Had a nice long underwater photography dedicated dive in Xlendi Tunnel on 28th March, and though I did not take that many images, I was able to spend a lot of time exploring all the nooks, crannies and side caverns.
Overall the habitats at each stage of the tunnel felt very different from previous photo dives there, but this dive is a lot lot earlier in year. Normally it’s June – August when I’m in there for an hour or more with the camera.
Underwater Photography – dedicated diving
This is not a normal scuba dive profile, and would probably be very boring to most divers, but underwater photographers who dive with me in Gozo just love the opportunity to concentrate on the huge range of macro invertebrate life found inside the tunnel and at the two very different environments found just outside each end.
It’s also not too shabby for available light underwater photography with a wide angle lens either!
One obvious difference I came across, is the large sponge inside the small cave on the outer side of the tunnel that is now reduced to a small stump. It will be interesting to see how it progresses during the rest of 2012.
I’ve updated the image (29th March) with a new one shot this afternoon so that the coverage in both images is nearly the same. This sponge was about 1 m across. It was in the side cavern last spring, though I did not photograph it then.
The anemone on floor of the cavern below it has survived, so i wonder what demolished the sponge? Perhaps it got too big to withstand the surge during winter storms.
Underwater Photography dedicated diving helps you to achieve more.
I’m really pleased with the increased ease that digital underwater photography has enabled. To be able to shoot one day, review overnight and re-shoot the following day is just so much more fun and productive than waiting for slides to come back after the trip.
And being able to take your time over the underwater photography on a dedicated photo dive certainly helps too.
I have a list of other Gozo Diving sites on the main Gozo Diving page.
Scuba Diving Holidays in Gozo – other resources
You may want to check out the regulations for scuba diving holidays on the official Professional Diving Schools Association – Malta website.
