Amakusa · Japan · Muck & macro · Sand slope
Shirato
Seahorses in 2 to 3 m of water, all year
Shirato is a shallow shore dive off a beach on Amakusa, known as Kumamoto's headline super-macro ground and one of the main points for the local dive service. Seahorses and nudibranchs turn up all year, and the sand draws rays, among them red stingrays and Japanese butterfly rays.
Also known as 白涛, 白涛ビーチ.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Amakusa and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The dive starts from the beach and stays shallow throughout, with the bottom reaching about 7 m at its deepest. Because the ground is sand, rays are common and seahorses sit in the shallows.
Seahorses appear from 2 to 3 m and are present in numbers through the year, so the first minutes of the dive already hold the main subject. Nudibranchs are just as dependable, with plenty to find in every season.
Rays are common on the sand, with red stingrays and Japanese butterfly rays among those seen. They add something larger to look for between the small subjects.
Marine life and season
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
- Stingrays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Good | Fair |
Season follows Amakusa: Diving runs all year; July coral spawning and the October cave season stand out, while winter brings drysuits and lumpsuckers, and north winds blow into spring.
Sources
- 天草ビーチダイブ情報 — Kumamoto Diving Service Yokayoka
Similar dives elsewhere
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