Denise the Dugong

Hi all

just got back from a small trip to the Marsa Alam-Red Sea. The weather was not the best, very windy , the water temp is about 19° C, and the vis was 10-20mtrs very milky. We went to Elphinestone reef to find Sharks or other big things, and what did we find? "nothing" except for a few Baras and strong current, shame really

I tried the new 10-17 Tokina for the first time, WA is harder than I thougth especially when you have only one strobe. Also visited Denise the Dugong in Marsa Abu Dabab, great fella, bigger than I thougth he would be and logged my 100th dive .

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Updated my homepage if anybody is interrested

Ted

Great photo Ted!

I love the Dugong with the diver in the background. You are right about the WA being harder than close up and macro photography but with practice you can get some amazing photos like the one you showed us.

How did you liked the new Tokina 10-17 mm? I just bought myself one but I won't be able to use it until next week with the manatees in Cristal River, I can't wait.

Thanks for sharing.

David

Good image of this nice fellow, hope to visit him also in the near future.

I think that detailed report on your impressions from the Tokina will be very welcomed here.

I like "Denise"!!! But you say "he" and "fella" a couple of times???

Is it a guy or a gal dugong?

I'm also very interested in the (what I think are.....?) juvenile golden trevally (or whatever you have in the red sea that is close.....?)

Anyway I wonder if they are just hanging around for an unexpected scrap while "Denise" grazes?

Or if they pick at bits of algae, dead skin, etc off the dugong like we have juvenile jacks and other species of fish do here with our Florida Manatee?

Very interesting to me and thanks so much for posting. I've photographed many manatee but I'd really love to see and photo even one dugong!! I love sirenians!!!

Many Thanks, Carol

PS I'm interesting in the Tokina fisheye zoom lens also? I use the Nikon 16mm on the manatee/crop sensor and I'm happy with the up close and personal shots I get; but I'd be interested in data on the Tokina for maybe an additional lens.

Hi

I'm told he is a male and is 2 1/2 years old and about 3mtr, his parents have moved south into another bay somewhere near the Sudan boarder. His "Buddies" the fish(don't know what they are called) are amazing, he goes to the surface to breath and they seem to know exactly where he is going to carry on feeding and meet him there. He is the largest living vacuum cleaner I've ever seen . We saw another Dugong in Marsa Mubarak, he or she is very shy, only got two pics of it as it flew by (they are very fast when on the move).

About the Tokina, I cant say I'm an expert I've only done 100 dives the last thirty with a camera, but for me personally it was a good buy. I use it in a Ikelite 6" Port but an 8" I imagine would be better, its very fast in focusing also you can get close, so close I almost scratched my Dome. Its a fisheye and with one strobe you could have problems lighting a scene if you forget to position the strobe exactly, otherwise one strobe works like a spot light in the back or foreground. There were some reflections of the focusing gear in some of my pictures but then again its a fisheye and see's everything (just blacken everything and its solved). Its a very good piece of glass, Thats about it.

eg. Forgot to position strobe and litup the background only :glare:

spotligtht effect

Ted

I Loved the manatee

Such beautiful, gracefull creatures.

One day I WILL get to come over and see them personally.

Dive safe

DeanB

Denise is amazing ... what a brilliant experience and you've captured it !