Life in the Mediterranean - Post Scuba Pics Here!

[Tigermoth]

This was started in the "Beaches and Sunsets" thread, but I figured (and db suggested, although for another reason) it would be better for its own thread, especially since it's likely to get picture-heavy.

I live on an island in the Mediterranean. I came out here for work a couple years ago. It's a fascinating place, although it feels a bit small and crowded sometimes. The oldest man-made structures in the world are scattered around the main island and one of the smaller islands. This is Ggantija, a temple built around 3400 BC:


Some of the local landscapes are just jaw-droppingly beautiful.




These photos were taken one after the other. Looking one way, you see the first. Looking behind you, you see the second.

This is what almost all the streets on the island look like:


It's not all beautiful. Pollution's a big problem (the air is just rank sometimes), the streets are crowded with old cars (I even see Yugos sometimes), and the beaches and sea are littered with the locals' trash. It's sad that most of the pollution problems are caused by the locals, who do not seem to realize what a gem they live on. Still, they haven't sunk the place yet, although they're trying. The biggest export is limestone, which the island is composed of. They're literally selling the island, bit by bit, to foreign builders.

I work a lot, but when I'm not in the office, I try to be in the water. I started scuba diving a long time ago, and always meant to get back into it, so last winter, I finally did.

The pictures below were taken by a friend and diving buddy. I'll start bringing my camera on dives this weekend, and then I'll be able to post my own, if anyone wants to see them.






I'd love to see diving pics from any scuba divers in The Lounge. Cool travel pics are also nice.

[JPinAZ]

Please tell me that last picture is a macro shot of a bristleworm (?) and not some 2 foot long freak as compared to the cuttlefish above it.

Nice pictures. I wish I had the ability to dive often instead of the once every 2 or 3 years I get to.

[Dominic]

nice post and pics...I need to start diving again....

[MrWookie]

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nice post and pics.

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[diebitter]

I [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] this one.

[Sniper]

Great pics L, definately share more...

[Fishwhenican]

Great stuff!
Thank You for Sharing.

[Tigermoth]

The bristleworm (I think it's actually a fireworm) is about 1 foot long, maybe a bit longer. You see them everywhere here. One almost landed on my head a couple weeks ago as I was exiting a wreck, but my diving buddy fortunately saw it in time and waved it away.

I love the underwater Jesus. Rumor goes that the pope ordered it sunk to bless/protect the divers. There's also a Madonna somewhere else, but I haven't seen it yet.

I'm looking forward to the dive tomorrow. I was hoping to get a night dive in tonight, but the water's too choppy.

Does anyone else have underwater photos?

[JPinAZ]

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The bristleworm (I think it's actually a fireworm) is about 1 foot long, maybe a bit longer.

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!!! I have a salt water tank there are a bunch of bristleworms in the rock & shells but they're all an inch or two long. I think if there were one a foot long it would eat my fish. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Sadly the only pics I've taken were with one of those cheap waterproof disposable cameras. The pictures came out pretty bad. FWIW, there's a photography forum over at www.scubaboard.com if you need some help/hints about taking pictures while diving.