Mediterranean · Turkey
Ayvalık & Cunda Islands
Red coral and gorgonian forest on deep pinnacles in the north Aegean
Ayvalık lies on Turkey's north Aegean coast behind a scatter of islands, and its dive boats work rocky island reefs and offshore shoals across the bay. The deep pinnacles carry its reputation: Kerbela and Tokmaklar rise from 65 m to 30 and 35 m with red coral and gorgonians, and the twin peaks of Deli Mehmet are ringed with red coral. Gavur Limanı, a bay on İlyosta and that island's most popular site, runs from a wall into eelgrass meadows.
About diving in Ayvalık & Cunda Islands
Diving here is done from boats. The centres sail from Ayvalık into the islands of the bay, and try dives go out about an hour by boat from the town centre. Sites are picked to suit each diver's level and the weather, and the islands give alternative sites in any weather. Open shoals such as Manastırın Açığı can have current, so a current line and decompression equipment must be on hand before the dive. On the Patriça shore, waves strike square-on when a poyraz or yıldız blows harder than force 2 to 4, and holding a boat there becomes difficult.
Underwater the region has natural reefs, coral rocks and fields of tube worms. Melina's west face has a wall down to 19 m on one side and rock from 15 to 37 m on the other, cut by large hollows. At Geçmiş Olsun Burnu, named for its strong current, white rocks run about 25 m out from the shore. On one island the rocks end at about 30 m and give way to sand carpeted with tube worms.
The range suits a mixed group. Students and new divers have Melina's west face, which can be dived in any weather and starts at 3 m, and a shoal from 6 to 25 m that is ideal for students; instructor-led training dives go as deep as 42 m. The red coral is the opposite case: Kerbela and Tokmaklar begin at 30 and 35 m and continue to 65 m, and both are for well-qualified divers.
Best time to dive Ayvalık & Cunda Islands
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
The high season ends in September, and boats keep diving until the end of October.
Dive types & marine life
Octopus, moray eels, groupers, lagos and shrimp are frequently seen across the area. Red coral and gorgonian forest grow on the deep pinnacles, with conger eels among them, and Geçmiş Olsun Burnu holds very large octopus and shoals of brown meagre. Saddled bream gather over one shoal in schools that can number in the thousands.
- Reef
- Groupers
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Reef fish swarms
Best dive sites in Ayvalık & Cunda Islands
- 1
Deli Mehmet
Two underwater peaks, both ringed with red coral; among the best sites in Ayvalık and a favourite of advanced divers.
- 2
Kerbela
Pinnacle from 30 to 65 m with red coral and a gorgonian forest, morays and conger eels; for experienced divers.
- 3
Gavur Limanı (İlyosta)
The most popular site on İlyosta, a wall, eelgrass meadows and rock from 3 to 35 m; rated for advanced divers.
- 4
İncirli Adası Amforaları
Reef from the shoreline of İncirli Ada's west face, with amphorae from about 24 m and busy rocks between 24 and 28 m.
- 5
Ezerbey Taşları
Rocks from 25 to 60 m under red and yellow gorgonians, patrolled by groupers, morays and conger eels.
- 6
Tokmaklar
Deep hill from 35 to 65 m with red coral, gorgonians and plenty of fish; for well-trained divers.
Site guides
Pinnacle
Twin hills ringed with red coral between Kız Adası and Burhaniye
Sea bunny nudibranchs on a wall that gives way to eelgrass meadows
Reef
Unbroken amphorae and an old iron anchor from a lost wreck
Pinnacle
Red coral and a gorgonian forest found nowhere else in Turkey
Reef
Ayvalık's biggest groupers on an island face divable in any weather
How to get to Ayvalık & Cunda Islands
Edremit Körfez Airport (EDO), now renamed Balıkesir Koca Seyit, is 40 km north-east with flights from Istanbul; Izmir Adnan Menderes (ADB), 175 km south, has a much wider range of international and domestic flights. The dive centres and their boats are based in Ayvalık.
Dive videos
AYVALIK | DALIŞ | SCUBA DİVİNG CUNDA · Çağdaş AÇAR on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Who can dive the red coral pinnacles in Ayvalık?+
Kerbela and Tokmaklar start at 30 and 35 m and continue to 65 m, and Ezerbey Taşları runs from 25 to 60 m, so they are for well-qualified, experienced divers. Beginners have sites starting at 3 and 6 m instead.
What safety gear is needed on the offshore shoals?+
At open shoals such as Manastırın Açığı current can run, so a current line and decompression equipment must be on hand before the dive.
What weather stops diving off the Patriça coast?+
Poyraz and yıldız winds stronger than force 2 to 4 send waves straight onto the Patriça shore, which makes holding a boat and diving there difficult.
Sources
- Dalış Noktaları | Ayvalık 3 Sea — Ayvalık 3 Sea Diving Center
- Kuzey Mavi Dalış ve Eğitim Merkezi — Kuzey Mavi
- Ayvalık – Wikivoyage — Wikivoyage
- Diving Aegean – GoTürkiye — GoTürkiye / TGA
- Ayvalık Average Sea Temperatures — SeaTemperature.org
- Dalış Merkezleri Dalış Noktaları — myfikirler.org
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