Robert's Ramblings

I just love this sleepy little town with its world-famous jetty. Many times though, I find myself teaching a group of new divers when that magic photo opportunity literally swims on by...

It was near the end of their fourth open water dive. I was leading the way back under the jetty while Alexius took care of the rear. In the distance, just out of vision there appeared a very large shadow which was not in a place I expected one to be. I realised it was moving and it was very, very large. A moment of fear, then a moment of excitement as the shadow turned back towards us.

Out of the gloom swam the most magnificent, majestic and certainly the largest stingray I have seen in nearly 18 years of diving. At around 2m in span and over 4m in length this Smooth Stingray, Dasyatis brevicaudata, glided through the pylons with both precision and grace. I turned and swam alongside for a few moments before leaving it to glide out into the sunlit water and disappear into the distance.

This was a magical experience that I may not have appreciated as much if I had been staring into the viewfinder of my camera. After the dive, it was wonderful to share the experience with my students, some of whom much to their chagrin had been looking elsewhere for the entire encounter.

Today was a wonderful reminder of why we go to all that effort to put ourselves under the waves: to bring back treasured memories like these.

Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

Photo: Robert Rath EOS40D 1/250s at f/11 ISO400 10mm