Earth's largest closed sea
Making up only 1% of the world's total water surface, the Mediterranean has had a turbulent past affecting oceans across the globe. When Africa joined Asia at the Arabian peninsula 20 million years ago the eastern connection between the Atlantic and Pacific was cut off.

Seven million years ago with the Atlantic cut off at the western end, caused in part by ice caps forming in the Antartic, sea levels dropped globally by 100m. For the Mediterranean, the result was a steady drying out until it became a salt desert.

Waterfalls
Then five million years ago a tremendous earthquake broke the dam that had formed at Gibraltar, creating what is possibly the most dramatic waterfalls to have occurred in earth's history.

Estimated at a thousand times greater than Niagra, the Mediterranean began to fill. It took a millenia and caused global sea levels to drop by 10 to 20 meters.

Today it is still not a single body of water, but a series of basins, the basic east/west division of which is a submarine ridge between Sicily and Tunisia.

Tideless sea
No part of the sea is large enough to allow water to build up in large enough a body to create a noticeable high or low water, making it a tideless sea. This has helped create an added benefit with no dangerous underwater currents or strong surf in the popular diving areas, making it ideal for learning to dive.

It has an average depth of 1,500m, with it's deepest point between Italy and Greece, in the Ionian Sea at over 5,000m. However around the coastal areas most dive sites do not exceed 30m.

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Ancient treasure
All the Mediterranean marine species originated in the Atlantic, with the exception of Red Sea species migrating through the Suez Canal.

Most Mediterranean fish species can be found around Cyprus waters, as well as other marine life such as crabs, fan worms, fire worms, moray eels, nudibranchs, octopus, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, shrimp, sponges and starfish.

And remember, look for evidence of Cyprus's heritage as a major trading center of the ancient world..., pottery.

Turtles
Every year between May and August, the deserted beaches of Cyprus are visited by green and logger- head turtles, both protected species. Once a nest is spotted these areas are classified as specially protected areas.

Pissouri beach is often used as a site for nesting and if you're lucky you may get to witness the young hatching at sunset and making their way down to the water's edge. Only one in every 1,000 will make it to adulthood.