Hi.
As a confirmed snorkeller rather than diver I'm probably out of place here but I would like to share with you some information that may contribute to this thread.
My wife and I have holiday'd in the Red Sea for the last few years and last year whilst on and exposed coastal reef we encountered the OWT. As Ive said we take snorkelling seriously with full wet suits, emergency bouyancy aids and HD vid/still cameras and have taken precautions against shiny/reflective apparell but still got buzzed. We were in no more than 25m of water and all of 5m from the reef wall. The OWT came from below, slowly and approached diagonally upward. My wife and I moved together and it veered away to the open water, not in any great hurry, where it watched us from a distance of about 25m. We moved up against the reef and it got bored and moved on. The next day it happened again, this time with the shark monitoring us with idle curiosity from a distance.
Here's the thing. The other swimmers in the area were swimming over open deep water with total disregard with what was below them. Many (particularly the Russians) were covered in 'bling'. Many of them were feeding the reef fish with bread rolls to bring in the smaller fish. Every so often we would encounter the great Barracuda' following the shoals inshore. On the tour boats that the Egyptians run, their totally at home with throwing the left-overs from meals over the side to attract fish to snorkelling parties (also attracts good tips) and it was on such a trip that that French Woman was attacked two years ago.
In short, it came as no surprise to my wife and I to hear that attacks were taking place, especially in an area like Sharm where the tourist expansion has exceeded the supply of locally provided foodstuffs. I can well belive that the Egyptians have made the same mistake that the Brazillians made in the late '70's when they opened an abbotior that bled into the river system and resulted in their Bull shark issue.
In our minds, the cause of the incidents of late are down to ignorance and/or poor disciplne and a blatant failure of the Egyptian authorities to enfore local laws.
On a brighter note, my wife and I will be returning to the Red Sea this year (un-preturbed) and maybe we'll get better footage this time than the blurry video and shouts of "Bark, bark, iz a bucking bark" that we got the last time !
Thanks for the website BTW, were both finding it very informative even though as 'oldies' were not as active as the rest of you.
Cheers.
As a confirmed snorkeller rather than diver I'm probably out of place here but I would like to share with you some information that may contribute to this thread.
My wife and I have holiday'd in the Red Sea for the last few years and last year whilst on and exposed coastal reef we encountered the OWT. As Ive said we take snorkelling seriously with full wet suits, emergency bouyancy aids and HD vid/still cameras and have taken precautions against shiny/reflective apparell but still got buzzed. We were in no more than 25m of water and all of 5m from the reef wall. The OWT came from below, slowly and approached diagonally upward. My wife and I moved together and it veered away to the open water, not in any great hurry, where it watched us from a distance of about 25m. We moved up against the reef and it got bored and moved on. The next day it happened again, this time with the shark monitoring us with idle curiosity from a distance.
Here's the thing. The other swimmers in the area were swimming over open deep water with total disregard with what was below them. Many (particularly the Russians) were covered in 'bling'. Many of them were feeding the reef fish with bread rolls to bring in the smaller fish. Every so often we would encounter the great Barracuda' following the shoals inshore. On the tour boats that the Egyptians run, their totally at home with throwing the left-overs from meals over the side to attract fish to snorkelling parties (also attracts good tips) and it was on such a trip that that French Woman was attacked two years ago.
In short, it came as no surprise to my wife and I to hear that attacks were taking place, especially in an area like Sharm where the tourist expansion has exceeded the supply of locally provided foodstuffs. I can well belive that the Egyptians have made the same mistake that the Brazillians made in the late '70's when they opened an abbotior that bled into the river system and resulted in their Bull shark issue.
In our minds, the cause of the incidents of late are down to ignorance and/or poor disciplne and a blatant failure of the Egyptian authorities to enfore local laws.
On a brighter note, my wife and I will be returning to the Red Sea this year (un-preturbed) and maybe we'll get better footage this time than the blurry video and shouts of "Bark, bark, iz a bucking bark" that we got the last time !
Thanks for the website BTW, were both finding it very informative even though as 'oldies' were not as active as the rest of you.
Cheers.
