SIMPLY SHARKS!

November 4th 2008. In years to come, will you remember what you were doing on the globally historic day that America elected the very first Black Leader of the Free World?

Some were maxing out their central heating and considering if the credit crunch would allow a Christmas spending spree. Others were pondering whether to dust off their drysuits for a cold dip in their local quarry. The Simply Diving team, meanwhile, was busy doing something that will mark that momentous November day for the rest of its members’ lives: Shark diving in the Red Sea!

Aboard Blue O Two’s luxury liveaboard Blue Horizon, the Simply Diving divers – made up of staff members, friends and former students of the PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Resort – were taking part in a specially arranged Shark Project Week, with a dedicated itinerary taking in world famous reefs such as the Brothers Islands and Daedalus, and with a primary aim of spotting and recording as many sharks as possible. With a final count of 35 Oceanic Whitetips, a handful of Scalloped Hammerheads, one or two elusive Threshers and a smattering of Grey Reef Sharks, the week’s diving did anything but disappoint. “I’ve been lucky enough to dive with and photograph many sharks all over the world, including the Great White, Bull and Tiger Shark,” enthused Simply Diving Divemaster Peter Vermeul. “But the Oceanic Whitetip was the one I really wanted on camera. It’s an amazing creature to capture on film. Not only because of its distinctive appearance, but the way it moves through the water and glides silently by.”

The aim of the “Longimanus Shark Project” has seen biologist Elke Bojanowski devote the past four years to collecting population data on the Oceanic Whitetip in the Red Sea. And anyone wishing to do their bit to help the preservation of the marine environment is urged to jump right in and get involved. Simon Bell, Simply Diving’s Dive Operations Manager, explained: “We recorded every shark sighting, noting what the shark was up to and any characteristics that might help Elke identify it later. We also listened to daily talks on the biology and behaviour of sharks, as well as the current threat to shark populations worldwide.”

“So not only did we get to do our bit for shark research, we got to learn a hell of a lot too,” he added. “Not to mention get a pretty smashing holiday into the bargain!”

For Peter’s jaw-dropping photographs of his close encounters, check out our Gallery.

For more information on the Longimanus Project: http://www.longimanus.info/home.htm

And to make sure you don’t miss out on Simply Diving’s momentous dates for 2009, you'll soon be able to sign up for our forthcoming newsletter.

IN THE NEWS!

…in the press and online

	Sport Diver magazine, November 2009 [PDF, 1.3Mb]
	Costa Del Sol News, October 2009 [PDF, 800Kb]
	Bebo reality show Gapyear.com, October 2008
	BMI Baby inflight magazine, August 2008 [PDF, 400Kb]
	Sport Diver magazine, January 2008