A Beautiful Day with Clear Blue Skies at Last
Since the typhoon passed through, we had been experiencing rainy weather almost every day. Today, however, we finally enjoyed a beautiful sunny day in Kushimoto!
It felt almost like summer on land, and it was warm enough to take off the top half of a wetsuit without feeling cold.
Although the rainy season has officially begun in western Japan, the forecast looks promising for the rest of the week. According to the current forecast, we should have sunny weather through Saturday.
We still have a few spaces available this weekend, so why not come and enjoy diving in Kushimoto under clear skies?
Today was a quiet weekday, and I had the pleasure of guiding a guest on a relaxed private fun diving trip.
For the first dive, we focused on wide-angle scenery. Visibility is gradually improving after the recent rough weather, and underwater landscapes are becoming more enjoyable again.
As the water temperature continues to rise, we are starting to see spawning and courtship behavior from fish such as Sea goldie . Fish activity around the reefs has also increased, with many species swimming actively above the reef.
The water temperature is getting closer to 24°C. Hopefully, it will continue to rise over the coming weeks.
Kushimoto is also home to some impressive large coral colonies. One of the most notable is Lobophylliidae, which is the largest coral colony at this dive site.
Having survived numerous typhoons over many years, this coral continues to thrive. Fortunately, it appears that the recent typhoon caused no damage to it.
For the second dive, we switched our focus to macro life.
Many sea slugs were swept away by the recent rough conditions, but we found plenty of individuals remaining in deeper areas.
Even Thecacera pacifica, which is known to be vulnerable to surge, was still present in deeper water. With a little more time, we may start seeing even larger numbers again.
Nearby, we also found Bornella anguilla.
After storms, it often seems like sea slugs gather in certain areas. Perhaps these locations are protected from surge, or perhaps the currents carry them to the same spots. Whatever the reason, the area we explored today was full of sea slugs.
We also found Diaphorodoris mitsuii and Dermatobranchus striatus, along with several other species. It was a very productive dive for sea slug enthusiasts.
I have a sea slug photography request coming up on Friday, so today’s dive provided some encouraging results.
Although the rainy season has started in the Kansai region, we still get plenty of beautiful sunny days like this one.
If you would like to enjoy Kushimoto’s underwater world on a clear and comfortable day, feel free to contact us anytime. Last-minute weekday bookings are always welcome.
July, August, holiday weekends, and the Obon period（August8-16) are gradually filling up. If you are planning a summer diving trip to Japan, we recommend booking early to secure your preferred dates.
Tomorrow, I will be guiding a snorkeling program for a local high school field trip.
See you underwater!
Today’s Ocean Conditions (Kushimoto)
Weather: Sunny
Air Temperature: 17–26°C
Water Temperature: 23.3°C
Visibility: 8–10 m
Recommended Exposure Protection
- 6.5 mm two-piece wetsuit
- 5 mm wetsuit
- Drysuit with a long-sleeve shirt and long pants underneath
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Announcements
◾️Event Information
• Tide Pool Barred-chin blenny Photo Tour confirmed!
• Coral Spawning Observation Night Diving 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.
