Fun Diving in the Kushimoto Area with Guests from the USA and Malaysia
The final day of Golden Week welcomed us with calm and flat ocean conditions. The weather was unfortunately cloudy with occasional rain, but we could not ask for a calmer sea.
Today, we enjoyed fun diving in the Kushimoto area with guests visiting from the USA and Malaysia.
Visibility gradually decreased during the afternoon, but the water temperature stayed in the low 20°C range, making for comfortable diving conditions. We also started to see more divers switching to wetsuits.
This year, the Kuroshio Current is staying close to Kushimoto, and we are beginning to notice changes in the marine life that reflect its influence.
One example is the Goniobranchus kuniei.
When I first came to Kushimoto, this nudibranch was quite common. However, as the Kuroshio Current meandered farther away over the years, their numbers decreased significantly.
Some marine life appears when the Kuroshio Current approaches, while other species disappear.
It is easy to take common species for granted, but once they are gone, it may already be too late to appreciate them.
Even species considered “common” will not stay forever. That is why it is important to enjoy the underwater scenery we can only see right now.
Another species that feels more abundant recently is the Orangutan crab.
This is probably more related to the season than the Kuroshio Current itself, but lately we have been spotting them in many different locations.
One of the best places to photograph them is this particular spot with a beautiful background.
The colorful scenery combined with Orangutan crab makes it a great location for macro photography lovers.
Interestingly, nudibranch activity has actually improved since May started.
From January to March, I felt there were fewer nudibranchs than usual, but recently their numbers have recovered dramatically. If you love nudibranchs, now is a great time to dive in Kushimoto!
Although the water temperature continues to fluctuate, the underwater season is steadily progressing.
We are now seeing many fish displaying mating, spawning, and egg-guarding behavior.
The photo above shows eggs of Chromis yamakawai. Each egg is probably only about 1 mm in size. The father aggressively attacks divers who get too close.
If you are being pecked underwater, there is probably a nest nearby. Please be careful not to damage the eggs while swimming.
Golden Week has finally come to an end today.
Thank you very much to everyone who visited us during the holiday period.
Thankfully, we still have guests joining us even after Golden Week, so our busy season is not over yet.
Tomorrow will also be another international team day.
It is always fun meeting and talking with people from different countries every day.
My goal is to create a dive shop where many different languages can be heard every day.
It may still take time since I currently run the shop mostly by myself, but I will continue working toward that dream!
We still have good availability during late May and June.
Feel free to contact us for fun diving, discover scuba diving, diving courses, or river diving tours!
See you underwater!
Today’s Conditions
- Weather: Sunny with occasional clouds
- Air Temperature: 14–18°C
- Water Temperature: 20.1-20.3°C (Kushimoto)
- Visibility: 5-10m (Kushimoto)
Recommended Exposure Protection
- Neoprene drysuit with thick inner layer
or - Shell drysuit with Wizzle or NORD undergarments
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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.
