Sleeping Wrasse

Nestled in a clump of rocky reef at 20m this Brownspotted Wrasse (Notolabrus parilus) is doing what all good wrasse do at eleven o’clock, sleeping.

Sleeping fish are an amusing part of night diving. They do not lay there with eyes closed but seem to be in some vacant trace staring out into the ocean. Some nestle under ledges or wedge themselves in crevices. Others lay flat against some vertical surface propped up by the sea floor or other structure. Inside of wrecks where there is no current some fish just simply hang in mid water; asleep.

You can come right up to them, fire strobes, pull faces and they will not budge. However just one touch and they instantly react, usually swimming strait into something else before they have regains their full faculties.

It was an amazing night out on the ocean last night. The sea was millpond calm, the stars were bright and the late rising moon just stunning over the water. The dive on ‘The Barge’ out from Glenelg was worth the late night effort.

At least some got some sleep last night but not me.


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