The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
UNDERWATER PARADISE REVEALS ITS TREASURE
While researching a book on marine life, Keith discovers a rocky inlet in Sicily teeming with exotic creatures hidden in shadows and caves
Regular readers of Nature Watch may recall that there is a large and shallow tidal pool near Elie in the East Neuk of Fife, which I have dubbed Paradise Lagoon because of its rich and abundant marine life.
Well, I have now discovered a wonderful rocky inlet in north-west Sicily, which more than deserves the accolade of Paradise Creek.
I have been commissioned to write a nature marine life identification book, which will be called a A Snorkeler’s Guide to the Mediterranean, and as such, I found myself in Sicily recently to conduct some research near the pretty town of San Vito Lo Capo. The creek in question indented a broad stretch of rocky coast, and despite sometimes turbulent seas offshore, this little cove was always placid and tranquil.
The result was superb water clarity and every time I took the plunge for a snorkel, I was left enthralled by the diversity and colour of life that abounded within its warm embrace.
One creature that really shone out was a spotted sea hare, with its striking yellow body patterned by a scattering of dark circles.
The sea hare is a mollusc, but has no external shell, and can be likened to a colourful slug.
Ornate wrasses were among the abundant species of fish, and so striking too, with their multi-varied tapestry of iridescence that comprised of every tint and sheen imaginable.
They were challenging fish to photograph as they constantly flickered and moved through the water, but perseverance paid off, and I managed some captures that I believe will be good enough to use in my new book.
An octopus was another star find.
I happened upon this eight-legged wonder by chance when sweeping across a broad, seaweedfronded rock shelf.
As soon as it saw me, it scooted under a rock to hide.
Not to be outdone, I dived down to eyeball it more closely in its dark shelter, which unsettled it, so it swam back out again and paused to take stock of me.
I could sense the intelligence of this creature, and research has shown that octopus are clever beasts that can even solve simple problems and use tools.
I was keen to photograph a cardinalfish, a small and elusive red creature with large black eyes, which inhabits sea caves, sometimes several metres deep under the water.
I spotted a likely looking cave from the surface and dived down into it, where I was suddenly met by the marvellous spectre of several cardinalfish, glowing like red embers in the darkness of the cave.
Elated by this find, I surfaced, prepared my camera, and dived under once more in a lung-busting plunge.
Once in the cave, I steadied my hands, brought the camera autofocus into
action and captured several shots with the aid of the flashgun.
Paradise Creek? Yes, it most certainly was, and this little inlet in Sicily will forever hold a special place
in my heart.