Doggone Dugong

Mark Webster · Issue 46, Jan/Feb 2009 · pp. 58–62

Products mentioned: Nikon D300, Nikon D200, Subal ND20, 10-17mm FE zoom, 12-24mm zoom, Subtronic Mini flash guns

Dugongs are a threatened species world wide and, although certain individuals are now being seen regularly in the Red Sea, they are still quite rare there it seems. After many years of diving in the southern Red Sea and searching for them in the appropriate places I have had only two encounters. One particular Dugong at Marsa Abbu Dabbab, close to Marsa Alam, has become quite a celebrity over the past few years, but unfortunately the bay was closed to dive boats in 2007. Now the access to the bay is restricted to residents of a hotel on the shore or via the dive centre operated by that hotel. Having dived with this particular dugong in 2006 (after several fruitless previous visits looking for it!), I consequently thought that the chances of seeing another were pretty slim. However, there are several other bays between this location and Port Galib to the north that offer the same topograp…