Ghasri Valley

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Għasri Valley , also Wied il-Għasri , is a sea canyon on the Maltese island of Gozo . The gorge continues on the land towards the village of Għasri .

location and size

Għasri Valley is located on the north coast of the island. The village of Għasri is about 2.5 kilometers away. On the sea side, the gorge is approx. 250 meters long and 15 to 30 meters wide. The extension of the gorge, going inland from the sea, is approx. 500 meters long.

Importance for tourism

Due to its very remote location and difficult accessibility, Għasri Valley is of no importance for tourism. The gorge is only known to a certain extent among divers, as there is a well-known diving site on the right-hand side, outside the gorge. It is a large underwater cave that has a large air-filled cavity. This cave is known as the Cathedrale Cave or Blue Dome.

environment

Although the immediate area and Għasri Valley itself are unique to Gozo, the gorge is not covered by any immediate protection program. Only the north coast from Ramla Bay to shortly before Għasri Valley are part of the Natura 2000 project. Many bird species breed and nest here due to the steep walls and their hiding spots.

  • Għasri Valley as seen from the sea towards Għasri. In the background you can see the Ta 'Gordon lighthouse .

  • The landside continuation of the gorge

  • The gorge towards the open sea

vegetation

The gorge itself has very little topsoil. Therefore, mainly specialized plants live here, which can live on the barren and year-round dry soil. These include succulents , capers, and cacti .

  • Typical vegetation in the gorge

  • Capparis spinosa

  • Caper bush

Marine life

The gorge is very shallow and has a maximum depth of about 10 meters. In the shallower areas there are mainly Mediterranean monk fish , small moray eels , and mullets and in the darker areas you can often see the red mullet king . Outside of Għasri Valley is Cathedral Cave. Many crustaceans live here, such as hermit crabs , lobsters and the great bear crab . In the open water, pelagic fish like barracudas , mackerel and small tuna hunt .

  • sepia

  • Octopus vulgaris

  • Big bear cancer

  • Barakuda swarm

Surroundings

Near Għasri Valley is Reqqa Point . This is the northernmost point of the Maltese archipelago. The towns of Żebbuġ and Għasri are also easily accessible from Għasri Valley. The lighthouse Ta 'Gordon is located about 1.5 kilometers away. The very popular bathing bay Xwejni Bay is approx. 2.2 kilometers away.

literature

  • Hans Christian Weber, Bernd Kendzior: Flora of the Maltese Islands, Markgraf Publisher, 2006.
  • Berbauer, Humberg: What lives in the Mediterranean? Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. KG Stuttgart, 2009.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://gozonews.com/26949/management-plans-for-34-natura-2000-sites-being-prepared/
  2. ^ Hans Christian Weber, Bernd Kendzior: Flora of the Maltese Islands, Markgraf Publisher, 2006.
  3. ↑ http://www.malta.com/en/attraction/diving/diving-site/gozo/cathedral-cave

Coordinates: 36 ° 4 ′ 41 ″  N , 14 ° 13 ′ 41 ″  E