Malta, Gozo and Comino · about 3 km from St Paul's Bay
L-Cave (Qawra Point)
- Max depth40 m
- CertificationFull cave
- Water temperature≈ 16–26 °C, varies with the seasonestimated, no reports yet
- SpecialSidemount
Diving and fills
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Fills nearby
- Maltaqua (St Paul's Bay, Malta)Air, nitrox and trimix, any mix, up to 300 bar
- Techwise (St Julian's, Malta)Gas blending (ask about mixes and fill pressure)
- Dive Systems (Sliema, Malta)Custom nitrox and trimix (three compressors; continuous-flow and partial-pressure blending)
The dive
A tight swim-through tunnel with a sandy floor, in a small valley off Qawra Point. The first metres are narrow and dark; then the tunnel widens and bends to the left, and you see the light of the exit.
1 earlier accident or incident has been reported at this cave. Read what happened ↓
Profile and sections
A tight swim-through tunnel with a sandy floor, in a small valley off Qawra Point. The first metres are narrow and dark; then the tunnel widens and bends to the left, and you see the light of the exit. The cave is named after that L-shape; an old club page calls it horseshoe-shaped.
Practical: maltadives.com calls it a cave dive for experienced divers only; the club page lists it for 'cave divers' and advises going with someone who knows the site. Pin from maltadives.com (approximate).
- Depth and profile
- Entrance at the foot of the wall at -33 m, partly hidden behind a rock (maltadives.com; a club page gives ~-36 m, the 1994 newspaper -37 m); exit at -36 m. The site goes to -40 m. Reef: top at -15/-20 m, drop-off to -30/-40 m.
- Configuration
- Tight entrance: the first ~10 m are narrow and dark, then the tunnel widens. Sidemount or small is easier (estimate); a club page advises max 4 divers.
- DPV: Not DPV-suitable (estimate)
- Tight, silty tunnel: not a scooter dive.
Who can dive where
- At least Full cave
- Configurations: Backmount / twinset / Sidemount / CCR / Small cylinders / no-mount (speleo sumps)
- Goes down to 40 m (trimix or deco may be needed)
- Experienced divers only
This is how the planner decides who in your team may dive this cave. Rules your own trip adds (organizer, a mail, the AI) show with your trip.
How to get there
Best by boat. From the shore ~15–20 min from the Qawra Point pool: a 30° compass bearing to the Qawra Reef drop-off, then east along the wall to a small valley; one diver calls the swim longer than you would expect. From the shore watch for boat traffic and carry a DSMB.
Around L-Cave (Qawra Point)
Fills3 fill stations · nearest 3 km
Maltaqua (St Paul's Bay, Malta)
Mosta Road, St Paul's Bay SPB 3114, Malta
Air, nitrox and trimix, any mix, up to 300 bar
May–Oct Mon–Sat 8:00–16:30; Nov–Apr Mon–Fri 8:00–15:00, Sat 8:00–14:30; closed Sundays
On Malta: drive time from Marsalforn includes the ferry. CCR training; guided day trips to wrecks, caves and caverns. Walk-in fills for visitors: ask.
Techwise (St Julian's, Malta)
Westin Dragonara Complex, St Julian's STJ 3143, Malta
Gas blending (ask about mixes and fill pressure)
Ask
On Malta: drive time includes the ferry. Tech centre with CCR courses (JJ-CCR, Fathom/Gemini, Divesoft Liberty), cavern course and scooters. Walk-in fills: ask.
Dive Systems (Sliema, Malta)
Tower Road – Tower Point – Exiles, Sliema SLM 1601, Malta
Custom nitrox and trimix (three compressors; continuous-flow and partial-pressure blending)
Ask
On Malta: drive time includes the ferry. CCR rental: JJ, X-CCR, AP, rEvo and Liberty; 2 and 3 l CCR cylinders; OC and CCR tech courses. Walk-in fills: ask. Storm Harry (Jan 2026) wiped out an unnamed dive centre on the Sliema waterfront — check in advance that this centre is operating normally.
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News
All (3)
Nearby
Articles about cave diving that name a place within 25 km of this site, but no cave by name. They're not necessarily about this site.
Accidents and incidents
What happened at this cave before, with the sources. No names are given; read it as a lesson for your own planning.
- Fatal accident on 26 March 1994: three experienced divers died in a dark cave at ~-37 m off Qawra, reached through a narrow tunnel; stirred-up silt brought visibility down to almost zero. The newspapers do not name the cave; a club page describing this cave reports three deaths and gives 1992.
Access and rules change: check what applies locally right before your trip. Source: GDELT Project and the news feeds of diving magazines. Search for more news ↗ Searched automatically, last on 5 Nov 2026.
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