Nice article, Island_Sands!!

[island_sands]

Hello wet

I have dived the Med, Red and Persian Gulf, also the Indian Ocean side of the Arabian peninsula.. tell you what that i have never noticed fish being faster in cold water - perhaps miles will be able tell you more on cold water fish behaviour.

Tropical waters have always seemed to have a slowness about them, the fish and rays go about things very slowly, I wondered always if they were simply saving energy in readiness for the predator moments! I have seen huge shoals of predators (barracuda, tuna, jacks) in warm water and the way they rush through the water is incredible. We used to see big shoals of fusiliers at Fish head (Maldives), and when a bunch of trevally or jacks used to move in for the feed, the fish scarper all at once, and the sound of it makes a big bang!!

The marine life and water temp is very different in all these waters above. Actually, the day before i dived False Bay the water temp recorded was 20degC, and the westerly wind moved in and changed it to 10degC, in just 24 hours. Isn't that incredible?

Indian Ocean (Arabia) winter - 22 - summer 30 on bottom, 39 first 10metres
Indian Ocean Maldives 27-33 deg depending on monsoon
Indian Ocean Seychelles - 28-29deg

Indian Ocean is a mixture of coral reefs and plants, colourful fish and your typical image of a tropical fish tank.

Med - (northern Spain) - 20-24deg summer - 14 deg winter (my one and only winter dive in the med, in october. perhaps Adrian will beg to differ as it may be colder as winter progresses). In northern Spain we used to dive the shore line which were huge rock formations including caves and swim throughs, plenty of blue and red soft coral, moray eels and med-fish, the odd ray would pass through and there were loads of those Spanish Dancers.

Arabian Gulf (Dubai side) - 22 winter - 35-40 in summer. In summer the fish are in less quantity as the water is far too warm for any thing, it makes you drowsy! in winter the sharks pull in and the fish populations increase with the decrease of water temperatures. there are coral reefs and lots of marine plants, check out my gallery and look up snorkelling in Jebel Dhanna, to give you an idea. The indian ocean side is full of soft corals and marine life, check out also in my gallery diving in Fujairah.

Cape Town - Atlantic side (Western seaboard) 6-14degC , False Bay - 10-20deg in winter, Summer temps up to 22deg. (I believe... Miles can you verify?) I have some photos to upload still, but you cannot believe the colours and the tons of different nudibranch, sponges of different colours, kelp, it really is fantastic!

anyway, there's my ramble in answer to your question

Originally Posted by wet

Island Sands,

I liked the article, made me shiver even though I was sitting in a warm and dry computer lab! I didn't know about the dive aquariums, very nice.

I'm curious, when diving in cold water (compared to the Red Sea), do the fish and other critters have the same tempo or speed as near the equator, or is it faster paced? Seems to me that the chillier the water, either the animals have to swim faster (and eat lots more, like seals) or go slow (sort of like hibernation) and eat less.

Also, have you dived the Medit., the Red and the Persian-Arabian Gulf? Is the water temperature and plant and animal life similar or very different? To me they should all be kind of similar compared to the South African waters, which have different temperate, climate and species (kelp, white sharks, abalone, seals).

Good read!

DDeden

[wet]

I appreciate your response, reading about real experience there helps to get the feel. In Malaya, the fast streams felt lukewarm but looked cold, and the sea was bathwater, while in Japan the (non-volcano-affected) streams felt icy cold while Tokyo Bay felt lukewarm but had a very temperate tempo, not quite kelpy but in that direction.

I miss the tropical stratified layering: Hot, warm, cool, cold. Here it's cold, cold, cold, ouch! The surfers and abdivers get thick skin quick.
I'll translate the C's to F's (degrees) and find out about the Middle East waters. I've been to Dubai airport for a stopover, the blue from 10,000' and up is mesmerizing, and towards the coast of India as well.
DDeden

[wet]

Island Sands,

Couple of questions more for you, if I may,

You didn't mention temps in the Red Sea,
are they about the same as by Dubai, 22-40C?

I didn't know Dubai water was so cool in winter,
I'd heard the Gulf averaged just under body temperature, maybe that was from a bay.

Is the Red Sea much saltier (denser) than all the other warm seas you have dove or are they similar? (except the Cape) re weights

How deep is the bottom here: Indian Ocean (Arabia) winter - 22/72 - summer 30/86 on bottom, 39/102 first 10metres

That cold snap in False Bay is wild, sounds treacherous that water could chill so quick, especially in a Bay area.

I think the salinity of the water just west of the Cape must be the lowest, right? It starts down near Antarctica, must be icy.

The Maldives and Seychelles sound like divine diving, except maybe during the rainy season.

Thanks for response, reading about real experience there helps to get the feel. When I was in Malaya, the fast streams felt lukewarm but looked cold, and the sea was bathwater, while in Japan the (non-volcano-affected) streams felt icy cold while Tokyo Bay felt lukewarm but had a very temperate tempo, not quite kelpy but in that direction. (I know that doesn't sound very technical)

I miss the tropical stratified layering: Hot, warm, cool, cold. Here it's cold, cold, cold, ouch! The surfers and abdivers get thick skin quick.
I've translated the C's to F's (degrees) I've been to Dubai airport for a stopover, the blue from 10,000' and up is mesmerizing, and towards the coast of India as well. I guess I might have flown near the Maldives, but was way too high.

DDeden

[island_sands]

hi wet
here goes in red

Originally Posted by wet

Island Sands,

Couple of questions more for you, if I may,

You didn't mention temps in the Red Sea,
are they about the same as by Dubai, 22-40C? when i dived in dahab in april it was about 22-24degC. i believe in summer it goes up to 26/27deg.

I didn't know Dubai water was so cool in winter,
I'd heard the Gulf averaged just under body temperature, maybe that was from a bay. Even dubai itself is cool! it was 21degC this morning

Is the Red Sea much saltier (denser) than all the other warm seas you have dove or are they similar? (except the Cape) re weights pretty much yeah

How deep is the bottom here: Indian Ocean (Arabia) winter - 22/72 - summer 30/86 on bottom, 39/102 first 10metres it's 30metres max unless you take a speed boat for about an hour and a half offshore, then it drops to a 100m plus.
on the east side its deeper, 40plus metres.

That cold snap in False Bay is wild, sounds treacherous that water could chill so quick, especially in a Bay area.

I think the salinity of the water just west of the Cape must be the lowest, right? It starts down near Antarctica, must be icy. Not sure mate, perhaps miles or bluecape could tell you about that.

The Maldives and Seychelles sound like divine diving, except maybe during the rainy season. the rainy season is rough (July/August) but still i have seen some great stuff and good vis during those months.

Thanks for response, reading about real experience there helps to get the feel. When I was in Malaya, the fast streams felt lukewarm but looked cold, and the sea was bathwater, while in Japan the (non-volcano-affected) streams felt icy cold while Tokyo Bay felt lukewarm but had a very temperate tempo, not quite kelpy but in that direction. (I know that doesn't sound very technical) i would like to experience volcanic waters... hawaii here we come in february!

I miss the tropical stratified layering: Hot, warm, cool, cold. Here it's cold, cold, cold, ouch! The surfers and abdivers get thick skin quick.
I've translated the C's to F's (degrees) I've been to Dubai airport for a stopover, the blue from 10,000' and up is mesmerizing, and towards the coast of India as well. I guess I might have flown near the Maldives, but was way too high.

DDeden

[wet]

Originally Posted by island_sands

hi wet
here goes in red

Thanks for the feedback, Island Sands, know you're busy. Enjoy Hawaii, I did some sweet snorkeling there years ago. Watch out for falling coconuts, I almost got smashed when snoozing at a park there, a bit windy sometimes, well even paradise has its dangers. The nut tasted good though!

DDeden

[samdive]

nice article but for god's sake girl, get a drysuit! !

[island_sands]

Originally Posted by samdive

nice article but for god's sake girl, get a drysuit! !

yeah when i can afford it
just had my car painted today

[samdive]

very nice!! dave's truck is badged up with saltfree but I haven't got a photo...