Survey 2007-2015
In November of 2007 we went to coastal Stratoni with a Marine Antiquities Ephorate team in order to investigate the marine area in front of the mines facilities, when suddenly we noticed a seahorse on the sea floor. Our mission at that time was different so we didn’t pay much notice. Sometime later during the dive we observed more seahorses. A lot of seahorses. It was odd, we thought that such a rare creature… and before we finished our thought we came upon an area where dozens were aggregating. Just standing there, on top of the sand like they had a planned meeting.
So, by June 2008 we had returned to the seas of Stratoni in order to observe and photograph the seahorses. At exactly the same spot, at the same depth we met them again.
Aggregated from 8 to 12 meters they seemed to avoid shallower waters. The turbulence caused by the waves reaching the coast does not transfer below 5 or 6 meters, resulting in the seahorses preferring spots that are safe. We encountered them on a golden sea floor with thin but tightly packed sand and rich marine flora. Some of them were standing motionless on the sand, letting go to any prevailing current that could aid with their seemingly slow motion. Others were using their agile tails to hang on to mussel beds spread around the area.
Talking with locals and local fishermen of the area we found out that seahorses appear in three or four spots within the Stratoni Bay. They are often caught in nets that wrongly use a very small mesh size. Such nets very frequently catch 4 or 5 seahorses but there are days where up to 20 animals are pulled up. All the spots were the fishermen have encountered the seahorse are close to the coast and at shallow depths. Antonis Arvanitakis was born and raised in Stratoni and his words were “Stratoni has been the seahorse’s home from very old times”
Returning to Athens, we decided to further investigate into the habitats used by the Greek seahorse. The first tip we received was about a beach located east from Rio-Antirio Bridge. We searched the entire area for two days but we did not manage to find any seahorses, albeit the area displayed favorable conditions for his survival. On the third day we departed as the weather turned fierce. Possibly due to the weather conditions and taking into account that seahorses are not the most agile swimmers but prefer more sheltered areas, they might have also departed.
Julius Glabedakis who is a professional diver, informed us that seahorses can also be found in North Crete. He encountered them mostly in summer and autumn, in areas parallel to the shore amongst sea grass meadows. In autumn of 2008 in Stravros village, 17km from the City of Chania, he encountered them at the depth of 30 m.
In March of 2009 we returned to Stratoni once again. We dove once more and a plethora of seahorses were to be found there, in the same area. This time we dove at night in order to observe their behavior at night. What we found out is that they sleep just like us. They are not the late night types. They gently touch on one side and lay down to sleep. We took a few more photographs and returned to Athens.
It remains, that the phenomenon of their population and the steady rate of their encounters observed in the coastal area of Stratoni, is unique, to the best of our knowledge.
After a detailed description we read on www.scubadive.gr and posted by Phivos, we became aware of the presence of seahorses in the Corinth Gulf, in Kalamaki, Viotia. Kalamaki is a small sandy beach with coastal vegetation, on the eastern part of the Korinthian Gulf.
After following closely his detailed descriptions which were uploaded on the aforementioned site, we began our underwater survey heading East. After a 70minute dive we did not manage to spot any seahorses. Disappointed and with heads turned down I take a heading on the compass and begin our way back. Suddenly at 8 meters depth, I see him in front of me in habitat identical to the ones we had seen before. Small grained sand, meadows of seagrass and clear waters. This specimen was a little bit different than the ones encountered at Stratoni, but as we ascertained later after a bibliographical search, no seahorse, when inspected closely, is the same with any other as they bare distinctive marks which make each one unique.
Taking into account all our cumulative dives in the past eight years, we can safely say that in this particular area we can always encounter seahorses. The scientific explanations for this phenomenon still elude us, since until today we have not consulted any specialized scientists and we have not performed any laboratory research. A working hypothesis could be due to the area’s unique features. The soil is rich in metals and other elements found nutritious and essential to this unique and highly sensitive species.The fact that most seahorses have been encountered in front of the stream mouth where rain waters eventually run out from, has to be related to the fact. We have also encountered other species that thrive in that area. For the time being we do not have any more information, but we can safely say that we have to protect and preserve them. Without exaggerations and extra risks we can avoid fishing practices in this particular, small area and offer a shelter for their survival.
Diary
1. First spotting of the seahorses was in November 2007, with individuals located by chance during a dive performed for different reasons, more than 20 individuals spotted.
2. Next dive was in June 2008, with more than 20 specimens located as an aggregation between 8 and 12 meters and rarely above 6 meters.
3. In March 2009, we returned to Stratoni for a third time. We dove again and a plethora of seahorses were aggregated in the same area. This time we performed a night dive in order to observe their behavior at night. What we observed was they were possibly sleeping. They gently lay on one side and sleep.
4. February of 2010, Stratoni is faced by a natural disaster, with huge floods and damage. All the mussel beds documented in previous years, the rich marine fauna and flora were either swept away or covered over. On our next dive, a few months after this event we barely located three seahorses. The seafloor had changed completely as it was covered with materials, rubbish, trees and other objects laying in the wider marine area.
5. It is worth noting that from 2011 and thereafter we only encounter the one species (Hippocampus hippocampus) while the second species we had initially encountered (Hippocampus guttulatus), we are afraid that is nowadays gone or rarely seen.
6. On the 28th of July 2012 we located approximately 6 individuals, we observed the same approximate situation documented in 2011. (Underwater life, octopi, sea anemones, starfish etc. were also observed).
7. On the 28th of July 2013 we located approximately 10 individuals, we observed the same approximate situation documented in 2011. (Underwater life, octopi, sea anemones, starfish etc. were also observed).
8. In June 0f 2014 we located approximately 10 individuals, we observed the same approximate situation documented in 2013. (Underwater life, octopi, sea anemones, starfish etc. were also observed).
9. On the 4th of November 2015 we located 3 individuals and spent approximately half an hour with each of them. Possibly, if continued on with our course and covered a wider underwater area, we would have spotted more. On the 5th of November we performed a shorter dive and located 9 individuals.
10. In June 2016 we located approximately 10 individuals, we observed the same approximate situation documented in 2013. (Underwater life, octopi, sea anemones, starfish etc. were also observed).
We have to state here that the dives performed inside the area of coastal Stratoni in the last years (2012-2015) are almost double the above, however we did not have a systematic documentation process so did not record all the data and dates consistently.
