Diving season starts in Ayvalık
BALIKESİR
With the weather getting warmer, the diving season has started in the western province of Balıkesir’s Ayvalık district, famous for its red coral reefs and deep blue waters.
Ayvalık is one of the centers of Aegean’s rich underwater world with its islands, reefs, and shallow and deep-water wrecks. The district is waiting to welcome local and foreign tourists to discover its underwater beauties.
Diving is possible throughout the year in Ayvalık. Interest in 60 diving spots, including Deli Mehmet 1-2, Ezerbey, Kerbela and Tokmaks, increases, especially when the spring arrives. The first diving activity was recently realized with the beginning of the season in the district, which is visited by thousands of diving enthusiasts as it has four diving schools. The diving activity was organized around Melina Island with the participation of local and foreign tourists.
Stating that Ayvalık is a region rich in diving possibilities, diving instructor Kubilay Kılıç said that an average of 20,000 divings are performed annually in the region.
“This is a region with the strongest underwater richness, and we truly believe that underwater lovers should come. There are places that we call ‘indispensable’ here. The place where divers go to become pilgrims, so to speak, in the world is a region in Sharm el-Sheik called Ras Muhammed. In Turkey, the place where divers come to become pilgrims is the Deli Mehmet reefs. This is a place worth seeing. It is home to red corals, yellow corals and a valley. Together with the endemic population living here, it will fascinate and drive people crazy. We have many places like this,” he said.
Noting that the number of divers is increasing in Turkey, Kılıç said: “There are 60 diving spots of this nature in this region, providing good service to divers. No matter which way the wind blows, no matter how bad the weather is, we can dive in one, two, or three of these diving spots in any part of the 22 officially registered islands. It is an incredibly beautiful region, both supernatural and underwater. We invite everyone here.”
Özkan Şendil, who has been a diving instructor for 25 years, said: “We are doing our first diving activity of this season. The flora and fauna below were amazing. We have been diving for years. Ayvalık is a diving center and an underwater paradise. It is one of the two diving towns that are home to red corals in the world. We dive by protecting and watching over them. Although the waters in Ayvalık are a bit cold, there are many underwater beauties. We welcome everyone.”
