UKDIVING from another planet. Dive lights attract swarms of plankton, which in turn bring in the squid, attacking in darting forays. It’ s a spectacle you can just settle back and enjoy. But there’ s also an element of‘ blink and you’ ll miss it’, for no sooner have they made their ghostly appearance, they melt back into the darkness and the moment has passed.
Another species related to the squid that can be found more commonly at night is the charismatic small bobtail squid( Sepiola atlantica) which is best found on sand. When disturbed, they quickly head off and then bury themselves into the substrate, using their tentacles to cover the final parts of their bodies.
Away from the sand, rocky reefs thick with algae can be a rewarding habitat to explore by night. Porth Ysgaden( 52.90474,-4.64900) on the north coast is a favourite I’ ve dived hundreds of times. This bay has easy access for shore dives and is sheltered from most wind directions. This site is suitable for most levels of experience, but you must remain inside the confines of the bay, as powerful currents run along
" You must remain inside the confines of the bay, as powerful currents run along the exposed coast "
the exposed coast. This rule is especially important at night.
Following either of the rocky walls of the bay, you’ ll quickly be among the algae and enjoying the marine life that favours it for shelter. During the day, the bay is full of colourful wrasse, which tuck themselves away in the safety of the algae when night comes. This site can also provide some special encounters with octopus, especially the curled octopus, Eledone cirrhosa. Perfectly camouflaged on the reefs, these formidable predators hunt for small fish, clams and crabs.
I’ ve been fortunate to spend time watching octopus hunt on a number of occasions; their intelligence is evident in the way they systematically search the seabed, responding to every trigger for their acute senses. They slowly glide and crawl along the reef, changing colour and texture to match their surroundings. When an unsuspecting prey item such as a crab is seen, they position themselves at the perfect distance from which to pounce and envelop it. Engulfing prey by opening their
Active by night – a long-spined sea scorpion
A curled octopus at Porth Ysgaden 35