SCUBAHUB
Fries ’ s goby among a forest of brittlestar arms ; most of each brittlestar is hidden in the mud
CRITTER CONFIDENTIAL On the Spot : Loch Duich
Paul Naylor finds himself in a Scottish sea loch known for its vibrant marine life - dive into this magical ecosystem and discover its inhabitants
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find the serene above-water beauty of Scottish sea lochs a fantastic foretaste of what ’ s to come as you prepare your kit for a dive there . Then there ’ s that wonderful sense of anticipation as you slip beneath the surface and start to explore . Critter-watching in the shallows is rewarding enough , with abundant life and no swell to worry about but , if you venture deeper , there are even more special encounters to be had . I always think that exploring the muddy plain at the bottom of a sea loch typifies the joy of much UK diving . While it might initially sound unappealing , it is utterly bewitching when you ’ re there . That element of surprise makes
Loch Duich an obvious choice for another of my occasional ‘ On the Spot ’ pieces , where I look at the species you can see in a single photograph . Fireworks anemone ( Pachycerianthus multiplicatus ) – swimming carefully over the seabed ( frog-kick strongly recommended !) to avoid clouds of mud , then seeing one of these spectacular animals loom out of the darkness as your light reaches it , is an unforgettable experience . The common name describes them perfectly ! Their tentacle span and column height can both reach 30 cm and the tube they live in can be a metre long with much of it anchored within the sediment .
Thornback ray on a sea loch floor strewn with tower shells
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