Scuba diving in Fiesa surprised me again. I thought I wouldn’t even have enough material for a post but I sure was wrong.
The conditions were quite standard for this time of year. It was a bit cloudy with temperatures at about 11°C above and below water. The visibility was about 3 meters with quite a few particulates suspended in the water. I think this happens due to little or no temperature gradient that will mix the water a bit. Low depths also don’t help in this matter.
The dive lasted about 1 hour and a half. And just as I was almost back, I saw something I didn’t expect to see here.
The pictures
I will start with something standard, a tentacled blenny (Parablennius tentacularis). You see them and other blenny species regularly. And usually, they also stay still for a picture or two.
Next is a brittle star species (Ophioderma longicaudum). They usually hide under rocks and are quite fast so I rarely get a chance to photograph them. This one was already on its way back under a rock.
Then a few common animals, the common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) and a hermit crab (Pagurus anachoretus).
Nudibranchs
From the Nudibranchia order, I didn’t see as many as the last time. But there were still a few. And one special.
First a small Felimare picta. In the back, you can see a much larger individual as well.
And now for the big one. An Antiopella cristata (also Janolus cristatus). While I did know they could be found here, I didn’t expect to see one. Previously I only saw it on Premuda last year a few times. This one was about 60 mm long which puts is at the bigger end. It was also quite active and moving quickly.
I saw it almost at the end of my dive and I took my time with it. I took pictures and just observed it for a good 10 minutes. It was certainly one of the best moments I had in Fiesa.
Conclusion
What started as a normal, relaxing dive ended up being one of my best dives. The Antiopella cristata was certainly the highlight of the day. How big of an impact can such a small creature have.