Conero Logbook 2020

Questo articolo è disponibile anche in: Italiano (Italian)

The diving season started late, but in the end, it started! During Covid-19 lockdown, diving was just a dream, a way to think about something positive. When the dream came true, it was fantastic, a wonderful feeling. In the past, many seasons have been richer of underwater encounters; nevertheless, this season left me many good memories, first of all, when I felt the salt water on my face again after such a long time, too long.
Talking about practical things, the water temperature was always close to the seasonal average and there was low visibility for the entire season. This year there were many Cratena at Trave again, along with many black scorpionfish.

May and June

In May only a few dives, but enough to see Aplysia punctata at Trave again. In June a lot of black scorpionfish (Scorpaena porcus) and several Felimida luteorosea. It is possible to see Cratena peregrina in several places as well, that means it will be the main actor among the Conero’s nudibranchs again.

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July and August

Due to the adverse sea conditions, in July there aren’t so many opportunities to go dive. The lens starts to focus on tiny crustaceous and also many Flabellina affinis appear here and there. In August there is consistent presence of black scorpionfish and about nudibranchs two sightings to be reported: Dondice banyulensis and Paraflabellina ischitana. The first one it is not so rare at Trave, but for sure it’s less common than other species of the suborder Cladobranchia (the group that includes most of the sea slugs with flourishing tufts). The second one, Paraflabellina ischitana, is unusual in the late summer.

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September and October

This is the beginning of the transition period, when there are fewer animals to see. As usual in this period, the lens is focused on the subjects who are always present and stay patiently still waiting for a portrait.

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I think that 2020 was better than I imagined and considering the pandemic, I can only hope for a 2021 diving season as beautiful and exciting as this one (…fingers crossed!).

Questo articolo è disponibile anche in: Italiano (Italian)