Crete

Dive with licensed local operators, especially for caverns, wrecks, night dives, Dia Island, and unfamiliar shore entries. Carry and know how to deploy an SMB. Confirm oxygen, emergency communications, guide ratios, and nearest suitable medical plan before deep or repetitive dives. Do not enter overhead environments without training, lights, gas planning, and a guide. Avoid solo dives and avoid spearfishing or collecting while on scuba. Respect no-anchor and no-touch rules around seagrass, reefs, artifacts, and wreck material.

For emergencies, call 112 or ask a local person to call 112 immediately. Diving accidents should be treated with oxygen, hydration when appropriate, no further diving, and medical evaluation. DAN Europe provides a 24/7 international emergency hotline for members and can help coordinate specialist advice. Recompression chamber availability and referral pathways can change, so serious divers should verify the operator's active evacuation and chamber plan before travel, especially for deep wrecks or repetitive multi-day profiles.

Crete's coastal environment includes Natura 2000 sites, turtle nesting beaches, Posidonia seagrass meadows, and cultural heritage. Keep fins off the bottom, never kneel in seagrass, do not feed wildlife, avoid night disturbance on turtle beaches, remove litter, and use moorings where provided. Stalis reef dive park is an example of a managed artificial reef and sanctuary approach designed to support both diving and fish recovery. Treat all ancient material underwater as protected, even if it looks loose or abandoned.