HIDDEN PARADISE IN AYVALIK
In the depths of the Aegean, a few miles offshore
from the picturesque town of Ayvalik, is a hidden paradise. Only
divers can explore this world of colourful marine creatures and
plants, the yellow, orange, pink and red corals and sponges, and
myriad species of fish.
Ayvalik, the ancient Kydonia, has been home to numerous
civilisations since 330 BC. The inhabitants have for long centuries
made a living from fishing, sponge diving and olive production.
Where the sea bed type is concerned, diving points
can be divided into two main groups. The first are rock beds which
cover the area along the coasts and around the islands. These pale
grey rocks descend to a depth of approximately 15 metres and have
no plants or weed on the upper surfaces, but only clumps of yellow
sponge and sea urchins.
On the sides and undersides of the rocks, however,
is usually a layer of thin red sponge, and holes in the rocks provide
homes for diverse creatures, including octopuses, conger eels, shrimps
and tiny crabs less than 1 centimetre in length. Below 15 metres
the bottom is covered with green weed whose ribbon-like fronds are
30 centimetres in length. This continues down to 20 or 30 metres,
where there are rocks of gigantic size, sometimes forming sheer
walls. These provide a home for a wealth of marine life, and are
the areas underwater divers enjoy exploring most.
The surface of the rock is covered with red sponges
resembling cacti, and the crevices in the rock are lined with yellow
and red sponge.
These crevices are the home of white bream, small
goby, cardinal fish, conger eels, moray eels, groupers, Corvina
nigra, and so on.
In the vicinity of the walls there is a constant
coming and going of shoals of saddled bream, Lichia amia, Mediterranean
barracuda and Epinephelus aeneas, a relative of the grouper. The
sand bed at the foot of the rock walls is scattered with rocks,
in whose crevices live lobster, scampi, hermit crabs and other crustaceans.
The second category of diving points which I recommend
are the shallows and reefs of the Gulf of Edremit to the north.
Here outcrops of rock rising from the seabed at 50-60 metres form
abrupt shallows with a depth of just 20-30 metres. These reefs are
generally flat-topped, and some near Ayvalik have names, such as
the Deli (Mad) Mehmet I and II, and the Kerbela. At Kerbela Shallows,
named after the battle in which Hüseyin the son of Ali was
killed, the sea is usually rough with strong currents and the weather
windy, making it difficult to anchor here for deep sea diving. At
these diving points the rocks are covered with crimson and vivid
yellow corals like a brilliantly decorated fan.
These soft corals are also found around the Marmara
Islands and near Antalya, but only at much greater depths of over
50 metres.
At these diving points the rocks are covered with crimson and vivid
yellow corals like a brilliantly decorated fan. These soft corals
are also found around the Marmara Islands and near Antalya, but
only at much greater depths of over 50 metres.
Kerbela Shallows covers an area of over 500 square metres and varies
in depth from 30 to 50 metres. Divers at Kerbela must strictly comply
with the regulations of deep sea diving. If you dive with a diving
company, then there are no formalities involved. However, if you
wish to dive at points outside the areas permitted for recreational
diving, then you must apply to the authorities plenty of time in
advance.
At these diving points the rocks are covered with crimson and vivid
yellow corals like a brilliantly decorated fan. These soft corals
are also found around the Marmara Islands and near Antalya, but
only at much greater depths of over 50 metres.
Most of the marine fish species native to the Aegean are to be found
at Ayvalik, and this diversity is one of the primary attractions
of the area for divers. Over the past decade Ayvalik has become
an increasingly popular diving destination. The colourful and mysterious
alternative world beneath the surface of that sapphire sea holds
a fascination that no diver can resist.
* Ali Ethem Keskin is an underwater photographer
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