Homage to the Sea
Probably my second favorite month of the year – the best being May, since the whole summer season lies ahead; naturally uplifting! As for Octobers in Cyprus, the only downside I can think of, is that days are getting noticeably smaller and fleeting, till eventually towards the end of the month, clocks are turned one hour back; naturally, a bummer!
October in the Eastern Mediterranean typically constitutes an effortless extension of the summer season. However, it luckily excludes many of the peak summer months’ off-putting aspects, such as particularly high temperatures and/or heat waves, humidity, overcrowded beaches / restaurants / hotels / bars / clubs, steep pricing and fully booked airlines, just to name a few.
Heat wise, during this time of the year, the weather stretches more on the mellow side of the spectrum, with the temperatures ranging between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius. Not only is the climate smooth and pleasant, but what is especially striking is the sea water which is, without an ounce of a doubt, at its very best, compared to any other time of the year. As it seems, there is a fair degree of temperature variation in the waters of the Mediterranean, and it is generally significantly warmer as you travel east. If you asked the locals on the island, they’d tell you that the water’s temperature in a particular season represents the temperature of the former season. So, for example, in the spring, the water is at its coldest – winter being the preceding season. Conversely, in autumn, the water is at its warmest – summer being the earlier season, and so on and so forth.
So, sea lovers, the best time of the year to visit Cyprus is truly the month of October, since as already mentioned, the sea water is at its warmest and most pleasing nature. Similarly, the unsettling winds which agitate and stir the sea water, usually subside, rendering the sea as calm as a lake. It’s quite an awesome sight to behold; quite peaceful and comforting; quite beneficial and therapeutic. Cyprus has actually ranked first in Europe for the ratio of beaches that received the “Blue Flag”, to the total number of beaches in the country, for the twelfth year in a row. Environmentally friendly and safe, Blue Flagged beaches – about 65 in total, 16 of them being in Limassol - are waiting for you!
Scuba divers, newbie or advanced, and wanna-be scuba divers might be interested to know that the Mediterranean Sea around Cyprus offers exceptional and impressive undersea experiences and adventures. Coming from an advanced diver, I can corroborate to the fact that our island’s diving has so much to offer, distinct treasures worth discovering and exploring. In fact, it is also considerably simple to go about it, since most of the spots are easy to get to. They are accessible from the shore, therefore saving the sport aficionados from spending hours on boats before reaching their destination. What’s more, there are several attractions at relatively small depths, such as Green Bay and Cape Greco Cyclops’ Cave in Protaras, or Amphora Caves in Paphos.
In Limassol, right off the Crowne Plaza Hotel, “Constandis” – a fishing boat was sunk in February 2014, in order to create artificial reefs and provide enthusiastic divers with a chance to enjoy another compelling scuba diving spot. The “Constandis” lies on the seabed at 24 meters and the “Lady Thetis” – another boat sunk by the Cyprus government, at 18 meters, both perfect depths for long dives to enjoy ideal and thorough explorations of the wrecks. Both wrecks are home to breams damselfish and groupers.
Experienced divers can essentially appreciate the more thrilling, down-reaching sites around Cyprus. One of them, the notorious Zenobia, or The Zen, which lies at a depth of 42 meters. Zenobia, a Swedish built ferry, launched in 1979, had capsized and sank in the Mediterranean Sea, in Larnaca Bay. The wreck is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 recreational dive sites, worldwide.
Cyprus waters in fact, make up a home to a diverse range of aquatic life that can be spotted in abundance, in several areas. Divers can commonly descent and swim alongside sea turtles, barracuda, mantra rays, tuna, octopus, moray eels, seahorses, cardinals, lobsters and goat fish, to mention but a few.
