Jun 302015
 

The dive boat anchors beside the Zurziep Reef in about 6m of water. There is a platform of rock at the base of the cliff, only 5m underwater. There is also a series of gullys running between the reef and the cliff face which make an ideal spot to explore during your safety stop at the end of the dive.

This area is rarely fished and shoals of bream are found here as well as large numbers of amberjacks, parrot fish, wrasse, damsel fish, bogue, picarel and sand smelt.

This dive site also has plenty of shallow caverns in which you will be sure to find cardinalfish (Apogon imberis) and various species of anemone  such as the stunning fireworks anemone (Cerianthus membranaceus).

Cardinal fish are well known to divers who visit the Mediterranean and are instantly recognisable. The fish are an overall reddish – orange colour with a distinctive dark line that stretches from the snout all the way back to the gill covers. The eyes of the cardinal fish have two parallel white lines which break up the dark patch.