Title – Manta Ray
Date – May 2006
Location - Malapascua Island - Philippines
No one quite knows how big Manta Rays get, reports of rays with a wingspan of in excess of 9 meters have been reported and even a 6 meter Manta can weigh in at over 1.5 tonnes. However on average a Manta like this one would have a wingspan of some 4 meters.
Fortunately these monsters of the sea are almost completely harmless to humans, being plankton eaters they glide through the water like eagles soaring and often seem completely oblivious to you diving just a few meters away. The only way they will hurt you is if you were to approach or try and touch one and then you might get a slap with a very big wing for your troubles, but this would not be an aggressive attack simply a very big fish wanting to get away from you.
Manta Rays are the highlight of any dive and some people fly half way round the world just to have an encounter with one.
Things are not always what they seem and you have to make judgements on things you see every single day; sometimes you will jump to the wrong conclusion because insufficient information is available. At Beyond The Blue we know that Manta Rays are generally harmless and we also know that approaching people or animals you are unfamiliar with can put you in a very vulnerable position. During our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we examine situations in which you might find yourself that would make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe and look at different ways of dealing with these situations. This dynamic risk assessment approach will help you to reduce the risks during your trip.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Date – May 2006
Location - Malapascua Island - Philippines
No one quite knows how big Manta Rays get, reports of rays with a wingspan of in excess of 9 meters have been reported and even a 6 meter Manta can weigh in at over 1.5 tonnes. However on average a Manta like this one would have a wingspan of some 4 meters.
Fortunately these monsters of the sea are almost completely harmless to humans, being plankton eaters they glide through the water like eagles soaring and often seem completely oblivious to you diving just a few meters away. The only way they will hurt you is if you were to approach or try and touch one and then you might get a slap with a very big wing for your troubles, but this would not be an aggressive attack simply a very big fish wanting to get away from you.
Manta Rays are the highlight of any dive and some people fly half way round the world just to have an encounter with one.
Things are not always what they seem and you have to make judgements on things you see every single day; sometimes you will jump to the wrong conclusion because insufficient information is available. At Beyond The Blue we know that Manta Rays are generally harmless and we also know that approaching people or animals you are unfamiliar with can put you in a very vulnerable position. During our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we examine situations in which you might find yourself that would make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe and look at different ways of dealing with these situations. This dynamic risk assessment approach will help you to reduce the risks during your trip.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
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