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Summer is finally starting and it is time to make some freediving plans and create some magic freediving experiences! Once again, in September this year, I will be leading a freediving Training and Exploring fortnight on the beautiful Mediterranean islands of Malta & Gozo. This is the perfect month to visit, with warm clear water and a more relaxed vibe than in peak summer. As always, all freediving is led by myself in a small group, planned and customised and we will be visiting the best dive sites on the islands! Expect super visibility, caves, swim throughs, tunnels and wrecks of various depths and sizes and of course training gains and technique progress on those line sessions! So in this blog post, in anticipation of the trip, I wanted to share..... ‘The 5 Things I am Looking Forward to for the 2026 Malta & Gozo Expedition’  Training session 1. That Blue, Blue Water Malta has some amazingly clear water with 30m+ visibility at many dive sites, meaning on occasion you can see the shipwrecks we are diving to from the surface! And of course the Mediterranean Sea has such a special colour to it, mixing various shades of blue from dark to light and all in between. 2. Looking For 8 Legged Friends The Mediterranean Sea is not renowned for its abundant marine life, but one creature that can usually be encountered is the Common Octopus. Highly intelligent and curious, octopuses can often be found in water that is shallow (10m or less), and if approached carefully, will often come out to interact with us freedivers.  Descending with the scooter 3. Shipwrecks Within Reach Malta has been proactive in creating artificial reefs since as far back as the 1990’s, meaning there are some well established underwater features that attract marine life and divers alike. One, the Um El Faroud, is one of the most impressive shipwrecks in the Mediterranean at over 115m long and sitting at 35m on a clear sandy bottom, it is stunning to encounter while freediving. 4. Playing with the DPV As in 2025’s Expedition, I will be returning with my Lefeet S1 PRO underwater scooter! Amazing for exploring and zipping around wrecks, it's a great way to feel like ‘flying’ through the water and to save energy for longer dive times, and of course on the session you will also get the opportunity to experience it.  Getting ready to dive on a wreck 5. The stunning Geology (above & below water) The Maltese Islands feature spectacular limestone cliffs that turn into underwater drop-offs. And the soft limestone means that impressive underwater features such as huge boulders, arches and outcrops have been created by the water erosion from the sea over the years, leaving fascinating features to be explored while freediving. By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving .
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This September I will formalising a concept, something I have enjoyed doing myself for years, and something I have promoted among my freediver students since I became an instructor myself! This can be called 'Freediving Exploring' or maybe others might think of it as recreational freediving (or even advanced snorkelling!). In essence it is using freediving as a means to explore the marine environment and discover the underwater surroundings, the difference is it will have formalised planning, protocols, safety and equipment set-up specifically for the task of freediving exploring on the move. As freediving has so many possible directions that can be taken, it is often up to the instructor of the initial freediving course(s) that you take as to which direction you proceed (depth training and competition are at the forefront for the majority of instructors). One certainty is that all freediving courses are based around learning and practicing motor skills with the aim of meeting a performance time or distance/depth requirement. This, of course, is for good reason, as like it or not freediving IS a sport. Many people that get into freediving might not see themselves as the 'sporty' type, but by definition it is a physical activity that you need to practice and train to get better at and contains a competitive element (often this can be competition against self, i.e; to beat your own PB's). But why does this have to be the end goal or outcome objective in itself? That if you are not going deeper or longer each week, month or year you are not doing it 'right'. I have often said to my students that a good rationale to aim to be able to do a 30m deep training dive is that subsequently it will make a 10-12m reef dive seem super comfortable and therefore more enjoyable. There is the quote that gets often thrown around that "Scuba divers look outside while freedivers look within themselves". I'm suggesting that freedivers can also look outside! This might seem obvious, but I have even taken very experienced freedivers out and shown them for the very first time the joy of NOT line training for once, but exploring and appreciating the marine environment. Those that have trained with me, know that I am always one to make a detour to the reef, visit a swim through or locate a octopus hideout :) at the end of an open water training session. If this is the reason you wanted to freedive in the first place then why not make this the session?!
What are some objectives of a Freediving Exploring session?: ✅ Observing the nature of marine life and marine habitat ✅ Having fun, enjoying the process of diving and being playful and curious in the water ✅ Learning to explore and freedive with buddies in a safe way ✅ Achieving different goals; going through a tunnel or seeing an octopus for the first time ✅ Helping the marine environment; observing habitat change, collecting trash etc Why go with a qualified freediving instructor for guided freediving exploring?: ✅ Knowledge of where all the good stuff is located! Wrecks, caves, swim throughs etc ✅ Safety as the priority allowing you to dive and explore knowing that you have your own safety diver watching you ✅ Extensive knowledge to share on the marine environment and wrecks I am going to expand on this subject and in future blog posts I am going to look at:
So look out for these posts at a later date! Let me know your thoughts in the comments section and thank you for reading this blog post. By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving .
Malta has lots going for it for freediving including amazing visibility of 30m+ and impressive underwater topography including caves and caverns. One thing that always stands out to our divers visiting Malta at One Breath Freediving is the abundance and accessibility of shipwrecks available to see. Here I have made a list of our favourite wrecks for freediving. All have been sunk on purpose as an artificial reef and diving attraction and all are in the depth range (or viewing range) of 10-20m. Next to each listing is a link that takes you to a video of the wreck on the OBF YouTube channel so you can get a better impression of the amazing experience that is wreck freediving here. I hope you enjoy. Let us know in the comments which is your favourite wreck to freedive!
1) Patrol Boat P-29:
LOCATION: Cirkewwa | DEPTH: 20-35m | VIDEO: HERE Former East German patrol boat built in 1960's before being sold to the Maltese navy in 1997. Scuttled as a diving attraction in 2007. Sits in 35m of water at Cirkewwa in North Malta, this is one of the wrecks we see most as we frequently train at this location. 52m long and 8m wide and sister ship to P-31 in Comino. HIGHLIGHT: Seeing the dark shape below from the surface and if able to dive just to 10-15m above it, gives an amazing view of the whole ship, so perfect for new freedivers and as a first wreck. 2) Tug 2: LOCATION: Sliema | DEPTH: 12-20m | VIDEO: HERE A former working tug from the Valetta port, this boat was sunk in 2013 as a diving attraction and artificial reef. It is quite a swim from shore (10 min surface swim) but well worth the effort as it is a great looking wreck in a typical 'tug' form. Doors and windows are all removed to make it safe for divers to explore. HIGHLIGHT: Perfect depth and size for freediving on and to access safely inside. Great fun and ideal for making cool freediving videos. 3) Um El Faroud: LOCATION: Wied Iz Zurrieq | DEPTH: 15-35m | VIDEO: HERE This former oil tanker is an impressive 115m long and 16m wide and sits on the seabed at 35m in two parts having been broken apart in a particularly fierce storm. This part of the coast is susceptible to strong currents so this particular wreck is more suitable for advanced freedivers. If you are lucky and probably with a strong current present, you might see schooling Barracuda around the upper decks. See photo above for this ship being positioned for sinking. HIGHLIGHT: The pure size of this wreck is immense and amazing to see for the very first time. The propeller is very impressive if you are comfortable down at 35m. 4) Patrol Boat P-31: LOCATION: Comino | DEPTH: 10-20m | VIDEO: HERE This is the sister ship of the P-29 at Cirkewwa so shares the same specifications but sits shallower on a sandy bottom at 20m deep making it another wreck perfect for all levels of freediver. Scuttled in 2009 it is still in good condition as it is sheltered from the worst storms. Accessing the wreck is by boat as it lies off the uninhabited island of Comino. Beware of other boat traffic, especially in the summer months. HIGHLIGHT: Being able to see the whole wreck from the surface (see photo above) is amazing. So also perfect for snorkellers. Often lots of scuba divers which adds more fun with the accompanying bubbles. 5) MV Scotscraig: LOCATION: Anchor Bay | DEPTH: 10-20m | VIDEO: HERE This wreck has an interesting history as it was used for the Popeye movie (1980), firstly to transport the material into the secluded bay to construct the film set, and then in the movie itself. The boat is a river ferry 25m in length and relatively wide, sitting at 20m depth on a mix of rocks and seagrass. The visibility here is never great by Maltese standards (15m maybe) and it is a LONG swim (or better by kayak) just North of Anchor Bay. HIGHLIGHT: Not frequently dived on because of its more isolated location, so feels more of a real 'discovery' and the marine life can be more abundant because of this. Come freediving with One Breath Freediving to see these and more wrecks in Malta. Exploring and fun freediving sessions available to already certified freedivers. Interested in deeper and historical wrecks in Malta? At this underwater museum website you can view numerous amazing Maltese shipwrecks in a 3D interactive experience: HERE By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving
 The Blue Hole in Dahab has a stunning reef with vibrant colours. There is nothing better than after a tough training session on the buoy & line than enjoying the natural beauty of the reef with the freedom and simplicity without the wetsuit and feeling the water on your skin.
By David Watson, AIDA & PADI Master Freediver Instructor and Owner & Founder at One Breath Freediving, based in Malta Freediving in the Maltese Islands has lots of wonderful features that make it spectacular; the stunning underwater visibility of up to 40m, the cliffs and caves that are prevalent across the islands, the deep blue colour of the water that is unique to the Mediterranean Sea. But one thing that really draws freedivers to Malta is the chance to dive on ship wrecks. Malta has a LOT of wrecks, some sunk by nature (storms), by humans (wars), or on purpose to create artificial reefs. The P-31 wreck falls into the latter category. P-31 History & Key Information:
 Since being purchased by the Maltese Tourism Authority and sank as an artificial reef attraction for divers, the P-31 now sits upright on the sandy seabed West of Comino( just South of Blue Lagoon and just West of Crystal Lagoon), approximately 200m from shore. The depth on the bottom here is 20m and the top of the wreck is at just 10m deep. In fact the P-31 sits so shallow that it was necessary to cut off the mast of the ship before sinking her so as not to obstruct boat traffic. The wreck can often be seen clearly from the surface when you arrive by boat and I have even seen it occasionally from out of the airplane window when arriving or leaving Malta on certain days! In the summer months you will see a yellow ‘X’ marker buoy above to indicate the wrecks position. Since her sinking, the P-31 has had to weather some rough storms as the prevailing winds on the islands are from a NW direction and sitting this shallow in the water means that waves and swell have had an impact, but considering that she has been underwater for 10 years already the wreck is still in very good condition. Before sinking she was thoroughly cleaned and made safe for divers. This means doors and hatches were removed and obstructions such fixtures, wires and cables were cleared out. There are a number of levels to explore and for a freediver it is normally clear and obvious which direction it is possible and safe to go in.  Specific Tips for Freediving The P-31 wreck:
 5 Essential Tips for Wreck Freediving:
Lastly, please remember, freediving, and especially wreck freediving, can be DANGEROUS. Always freedive with a buddy, never push your limits or enter enclosed spaces with no clear or obvious exit. Please take a freediving course for your own safety and that of your buddy. Interested in wreck freediving? Then subscribe to One Breath Freediving and follow our ‘Wrecks of Malta’ video series! Speak to David about freediving courses and wreck exploration possibilities. www.youtube.com/user/onebreathfreediving www.onebreathfreediving.com After over a week out of the water with an inflammation of the middle ear, Lyndsay, and me also, are really looking forward to getting back into the sea today! The conditions are a bit more windy than the previous few days, but a relaxing snorkel along Eel Garden Reef will be a great way to get back into it, and give us chance to play around with our cameras again.
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[email protected] | WhatsApp & Telegram (+44) 7813 473 263