Salty Descents

Located in Chania, Salty Descents serves as a gateway to the diverse marine environments of Crete. The centre operates with a focus on professional safety protocols and certified equipment, catering to both local divers and those visiting the island for the first time.

Beyond the immediate Cretan coastline, the centre organises structured diving trips to Egypt, including the Red Sea regions of Sharm El-Sheikh and Dahab. This allows divers to experience a variety of habitats, from Mediterranean rocky reefs to the famous wrecks and coral gardens of the Sinai Peninsula.

The team consists of experienced and talented instructors who are fluent in both English and Greek. This bilingual capability ensures clear communication during briefings and throughout your training sessions.

Salty Descents operates as an SSI affiliated centre, following strict international protocols to maintain high safety standards. Their approach is personalised, ensuring that whether you are a beginner or an advanced diver, the instruction is tailored to your specific needs and certification level.

Salty Descents offers a complete curriculum of SSI courses for every stage of a diver's development. Beginners can start with Try Scuba or the Open Water Diver course, while those looking to progress can enrol in Advanced Open Water Diver training.

For divers wanting to refine their skills, the centre provides specialised training in Perfect Buoyancy, Navigation, and Deep Diving. They also offer a Night Diving & Limited Visibility course for those looking to master the challenges of nocturnal diving.

The centre provides a full range of rental kit for divers who do not wish to carry their own equipment. This includes everything required for a complete dive, such as regulators, wetsuits, and fins.

For those looking to explore the seabed more closely, they also offer snorkeling equipment. The centre is located on the Old National Road in Kalives, with dedicated parking available directly behind the facility for easy access.

The marine life around Chania is diverse, with rocky bottoms and reefs supporting a variety of species. You can regularly encounter octopus (Octopus vulgaris), starfish (Asteroidea), and various species of grouper and sea bream (Sparidae). Schools of fish, including barracuda and amberjack, are also common sights during your dives.

For those interested in smaller inhabitants, the area hosts a variety of colourful life. You may spot different types of wrasse (Labridae) and various sea urchins amongst the rocks and crevices.

In the deeper or more sheltered areas, the presence of moray eels and larger fish species adds to the complexity of the ecosystem. The combination of rocky structures and seagrass beds provides a rich habitat for a wide array of Mediterranean marine life.

Diving in Crete is best experienced between May and October. During this period, the water temperature typically ranges between 19°C and 27°C.

Conditions can vary significantly depending on the specific site. While some areas like Skinaria Beach offer calm and easy access, other locations may experience currents ranging from none to strong, depending on the local topography and weather.