachia Ammos (either close to Castello snack bar or the canteen at the far east side of the beach).
Always practice caution when swimming in an unknown place. Even though many foreign travel agents tell their clients that there are no underwater currents around Crete, mild to strong currents frequently occur along the coast.
If you are heading out a longer distance away from shore than the average swimmer, always bring a buddy and a buoy mark. Watch out for boats and jet skis (that may not see you) and beware that there can be fishing nets and long fishing lines at unexpected places in the sea. Avoid touching or agitating sea life. Should you get stung by a poisonous fish try to keep the wounded area in hot water (as hot as you feel comfortable with) to lesser the effect of the poison until help arrives.
When choosing a snorkelling tour operator, we strongly advice you only to use the dive centres’ service. They are professionally qualified to assist you should anything at all go wrong out at sea.