Costa Brava – Dive Paradise and plants phenomenon

Posted by admin on 8/31/10 • Categorized as Costa Brava,Uncategorized

Beautiful water worlds – Illes Medes – l’Estartit

At a short distance from L’Estartit, there are the seven Isles of Medes. They are known for their high biodiversity: colonies of gulls, the island’s rich flora, meadows of Posidonia – a seagrass, an ocean floor covered in corals, and much more. A special law is making sure that the Islands remain protected, above and under the sea. Scuba divers and snorkelers need a special permission, and the number of daily allowed dives is limited. More information on this is available from the local diving schools in L’Estartit.
In the 14th century the Medes islands were hideaways for pirates and later a military base. Today the seven islands are uninhabited and there is only one lighthouse on the island of Meda Gran, which is powered by solar energy.
It is allowed to enter the Meda Gran at certain times but never during the breeding season from March to June. You see Caspian Gulls, cormorants and herons as well as various migratory birds. Overall about 60 species of birds nest on the islands.

The vegetation of the Medes islands by l’Estratit

The vegetation on the island consists of species that can live without water and in the salty air, such as the prickly pear, the yellow restharrow, the salt orache and the sea fennel.
At the higher places you can only find lichens.
Due to the incident light there are numerous colonies of algae, some sponges and a variety of animals such as sea urchins and molluscs in the first meters below the sea level. In greater depths, where there is less and less light, the flora consists of calcareous algae and corals. At the entrances of cavities one can discover magnificent colonies with precious corals, sponges, star corals and bryozoans. If you want to enjoy the fish, flora and fauna, we recommend to board one of the special boats that cruise around the islands during the summer season.