Today was our Nudibranch Safari Day!
Yesterday was a full day of ocean and river diving, but today we focused completely on nudibranch hunting. We did three dives in the Kushimoto area and searched for as many species as possible.
The water temperature in Kushimoto rose to 19°C today, and visibility also improved.
It’s amazing how powerful the Kuroshio Current is—water temperature increased by 2°C in just one day.
Unfortunately, a pressure trough around the Okinawa area brought some swell, but we were still able to find many different nudibranchs.
When people think about searching for nudibranchs, they often imagine looking only on rocks. But there are actually many other places to search. Guests who join the Nudibranch Safari learn these small secrets during the dive.
When the sea is surging, certain areas can be very effective for finding them.
Today we discovered a 2 mm Placida kevinleei.
This tiny nudibranch has a very cute shape and was holding on tightly between seaweed, trying to survive the surge.
Under a sponge, we also found Trapania palmula.
This nudibranch feeds on bryozoans that grow on sponges.
The bryozoan colony was right above the nudibranch. Once you understand their food source, it becomes much easier to find them.
We also found several rare species today.
At first, we thought this one was Hypselodoris variobranchia, but after checking the photo carefully, we realized it was Thrunna halourga.
One rare nudibranch added to the list!
Another highlight was Kaloplocamus acutus.
Isn’t this color beautiful?
This is one of my personal favorite nudibranchs. Finding it always makes me excited.
During our log session, the conversation turned to underwater photography.
Many divers now use the TG series cameras, but some people are not sure how to use them effectively. At the same time, joining a photography seminar can feel a bit intimidating.
So we started talking about creating a relaxed underwater photography workshop dive day. The schedule is not decided yet, but we hope to organize it soon.
If you are interested, please keep an eye on our news page or social media.
Our Nudibranch Safari will finish next month.
As the weather on land becomes warmer, it might be time to start thinking about diving again.
If you love nudibranchs, we would love to have you join our Nudibranch Safari in Kushimoto!
Tomorrow we will have another Nudibranch Safari followed by fun diving.
See you underwater!
Today’s Ocean Conditions
Weather: Sunny
Air Temperature: 6–17°C
Water Temperature: 19.0-19.4°C
Visibility:12-15 m
Recommended Suit:
Shell drysuit (inner layer such as NORD or Weezle recommended)
or
Neoprene drysuit (inner layer such as BODYX or Thermal Body Smoother) + hood
Announcements
◾️Event Information
• Tide Pool Barred-chin blenny Photo Tour confirmed!
◾️Media
• We are one of the guide shops responsible for posting seasonal ocean updates from Kushimoto on “海旬”.
• Instagram is regularly updated!
• Our YouTube channel is now available!
• A video of Japanese Giant Salamander was featured by diving_partner on their platform.
