At Santa Rosa, why not make your holiday that bit more special with an incredible diving experience?
The Canary Islands are famed for their wonderful waters and incredible marine life. Located off the north-western coast of Africa, the Canaries are surrounded by waters fed from both the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic, meaning they can support a really interesting range of wildlife such as different whale and dolphin species, the graceful loggerhead turtle, and even some endemic species as well.
Closer to shore the waters are teeming with smaller species like rays, triggerfish and various invertebrates; coral and sponges. It makes for an incredible, colourful underwater atmosphere. This means scuba diving and snorkelling are two of the most popular activities to do while holidaying on the islands.
So it would be a shame to come to Lanzarote and not experience for yourself all the beauty that lies beneath the surface.
Never been diving?
Don't be put off if you are a complete beginner. At Santa Rosa you can learn from scratch with the onsite instructor Paul and assistant Laura. The pair have been providing courses at Santa Rosa for over two years now and all of their courses are PADI certified. They work exclusively with the guests of Santa Rosa, providing excellent tailored tuition for anyone who is keen on learning.
In order to really give guests their full attention and make their experience as personal as possible, Paul will usually teach sessions to two divers at a time. He'll start you off in the onsite pool where you will learn all the basics; how to use the equipment and various hand signals to communicate below the surface. Once you're comfortable and they can tell you are ready, they'll take you to the sea!
The waters off Lanzarote are warm and welcoming at all times of the year, the island has such a wonderful climate for diving that the session can work around whenever you're free. This particular course is specifically designed to introduce you to the world of diving and it isn't unusual for guests who have tried it to go on to do advanced level courses, they were so taken with it all.
Setting off from the Playa Jablillo, close to Costa Teguise, you will spot some fantastic wildlife. A usual favourite is the damselfish (below). This pretty blue relative of the clownfish is known for its feisty character and Laura says it's great to watch them swim up to divers' masks and try to threaten their own reflections! Her personal favourite, however, is the ornate wrasse: it's just so stunningly colourful.
Adventure Underwater
You are guaranteed to get much warmer and clearer waters than you would off English coasts, so it's an ideal place to learn; on good days you can see as far as 40 meters! The instruction is of such a high level that Paul teaches people of all ages, from 10 year olds to 80 year olds! Diving is an incredible experience and Laura will make sure to capture your experience on camera so that when you get home you can watch the footage back.
The pair also offer snorkelling training for those who don't fancy going right under, and sea safaris, not to mention school holiday programmes for younger adventurers!
Laura and Paul's company is called Adventure Underwater. They'll give a little introductory presentation at Santa Rosa on Mondays and Fridays. So you can pop along to see if diving is for you. If it is, simply book a place with them. Take a look at the website www.adventureunderwater.net to learn a little more, see some photos, or book in advance!
If you are unsure how to stay at Santa Rosa, simply enter your details at the bottom of the page and you'll receive a free brochure. If you have been diving with Laura and Paul we'd love to see your photos! Why not post them to our Facebook page? The Facebook link is on the left hand side of this page.
