Havania / Spinalonga Peninsula

Another early swim from the local beach, this time further along the coast. Felt good, and views wonderful. Sea wine dark and fishing boats at work up and down in the distance. I got over to Mirabello Hotel and went along the rocks toward the little arch. I found some new sponges, and more varied encrusting life in the small caves and crevices here. Further out, at about 7-8m, I found and a lump of stonework resembling a Corinthian capital.

Saw lots of little fish later on, lots of salp, and found a very bright red starfish. Got a few small scratches to hands somehow. Vis went a bit milky returning to the beach.

Yas was just about awake when I got back, and had the good idea that we go to Olous on the Elounda Bus. A taxi came along first and we got dropped off where the road forks down to cross the causeway over to the Spinalonga Pensinsula. Eventually we walked round to the church at the water's edge. The water was exceptionally clear, and I could see here the sunken walls - perhaps part of the old harbour - and decided to go for a swim. I took the blob with me because a bit further out there was waterskiing and inflatable towing from the opposite bay. Closer in I hooked the blob on a rock when I wanted to dive. I swam along the coast for a while around the rocks, the tilted slabby ledges were quite good underwater scenery and there were some good places for creatures. Saw lots of blennies, wrasse, and bream. Some bits of fishing gear and and a wrecked motorbike. Getting out got some sea urchin spines embedded in fingers.

We carried on up over the hill past the smiling goat, along the windy track past some very nice bays to the restored church at the top. We had a nice peaceful rest here and looked down across the bay and the beach where some of the big boats had offloaded lots of people for barbequing before walking back to one of the smaller beaches we'd passed.

Had a really good snorkel here. Interesting rocks and good scenery and fish, but fewer plants. A few bits and pieces of junk and lines/lead etc and some small tangles of line. Best thing I found was a very big conical shell in shallows. The main segment was about fist size and it was about 10". Alive? Perhaps. I took a few pictures and round and about here there were lots of the small black fish with forked tail fins. Fish with with feelers rootled in the sand. And there were plenty of fireworms and lots of gritty grey sea cucumbers.