Crowley's day in Sharm

So today I am running our Ras Mohamed boat - 2 dives, first to be at Ras Za'atar, followed by Shark and Yolanda after lunch.

The dive at Ras Za'atar was very lovely, nothing special but good visibility on the wall, a little back current around the corner, drift the last 15 minutes into pleasant sunlight near the surface. All the time I am aware of the fact that there have been four shark attacks, one fatal - and yet I know that as a diver I am safe from attack, because they never attack divers. Well, they don't often attack people at all - but for sure one is at the moment... Maybe they might like to try a diver? We all like candy that is crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside....

After lunch in the calm seas around the lighthouse, we tootle off to Shark and Yolanda reef; two boats already with divers in the water. One of my centre's other boats is leaving just as we are arriving - they are making three dives today. After I finish my briefing the captain grabs me and tells me that the captain of the other boat has called saying there is a Shark at Shark reef. Yesterday I made a post I had never seen one there - I still haven't, however I digress.

I spoke to both of the guides on the other boat - they confirmed a BIG Longimanus, at least 2.5 metres in length (this from a dive guide who has years of experience diving with sharks) and as soon as I hang up the phone, we get a phone call from one of the other boats saying there are two that have been seen at the surface.

My first thought was - I am going to be making a current check here in 15 minutes, and since those other boats have just started picking up, I am going to be alone, in the water, at Shark and Yolanda, one of the most immediately deep sites there is (756 metres directly to the bottom at Shark) and for a few moments I am going to be at the surface, with two adult oceanics somewhere nearby.

I had to tell the guests - so I made a short statement in German (not native) and before I had translated into English, two of the guests were out of their suits. Four people cancelled their dive and have cancelled for tomorrow as well.

I am sorry, but I lost my nerve also. If it was me and the guys I work with then yeah I would have jumped in a heartbeat - all together and negative. It has occurred to me that I keep talking about one rogue shark and yet suddenly I am thinking "what if it's not"? What if some environmental factor has caused the sharks to all go crazy at the same time?

So I aborted the dive and we went to Ras Ghozlani instead - only three people (including myself) underwater. It's not that far - the White tips can travel quickly when they want to.

So we jump in, there's another dive centre just ahead of us so I am all about the slowly slowly. About 30 minutes into the dive, staring at a long nosed hawkfish in a gorgonian, I hear an all too familiar crunching noise and I turn around to see - literally - 2 metres behind me, a huge cloud of blood bit a big silvery thing in the middle of it. A great barracuda - easily 1 metre 20 or more - has just shredded a trevally behind me. My heart went boom and I sucked 10 bar of air in one breath - of all the days this could have happened it happens two days after a fatal shark attack and I have two big suckers only a few kilometres away. Now I'm thinking maybe ALL the fish have gone crazy in the last few days....

And then it occurs to me that I am hovering with two other guys in a huge cloud of fish guts and blood...

Welcome to Sharm el Sheikh folks, y'all have a nice day!

C.

Im glad i'm not the only person to have never seen a shark at Shark Reef

Crowley

What you say suggests that a number of oceanic white tips, for some unknown reason, has relocated to the South Sinai-area over the last week. I think it makes more sense than a lone rouge shark.
The bottom topography is drastic (very deep close to shore), so that "in-shore" waters actually have off-shore characteristics, making it a comfortable (but historically unusual) vista for OWT. It could explain the unfathomable incidents. Because a tourist laying on the surface, flapping and splashing around in panic might certainly trigger even a "sane" oceanic white tip to bite.

I hope things return to normal soon again for you guys.

Ha ha..funny post Crowley ! :

My heart went boom and I sucked 10 bar of air in one breath

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As for the sighted Sharks. If they saw 2-3 in one place then there are MANY more around. I said it earlier that I doubted the "one crazy shark" theory. And earlier evidence shows that they started arriving a while ago. And will surely stay a bit longer.

Thnx for the post from the "frontlines" lol

The water is 1-2c warmer than usual for the time of year (more in places) so maybe sharks haven't gone as far south this year. Although there are more now than in the summer months when the water is warmer (until they kill them all).

Daggad:

If they saw 2-3 in one place then there are MANY more around. I said it earlier that I doubted the "one crazy shark" theory. And earlier evidence shows that they started arriving a while ago. And will surely stay a bit longer.

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It's hard not to agree with this evaluation of the situation. Seems like they're (as in plural) coming in close to shore. Which can't be a good thing for bathers and snorkellers. Or indeed the sharks themselves once they get lynched.

I think it's difficult to believe that snorkelling with longimanus is safe, at least not anymore, in the red sea. Diving, a different thing, but on the surface splashing - not where I'd want to be. Perhaps fish stocks are getting so depleted that they are starting to look for different food sources.

Crowley, sounds like you had a fun day.... glad nothing nibbled you, stay safe.

J

i think anyone would have bottled it in these circumstances!

i really hope the situation resumes back to normal soon, for everyone it is effecting, but do keep the stories coming till it does. it really helped lightened the mood in a serious situation

Crowley:

Now I'm thinking maybe ALL the fish have gone crazy in the last few days....

And then it occurs to me that I am hovering with two other guys in a huge cloud of fish guts and blood...

Welcome to Sharm el Sheikh folks, y'all have a nice day!

C.

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In light of the current situation down there...

These should be the quotes of the month....

Nice post Crowley! And I agree with Alcoxe...