Go Pro: In pursuit of the sea devil
It's scary to see something completely black when you're alone in the sea… This something was moving towards me at an incredibly high speed and there was only a blue sea around, and only my camera was in my hands. Of course, running is not an option, and I began to shoot. What was my surprise when I realized that it was a manta ray. Very young and just like me – shy, but very curious. We found each other and watched each other with curiosity and apprehension. But curiosity was stronger and my first sea devil turned out to be amazingly friendly. The manta danced underwater for me, showing its unique pattern on its belly, it is unique and is a kind of fingerprint. According to the photo of the drawing on the belly of the manta, each individual is recorded and tracked.
Circle manta is RS0270B and the 268th manta in the database MantaTrust. This is a new sighting in the database and is a juvenile female. This is indeed a rare sighting – only about 2-2.5% of the Red Sea manta population are estimated to be black melanistic morphs. Based on the sightings reports I get, juvenile manta rays start showing up around Ras Umm Sid/Tower in mid-April each year.
We swim together from the Temple dive site to Ras Um Sid, Sharm el sheik, Egypt.
My first sea devil will forever remain in my memory and I hope to meet again.
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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