Reef Dive, Anchor Bay (Popeye Village), Malta
Anchor Bay is a dive site located near Mellieha on the northwest coast of Malta. Anchor Bay is best known as the location of the film set of the original Popeye movie starring Robin Williams.
The bay is sometimes referred to as Popeye Village after the film set and adjoining theme park. On the north side of the bay, you will find a very large anchor attached to a large chain; a remnant from the wreck of the Scottscraig, a barge used for filming, which was sunk during a storm in 1981. The 3m-long anchor lies on a sandy bottom at a depth of 8 meters. Divers often visit the anchor and the cavern on the same dive.
The bay houses wrasses, scorpion fish, many morays, groupers, parrot fish and tons of octopus.
Anchor Bay Cavern
Along the reef in Anchor Bay, you will find a large cavern with a wide entrance and an air pocket. Known as "Scorpion Cave" due to its shape, with its main scorpion "body" and two side "claws". The cavern's relatively narrow entrance opens up into a large bowl where divers can surface in an air pocket. To the left and right are two smaller entrances leading to two more caverns, which both have similar (but much smaller) air pockets.
Smaller nocturnal marine life are commonly found inside the cavern, such as shrimp, cardinal fish, sea cucumbers, and brittle stars.
A torch is required to enter the caverns as there is no penetrating light from the outside.
The Anchor
The name Anchor Bay came from the anchor which was used as a mooring buoy for the barges such as the Scottscraig, used for filming, and carrying materials to construct the film set. The large anchor still remains, along with its' very large & heavy chain.
Experience Needed
The maximum depth reached is usually only around 10 metres, however due to possible boat traffic and the dark of the cavern, we still recommend a minimum of Open Water certification.
DIVE SITE SPECIFICATION: Anchor Bay (Popeye Village)
- Location: Popeye Village, Malta
- Type Of Dive: Shore Dive
- Max Depth: 10m
- Minimum Certification: PADI Open Water Diver
- Recommended: PADI Nitrox Diver