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Posts Tagged ‘Scorpion Fish’
St. Lucia boasts a cash crop of Arrow Crabs
I’m just back from a week-long dive trip to beautiful St. Lucia. This island is in the Eastern Caribbean, part of the Lesser Antilles, lying between Martinique to the North and St. Vincent to the South. It boasts beautiful topside vistas redolent of tropical day dreams and Corona commercials as well as healthy, prolific underwater scenes. I’ve also never visited an island before with such nice people. From the vendors to the hotel employees to the waiters, everyone was incredibly friendly and kind.
Topside temperatures vary between 70 degrees and 90 degrees, depending on the season. The rainy season, which I embraced whole-heartedly due to the lack of tourist crowds, is June to November. Though last year the rainy season was actual marked by a serious drought, Mother Nature has returned to her regular routine, with generous but brief dousings almost every day this summer. Unfortunately, this sometimes meant variable visibility and several places where the freshwater runoff turned the sea into a nauseating kaleidoscope. The water temperatures range from 77 degrees in winter to 83 degrees plus in summer. My computer registered 80 and more the entire trip. I used a wetsuit, but it was more of a fashion statement than a necessity.
Most of the diving is done from the west and south-west sides of the island that face the Caribbean. The underwater topography runs the usual gamut, with volcanic pinnacles, sheer walls, shipwrecks and coral reefs to explore. Dive site depths range from 12ft to around 140ft. Depending on who you ask, there are 40+ “official” locations to dive, though those in the Soufriere Marine Reserve (which starts close to Anse La Raye and extends south for about 12 miles to the town of Soufriere) are the most popular due to the healthy coral and abundant sea life.
Shark lovers beware – there really aren’t any here. If you dive one of the sparse sites on the Atlantic side of the island, you might get a brief sighting of a reef shark or two, but the exciting experience will most likely be dampened by a raging case of sea sickness due to the rough waters. Come to think of it, most local folks had not-so-nice-things to say about the East side of the island and it’s exposure to the feral waters of the Atlantic: bears the brunt of oncoming storms, sea spray tends to drift along the coast which makes a rusty mess of anything metal, few “tried and true” dive sites, etc. I wasn’t there long enough to prove the nay sayers wrong, but it sure looked beautiful if not at least a little dangerous as I drove along that coast’s cliffs.
As for sea life, St. Lucia has a cash crop of arrow crabs, coral banded shrimp and a rainbow of different eels at every dive site (including a lively snake eel on my second dive.) Lobsters abound, and rays and turtles are also frequently seen. I saw scorpion fish, sneaky frog fish and flying gurnards on the trip, as well as fantail pipefish, trumpet fish, cowfish, grouper, jack, snapper, puffers, spotted drum, and a heaven full of angel fish. Sadly, everyone kept promising me octopus and sea horse sightings, but none came to fruition. Underwater barracuda sightings were equally as sparse, but (disturbingly) showed up on a dinner menu one night. Less mobile, but not less impressive, were the barrel sponges, crazy-huge vase-like growths that hosted a ton of critters along the reef. In one we spotted a basket sponge hiding from the sun’s rays.
As I mentioned, the island itself is picturesque. Enormous, green-clad mountains (the most famous are called the Pitons) rise at varying heights across the landscape. Lots of shallow, calm bays stretch inland, making great harbors for sailing day trips or extended stays. A note of caution: the main airport is FAR from most towns that a diver might be interested in, so an hour-plus transfer is common and may include windy roads with maniacal local drivers. Also, food is expensive here. Most items need to be imported, and most establishments are only too eager to tack on hefty service charges in addition to the mandatory taxes. Were all my meals there great? No. Were many of them really good? Yes, especially the ones that involved locally caught fresh fish, prawns, bananas, etc. St. Lucia restaurants are at their best when embracing what the island’s land and surrounding sea have to offer.
The beaches were beautiful and the hotel selection ranged from the most basic accommodations to the most extravagant (every room gets their own pool!) I found diving in St. Lucia to be convenient, with lots of safe dive companies staffed with friendly local people willing to go out of their way to deliver a good diving experience. Though it costs a few more dollars to stay and eat there, the cost of diving was on par with many other Caribbean islands. It was an enjoyable week, one that I hope to repeat during the next “dry” season.
Diving an oil rig has always seemed a daunting task to me both in terms of accessing the site as well as taking on the monstrous-looking structure. On the surface, many people find these rusty rigs to be an eyesore, a hulking man-made blight on the beautiful ocean surface. But, under water it’s a very different story. The thick metal supporting beams of the oil rigs act as a magnet for a vast array of marine plants and animals, creating a kind of artificial reef, a haven for sea life in the middle of the open ocean. Twenty-three oil platforms breach the waters off the coast between Oceanside and Santa Barbara, with names like Eureka, Ellen-Elly and lots of other girly monikers.
Diving the rigs requires special permission. All divers must sign a safety waiver, promising not to touch the structure or harvest any of the creatures that live on the beams. Your best bet for easy, comfortable, and legal rig diving is to go with one of several companies take charter boats out to the platforms. Anchoring is impractical due to depth, and tying off to the rig is prohibited. This type of dive is best handled by intermediate or experienced divers due to the conditions. Surge is common. Visibility can be 10 feet one day, 100 the next, with 50 feet the average. Currents, too, are ever-changing and can be strong, but it’s nearly always possible to shelter behind pilings and girders. The best marine life is found from the surface down to about 80 feet. Prime diving season is generally June through December.
And when I say ‘prime diving’ I really do mean prime. The underwater structures are absolutely teeming with sea life. Upon entry and exit divers usually see sea lions and dolphins, some which may even follow the divers around during the dive. The structures themselves are covered wall-to-wall with strawberry anemones, enormous scallops and mussels, acorn barnacles, and a variety of sponges. On top of all of that growth crawl, crabs, nudibranches, huge sea stars, multi-colored brittle stars, and scorpion fish. In the water column swim a variety of fish including calico bass, sculpins, gobies, sheephead, jellyfish and garibaldi, California’s bright orange state marine fish. Fish schools are common too, with hundreds of mackerels, groups of sardines and packs of halfmoons cruising the waters together.
Blue Hole, Gozo
Unlike the cold European waters to the north, the Mediterranean Sea is frequently thought of as a scuba diver’s dream destination. Many places in the Med offer great diving with the added bonus of some very interesting topside cultural experiences. Some interesting sites in the Eastern Mediterranean include:
Cypress
The Zenobia is a 178 meter long ferry that went down in 1980 with over 100 large vehicles onboard, giving this dive plenty of exploration possibility and making multiple dives here a must. It lies on its port side which starts at a depth of 15m and descends to 42m. Visibility is usually quite good; some days it stretches to 35m. Experienced divers can penetrate the wreck to see the interior, including two trucks still hanging upside down from their chains, but visibility can drop drastically in the confined spaces. Though the wreck is the main attraction, triggerfish, barracuda and enormous grouper can also be spotted here.
Manijin Island is a very scenic dive with a wall, a spectacular algae covered cave and a swim-through with a blowhole to keep a diver continuously engaged through the dive. This dive is ideal for beginners as well as experienced divers with dive depths ranging from 5m to 24m. Marine life highlights include slipper lobsters, big grouper and large shoals of saddle bream. Also, octopi are relatively common around Cyprus, so taking the time to peer into the nooks and crannies on this dive is frequently rewarded with at least one good critter sighting.
Egypt
Alexandria boasts no significant reefs or colorful tropical fish, but rather a wealth of archeological treasures such as sunken cities, palaces and numerous wrecks. Experts estimate that some 7000 monuments belonging to the Pharaonic and Roman dynasties are preserved under Alexandria’s waves. The Underwater city of Cleopatra and her Palace, located just inside the Eastern Harbor, dates back to 300 BC, and was built by Alexander the Great. The city collapsed and fell into the sea after several earthquakes. Divers can see Cleopatra’s royal districts, the statue of Mark Anthony, Cleopatra’s sun boat and the wreckage of a 2nd World War plane that exists inside the ruins. Various monuments, carvings and building ruins can be seen throughout the site.
Crete, Greece
Navagio Wreck, the wreck of a German WWII Messerschmitt 109 fighter, lies 20km West of Agia Pelagiaat at depth of 24m. The wings and fuselage are intact and you can see inside the cockpit. One of the machine guns is clearly visible with one of the ammunition belts lying on the sea bed nearby. Though the plane’s parts are still identifiable, they are covered in a wide variety of coral and sea life, with groupers and moray eels calling the place home. A healthy reef covered with anemones and small colorful fish schools sits nearby in shallower water, offering the diver an interesting way to work off some of the nitrogen after the deeper wreck portion of the dive.
Malta
Cirkewwa offers 7 different dive sites amongst crystal clear blue waters. One in particular, the Rozi tugboat wreck, offers more to see than a diver can possibly accomplish on one dive. The boat was sunk in 1991 as an underwater attraction by a company offering submarine trips. Lying in a depth of almost 40m, the wreck can be seen completly due to the exceptional visibility which is frequently over 30m. This wreck can be dived from shore or by boat. The abundant sea life in the area includes: barracuda, morays, octopus, cuttlefish, wrasse, bream, nudibranchs, scorpion fish, morays and even dolphins. Some parts of the wreck can be penetrated, but with so much going on around it, you may forget to do so once you get down there.
Blue Hole, Gozo is a hike to get to in your gear, but worth the trip. Divers drop over the lip into the calm blue waters, surrounded by fascinating underwater topography of rocks worn down by the tides of time. At about 5m deep, an opening leads to the sea. Outside the opening divers can see coral gardens, small caves and plenty of sea life, but the star of this show is most certainly the natural formation.
Vinnie the Venomous Fish
Great White sharks get all the press when it comes to discussion of the ocean’s deadliest killers. But, plenty of other things in the sea are just as mean and nasty, if not more so. A selection of some of my favorites:
Vinnie the Venomous Fish – Imagine being a lowly fish, armed only with the ability to school and a sense of sea humor. Now add a little venom to your arsenal, and suddenly you are a Big Bad Swimming Machine. Venomous fish like stonefish, lionfish and scorpion fish produce their own toxins then generously share it with the rest of the aquatic world via their already unpleasant spines. My favorite is the stonefish, who are at their deadliest when lying on the ocean bottom doing nothing at all except looking like…you guessed it…an ugly stone. All it takes is a passerby with a naked foot and a bad aim and bam, you get one unhappy tourist (and the fish is a little flatter for the experience as well.)
Octopussy – James Bond proved one could overcome their enemies by throwing a Blue Ringed Octopus on their face in this classic 1980’s spy movie. Theoretically I suppose this could work, though you are likely to get bitten in the process. Since it injects neuromuscular paralyzing venom that can kill a human in minutes, you won’t really get to enjoy your victory over the forces of evil for very long. Better to remove the bad guy’s shoes and point him in the direction of some stonefish instead.
They Freak Me Out On Land, Too – Sea snakes tend to favor the warm, fish-filled tropical waters that most scuba divers also like. Though shy unless provoked, a single snake produces enough poison to kill not only you, but the rest of the folks on your dive boat, too. Most are a normal snake size, but a few can grow to seven feet or more. I personally am sure that if I ran into a seven-foot sea snake while diving I would give up the sport right then and there.
Vinnie the Venomous Fish
Great White sharks get all the press when it comes to discussion of the ocean’s deadliest killers. But, plenty of other things in the sea are just as mean and nasty, if not more so. A selection of some of my favorites:
Vinnie the Venomous Fish – Imagine being a lowly fish, armed only with the ability to school and a sense of sea humor. Now add a little venom to your arsenal, and suddenly you are a Big Bad Swimming Machine. Venomous fish like stonefish, lionfish and scorpion fish produce their own toxins then generously share it with the rest of the aquatic world via their already unpleasant spines. My favorite is the stonefish, who are at their deadliest when lying on the ocean bottom doing nothing at all except looking like…you guessed it…an ugly stone. All it takes is a passerby with a naked foot and a bad aim and bam, you get one unhappy tourist (and the fish is a little flatter for the experience as well.)
Octopussy – James Bond proved one could overcome their enemies by throwing a Blue Ringed Octopus on their face in this classic 1980’s spy movie. Theoretically I suppose this could work, though you are likely to get bitten in the process. Since it injects neuromuscular paralyzing venom that can kill a human in minutes, you won’t really get to enjoy your victory over the forces of evil for very long. Better to remove the bad guy’s shoes and point him in the direction of some stonefish instead.
They Freak Me Out On Land, Too – Sea snakes tend to favor the warm, fish-filled tropical waters that most scuba divers also like. Though shy unless provoked, a single snake produces enough poison to kill not only you, but the rest of the folks on your dive boat, too. Most are a normal snake size, but a few can grow to seven feet or more. I personally am sure that if I ran into a seven-foot sea snake while diving I would give up the sport right then and there.