NORWAY
Gulen
By CHRISTIAN SKAUGE
Did you think critter and muck
diving was a warm water thing?
Think again! Despite the water
temperatures, Gulen is a hotspot
for macro life, offering rare fish
species, more nudibranchs than
any other location in the North
Atlantic, and a plethora of other
marine critters.
Underwater photographers
flock to the Norwegian west
coast to get a taste of some
northern critters. Gulen Dive
Resort alone boasts more than
70 species of nudibranchs on
their house reef. In the season,
nudibranchs may be seen in the
thousands, and on the sandy
patches pink clingfish dance for
their mates while rare species of
gobies look on in astonishment.
The diving is easy and suitable
even for open water level, as
the house reef is in a sheltered
location with moderate current.
Gulen is also rich in echinoderms such as sea urchins,
starfish and even crinoids, while
at night, armies of crustaceans
appear. Decorator crabs are
everywhere, tiny stone crabs and
swimming crabs hide under rocks,
and blade shrimp seek protection
under large, pink anemones.
Other regulars include various
species of wrasse, pipefish,
topknots and dragonets, along
with bright red lumpsuckers and
fierce grey wolffish guarding
their eggs.
18. Gulen is a magnet
for exotic nudis, like this
peculiar-looking Hero
formosa