Plongee Argeles Sur Mergarnements (3)What about throwing yourself in at the deep end? Enjoy an invigorating experience at one of Argelès-sur-Mer’s diving centres. There’s snorkelling (masks, fins and snorkels) and scuba diving (a try-dive takes about 25 minutes). This is a great opportunity to get away from it all and discover the wonderful Catalan coastline. This activity is open to everyone from 8 years upwards, provided they don’t have any conflicting health issues.
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Just pack your swimsuit and towel and your diving club will provide everything else you’ll need including wetsuits, masks, fins, snorkels … and of course, diving equipment (buoyancy compensators, air bottles, regulators, etc.).
Here are a few tips for a first-time try-dive.
Before you jump into the Big Blue, you need to have a little patience … You’ll be given a small booklet for you to review that covers safety and environmental protection guidelines. It is important to preserve the seabed and protect species and biodiversity. To do this, you must not touch or remove any living species (you’ll have plenty of other souvenirs to take home with you!). You’ll feel a pressure under the water, so you need to know how to decompress correctly. Simply hold your nose and blow gently. Your instructor will also teach you how to communicate.
Once you’ve mastered the theory, you’ll put on your wetsuit then test the mask and fins and head for the boat. The equipment will already be on board. The divers for the day cling to the ropes and the boat heads out cutting through the waves, leaving a long white wake behind. The scenery rapidly flashes past as you leave from Racou beach. The Cote Vermeille appears before you with Collioure and its medieval royal fort dating back to the VII century (one of the last to be still standing with Château de Vincennes). Finally, you reach Cap Gros, the diving area. Everyone is kitted out and it’s time to slide into the water.
With a wetsuit, you can fully enjoy the activity without needing any particular skills. You can study aquatic life by moving around on the surface of the water. Your guide may set you the challenge of seeing if you can recognise certain fish. After 1 hour of exploring, it’s time for you to dive and this time, discover the secrets hidden in the depths of the sea.
It’s time to go and explore the underwater world. Place your regulator in your mouth and take a few breaths. One of the golden rules is to never hold your breath! You breathe under the water. You’ll never forget this amazing sensation. Gradually, your instructor will guide you to greater depths. Remember to decompress regularly. Finally, you’ll touch the sand. You’re now 6 metres below the surface and you’ll feel just like a fish in the water. Set off for an underwater tour. Discover this amazing world of different coloured sponges, (yellows, oranges and reds), starfish, Posidonia (an endemic plant of the Mediterranean Sea), black sea urchins, stingrays and of course, vast varieties of fish.
DID YOU KNOW?
Posidonia is a species of aquatic flowering plant. It’s not a type of seaweed. In the coastal ecosystem, Posidonia plays a fundamental role for a variety of reasons:
– it releases approximately 20 litres of oxygen per day per m² of seagrass
– it is home to many fish species
– it consolidates the ground and protects the beaches from erosion with the leaves that run aground on the coastline.
Posidonia works as the lungs of the Mediterranean Sea and to protect it, the Golfe de Lion Marin Park has installed buoys to prevent boats mooring in the seagrass.
Your instructor will offer you some exercises to do (you’re free to choose whether to try them or not). Practice removing the water from your regulator, collecting or releasing water from your mask. The time goes by quickly and you’ll want to stay longer … But it’s already time to come up to the surface.
Still seeing fish before your eyes, you return to the port. This will be an experience you’ll never forget.
A big thank you to Karine and François for their great hospitality. (Aquatile plongée).
CitationAn unforgettable experience, to enjoy over and over again!
