http://www.deeperblue.net/newsfull.php/1835 | More news items like this can be found at http://www.deeperblue.net/news/
Posted By Sara-Lise Haith on 1 January 1970
North American and Continental record holder freediver William Winram, (famous for his swim through the Blue Hole in Dahab wearing only his wetsuit and a dive mask and no propulsive equipment), and world reknowned underwater freediver photographer, and world record holder (1995/1996) Frederic Buyle, have recently visited the East Coast of South Africa to dive with the resident finned beasts that patrol the coasts of South African quite abundantly, especially during the winter months.
In a series of photographs taken by Frederic Buyle and James Newell, Winram is swimming face to face with a tiger shark, maintaining a relaxed posture and spending some quality time. Mr. Winram writes in an article on his website, “if you think sharks are dangerous, although swimming within their territory is not devoid of some risk and should only be done with proper knowledge of the area and fauna, consider this:
He goes on to talk about the pillage of approximately 100 million of the ocean’s sharks a year, all to provide Asian markets with shark fins for human consumption. He explains the vital role that sharks play in the oceanic environment starting as the apex predator and how their behaviour and feeding habits affect marine life right down to the smallest coral reef and that their survival is necessary for our marine environment to remain healthy.
To see the photography by Frederic Buyle see www.nektos.net and also William Winram’s website and South Africa trip commentary at www.williamwinram.com