Goblin girl... on eating manta rays!

Of all the shark related news I get in my inbox, this article made me gasp: Manta rays next on restaurant menus as shark populations plummet . Then I started to wonder why I had such a strong reaction and the simple answer is "they are so beautiful!". How utterly banal, coming from me... One of my highest dreams is to dive with mantas. So far I've only seen them in the aquarium in Lisbon, Portugal, but ever since I first saw them in books at the age of 4, I've been devoted to them.

I once went to Norway to upgrade some electronic tracking equipment. The Norwegians have a different view, of for example whales, from many other countries. They still hunt whales and eat whale steak. My Norwegian colleagues tried to provoke me by saying "we now have so many dolphins, we should hunt them and eat them as well!". To their utter frustration I just answered "go ahead, but stay off the sharks", and then the discussion died out.

Many people will probably not share my ideas, but I have struggled so many years now for sharks, that I'm fed up with all "rescue operations" of "cute"animals. (Ok, I have a soft spot for manatees, I'll admit as much.) Tigers kill more people every year than shark does - still people fight for tigers right to existence. And the friendly dolphins who helps people back to shore... what about all the people that they might take further out from shore - who will be missed as "drowned" and never lives to tell that story?! I even know a guy who nearly got raped by a dolphin! And I've seen terrible footage of a group of dolphins killing an other dolphin from an other specie by taking turns blocking it's blow hole!

I'm not against any animals as such. I only think that it's better to work really hard for something that you believe in. Me, I'm into sharks. Sooo many others are doing their best to help other animals that are their favorites. I will certainly not go out with a harpoon myself, but I stay away from dolphin friendly tuna, since I know that it is much more dangerous to sharks and other sea creatures. The problem is to find dolphin unfriendly tuna these days, so I tend to eat tuna only once in a while.

But as you can see... even I can be banal, wanting to save something just because it's beautiful!

Manta Rays-Jumpin Jack

Like you, we have not been on a manta dive without seeing at least one of these critters jump out of the water. Usually you hear the tremendous slap as they hit the surface, just in time to look at the faces of the divers who got to see the whole thing.

That's why we like the following video, here's one Manta that could not wait for the inevitable jump:

Panama Manta Expedition 2009

The Manta Network is conducting its first exploratory expedition to Panama. There are several reports and sightings of manta and mobula rays in the area. This will be our first opportunity to conduct detailed research in Panama.

On board the 100-foot Lost Coast Explorer we will investigate the area surrounding the Coiba National Park. The park is a new World Heritage site and is one of the largest marine parks in the world. Coiba is at the center of the park and is Panama's largest island. It is also home to the second-largest coral reef in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The waters are filled with very large fish and mammals including humpbacks whales, dolphins, orcas, whale sharks, manta rays, rooster fish, amber jack, big snappers, three kinds of marlin, moray eels, and white-tip, hammerhead, and tiger sharks. Sharks and mantas are especially common, and sea turtles are seen regularly.

You are invited to participate as a research assistant and aid our scientists in the collection of important data that will lead to effective manta protection. We plan to deploy our underwater video camera on manta cleaning stations as well as conduct photo identification field work.

We are offering a 6 day/7 night expedition to Coiba on the Lost Coast Explorer. The departure date is April 5 from Panama City returning April 11, 2008. The expedition cost is $3,295 plus airfare. The trip will be led by Robert Aston and Lynn Jaye.

The Manta Network is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and therefore the cost of the trip is IRS tax-deductible.

Only a limited number of research assistant spaces are being offered and these will sell out quickly. To book your space contact Robert Aston via email at: robert@mantas.org

Nautilus Explorer Revillagigedos:Simply Perfect

It's February, 2008. For divers who absolutely need to see sharks this time of year the big question is where to go in February?

Fortunately for you, Shark Diver, there's a small island chain in Mexico (where else) called the Revillagigedos-(just try saying this name correctly, we dare you) that is stuffed with more Shark, Ray, and Manta encounters than you can shake a regulator at. The crew of the long range expedition dive vessel Nautilus Explorer can take you there.

This is what diving should be: