🚨 Temporary Mooring Update: Noma Island Arrives at Xatt l-Aħmar 🚨
Attention Gozo divers! If you’re heading down the hill to the south coast this week, you might notice a rather large addition to the horizon.
Due to the prevailing North West winds, the floating luxury structure Noma Island has been granted a temporary mooring permit just outside Xatt l-Aħmar, anchoring securely near the Karwela and Cominoland wrecks.
While a giant floating island might slightly alter your usual surface swim, the authorities have negotiated a few unexpected perks for the local diving community during its stay:
- A Safe Space from the Majjistral: Noma Island’s management specifically chose this spot because it provides excellent shelter from the harsh North West wind. As an added bonus, the massive floating structure is currently acting as a giant breakwater, turning the entire bay into a perfectly flat, wave-free swimming pool.
- Eco-Friendly Positioning: The location was heavily vetted and approved because, unlike other coastal areas, Xatt l-Aħmar has no steep cliffs with nesting shearwaters or protected seabirds for the structure to disturb.
- The Ultimate Upgrade—Toilets!: That’s right, we finally have facilities at Xatt l-Aħmar! Noma Island has graciously deployed a temporary floating pontoon connecting the rocky shore entry directly to their lower deck. Divers are welcome to walk across the pontoon in their wetsuits to use the luxury guest bathrooms before and after their dives. (Management kindly requests you try not to drip too much seawater on the marble flooring).
Logistics for this weekend:
When descending on the wrecks, please use the diver guiding lines to avoid Noma’s temporary mooring cables. Furthermore, delayed surface marker buoys (DSMBs) are absolutely mandatory upon ascent to ensure you don’t accidentally surface inside the island’s beach club.
Who is braving the dirt road today to test out the new pontoon? Let us know below! 👇
Happy April Fools’ Day! Noma Island isn’t here, the wind will probably still mess up your dive plans, and yes… you still have to change behind your car with absolutely no toilets in sight. Dive safe! 🐟🤿🇲🇹