Reef Dive, Popeye Village, Malta
Anchor Bay is a dive site located near Mellieha on the northwest coast of Malta. Anchor Bay is best known for the film set of the original Popeye movie with Robin Williams.
The whole bay is sometimes referred to as Popeye Village after the theme park. On the north side of the bay, you will find a very large anchor attached to a large chain. The anchor lies on a sand bed at a depth of 8 meters, which itself is 3 meters long. 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. The cavern entrance opens up into a large bowl where divers can surface and see to the roof of the cave. on the bottom left is another smaller entrance leading to mini cavern which too, divers can surface there.
You will be able to find shrimps, congar eels, morey eels, and lots of small marine life inside the dark caverns.
A torch is required to enter the caverns as there is now 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 carrying materials to construct the film set. The large anchor still remains and attached to it is it's very large & heavy chain.
Experience Needed
You must be certified to dive to a depth of 18 meters to dive this site.
DIVE SITE SPECIFICATION: Anchor Bay (Popeye Village)
- Location: Popeye Village, Malta
- Type Of Dive: Shore Dive
- Max Depth: 14m
- Minimum Certification: PADI Open Water Diver
- Recommended: PADI Nitrox Diver