Skarnsundet & the Trondheim Fjord · Norway · Coral garden · Wall
Verrasundet
Yellow-orange sea fans hosting Grieg's tritonia nudibranchs
Photo: Orland · CC BY-SA 4.0
Verrasundet is one of the narrow tidal arms of the Trondheim Fjord, where tides run with surprising force past dark rock walls. The draw is a forest of yellow-orange Paramuricea sea fans at 40 m, home to Grieg's tritonia nudibranch.
0Where it is and how deep
63.8594° N, 10.7777° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The descent passes through a murky surface layer of meltwater as cold as 3°C before the water clears below it into a green twilight along black rock walls. At 40 metres a forest of yellow-orange Paramuricea sea fans sways in the current, with shrimp hiding in the branches, and Grieg's tritonia nudibranchs, about 10 cm long, sit on the gorgonians.
Marine life and season
- Nudibranchs
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Season follows Skarnsundet & the Trondheim Fjord: Diving runs all year; September and October give the best odds of fine weather and clear water, while spring and summer plankton blooms can cut visibility.
Know before you go
- Tides run with real force through this narrow arm, and steep coastlines leave few bays to exit in if the current is misjudged.
- The surface layer of glacial meltwater can be as cold as 3°C.
Dive videos
Dykking Verrasundet 4.2.2017 · Roar Olsø on YouTube
Sources
Photo credits
- A narrow blue sound between forested hills, with a red boathouse on the rocky shore and a small wooded headland across the water by Orland, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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