Beautiful weather today – 29C and no wind. We had an earlyish breakfast and then drove 10 minute to the Deniz Kizi beach. We had arranged to dive with Nautilus Diving.

First we established base camp on the beach. It’s a lovely small bay, backed by the hotel, golden sand, crystal clear water and gently shelving. Another perfect family beach. It cost 200 tl ie just over £4 each to spend the day on the beach, parking, a sun lounger and an umbrella, showers, waiter service etc.

Stuart, Bob and I walked up into the car park to Nautilus at 0930 as arranged. The owner, is quite the character, a distinguished diver here and in Turkey, a conserver of artifacts and reefs, and a long time diver who has discovered many of the sites in the north. And a lovely man!. He got us kitted up fine and we joined their excellent rib for a dive on a site north of the Kaya Palazzo hotel. We dived with him as a 4 whilst the other 7 or 8 divers on the boat did a dive with 2 other guides. The visibility was pretty good and the water was really warm – 27C. I had a shorty wetsuit on but I could have easily not bothered wearing one.

The underwater topography was interesting – large rocks and piles, sponges, some small corals. Fishwise there were lots – lots – of lionfish an some small groupers. Better than on many Med. dives. Lets hope the reef protection holds good. We also saw a lot of amphorae both intact and broken and a number of old anchors, now encrusted with sea life.It was a most enjoyable dive and well worth £40 each including equipment. Would definitely dive with them again.

We spent the rest of the day on the beach. Had some lovely swims and also some beach naps.

In the evening we went to the excellent British Resident’s End of Summer BBQ which was held at the Grand Pasha Hotel, up on their roof terrace. We got picked up by coach from the bottom of the hill. Hadn’t been to the Grand Pasha before and the roof terrace was lovely. Amazing sunset views looking west and from the other side it was lovely all lit up the mountain to Bellapais and the spotlit abbey.

We had a drinks reception first and then went to the tables for the food which was served to us meze style. First a selection of about 8 cold meze, then 4 hot meze and then platters of grilled meats – lamb shish, chicken shish, chicken wings, kofta, lamb liver…. it was monumental and we were so stuffed at the end…. and then came a fruit and baklava platter with ice cream. The drinks flowed freely – all included in the price.

There was rather a special entertainment. A very popular Turkish Cypriot singer from London originally who is famous here and in Turkey too called Eylam. She had a very energetic dance troupe who really worked hard doing choreographed routines throughout and it was a very good set. At one point several of us got grabbed to do a scarf routine with them and of course I got dragged up!!!! What can you do but go along with it? We were fortunate to get her but her mother is a friend of the committee of the BRS which helped. She is a Turkish version of Shakira/Britney I’d say. We had a really fun evening. Thoroughly enjoyable.