Shark School - The Red Sea 2008

Red Sea Diving Safari arranged this year's Shark School 23. - 26. nov.
The first evening we had an introduction where we were taught how to behave together with the sharks. The next 3 days we dove twice daily with evaluation and lectures in the evening. The leader of the course was Dr. Erich Ritter - an american scientist and specialist in shark-psychology. And I promise you he punctured all the myths about sharks.
In the spring I immediately booked the course, and all my hopes of learning to swim with the Oceanic Whitetips were met.
The Course was held at the divecamp Marsa Shagra, a little north of Marsa Alam, and since I was here last time they'd built a huge cathedral-like restaurant. There wasn't much boyscout feeling left, now it's more like a 3 star international restaurant - the tents were still there though. (;o)

Elphinstone Reef.

Elphinstone is a reef about 12 km from the coast and 30 km north of Marsa Alam. It's 300 m long with almost vertical walls rising up from 100m below, and standing there all alone, it attracts the big game from the open sea.
And it was here I met the Oceanic Whitetips, I had really hoped for. I recorded some videoclips which are here merged together.
Video med Oceanic Whitetips.

Elphinstone Reef.
Dr. Erich Ritter. (the right one :o)

Oceanic Whitetips.
The picture above was rated as among the 5 best in an international photo competition issued by Colona Group.

We learned to behave correctly when diving with the sharks; but a dutch diver got so frightened when the shark came from just behind him, that he slapped it on its nose. The shark reacted quickly and bit him twice on his hands, and the diver reacting just as quickly withdrew them causing deep tears, that had to be sutured in Hurgada. I was nearby watching the shark and I saw the two quick snatches, but then it quietly continued cruising along among us. It was such a nice and curious little fellow, and he played with us for half an hour.

Copyright SharkSchool TM At a time Erich Ritter and I were alone with the shark - a little deeper down than the others.
So while I shot the videofilm of Erich and the shark, he photographed the shark and me, and this is the result.

Abu Dabbab.

I also visited Marsa Abu Dabbab, where the last time I photographed some seacows. This time they were not here but there were 2 green turtles - a male and a female. They are more than a meter long, feeding on the seagrass like the seacows.

Remoras are meter long fish with a sucking-disc on top of their head, which they use to cling onto bigger fish and other animals. I have even seen them try with divers - very funny, they don't harm them, just getting a free ride.
You can see them on the video with the turtles.
Video with the green turtles.

Black Coral.
Stone Coral. - was probably already here when Moses passed by :o)

...and now 3 instances of vertical flatfish-love.

Masked Butterflyfish and Red Sea Bannerfish.
Pinnate Batfish

And here some horizontals. (;o)

=> Emergency Exit...hvis du er faret vild ;-)

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Elphinstone Reef. Elphinstone is a reef about 12 km from the coast and 30 km north of Marsa Alam. It's 300 m long with almost vertical walls rising up from 100m below, and standing there all alone, it attracts the big game from the open sea. And it was here I met the Oceanic Whitetips, I had really hoped for. I recorded some videoclips which are here merged together. Video med Oceanic Whitetips.
Elphinstone Reef.	Dr. Erich Ritter. (the right one :o)

Oceanic Whitetips. The picture above was rated as among the 5 best in an international photo competition issued by Colona Group.
We learned to behave correctly when diving with the sharks; but a dutch diver got so frightened when the shark came from just behind him, that he slapped it on its nose. The shark reacted quickly and bit him twice on his hands, and the diver reacting just as quickly withdrew them causing deep tears, that had to be sutured in Hurgada. I was nearby watching the shark and I saw the two quick snatches, but then it quietly continued cruising along among us. It was such a nice and curious little fellow, and he played with us for half an hour.

...and now 3 instances of vertical flatfish-love.
Masked Butterflyfish and Red Sea Bannerfish.	Pinnate Batfish
And here some horizontals. (;o)