Longimanus… a hell of a plane!

Departure at dawn, as it should be, and luck is with us since the wind has just dropped. It is therefore by a sea of ​​oil that we arrive on site. First launch to reach the reef, visibility at 25 meters, halfway a tapered shape cuts the road to me and I see a splendid 2,50m torpedo pass less than 5 meters from me. I take my first pictures and alert my little comrades. The "bug" is literally strafed.

We come back to the surface to exchange our impressions and very quickly decide to change tactics. There is a little current, and it seems preferable to us to stay under the boat near the dangles to wait “palm firm” the sharks. And this choice, which we will apply to all dives, will turn out to be the right one. After barely 10 minutes, hanging on the hangers like appetizing hams, a dozen longimans turn around us.

For my part, it practically represented in all eight hours of shooting with almost three hours alone (to the chagrin of our guide!) With these magnificent animals, since I have the chance to consume a little less air than my little comrades.

Very, very curious, since they practically came in contact, these dives with the longimans were exceptional moments, the beauty of these animals is really fascinating. Knowing a little about sharks, at no time did I feel really in danger. They remained calm, but their poise is incredible, and we must never forget that in the water they are the “bosses”. They demand respect, at the slightest sign of excitement I would be immediately raised.
I hope that I, that WE can do this type of shots again before the savages exterminate them by ripping their backbone off for a few dollars ...

The camera used was a Nikon D70 equipped with a 12-24mm zoom, all in a Subal housing, with a single SB800 flash in a Subal housing. Manual adjustment on f / 10 and 1 / 125s.

 

Dominique Barray

on scuba people