Way O/T Olympic Torch Relay to Go Underwater for 1st Time

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-- Deb M. (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), March 26, 2000

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{Fair Use, for Educational Purposes}

"Olympics torch relay to go underwater for first time"

"SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) -- The torch relay leading up to the Sydney Olympics later this year will feature the first ever underwater leg through the Great Barrier Reef."

"A trial of aquatic flame technology had been successfully completed to allow the underwater leg to go ahead on June 27, a spokeswoman for the Sydney Olympic organizers, Di Henry, told ABC news on Sunday."

"A local scuba diving marine biologist will swim the torch, burning at 2000 degrees, on a three to four minute journey through the reef."

"Pyrotechnic technology had been developed to make a "fierce flame" too powerful to be drowned out by water, creators of the torch, Melbourne-based Pains Wessex Australia, said."

"The underwater leg would showcase Queensland's Great Barrier Reef, a leading coral tourist attraction, Henry said."

Heck, swimming through those waters, they might even break a few records, if the great whites don't get to 'em first...

-- Deb M. (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), March 26, 2000.


Glad to see they mentioned that LAST part, Deb. We looked into Australia once as our next vacation experience, with the thought in mind that we'd snorkel and perhaps even do some diving along the Great Barrier Reef. The kids got excited until they did some research. They're not keen on snorkeling in shark-infested waters. Of course sharks swim in MANY locations, and I was the designated "lookout". The signal was to make the hand-signal used by some folks to indicate a person talks too much...fingers going down to thumb, back up, back down, etc. This was followed by pointing in the direction of the shark seen, followed by pointing to myself and then pointing in the direction we'd swim. The sharks we saw [only on two occasions] were of the harmless variety, but the kids didn't care. THAT WAS IT for snorkeling for the day.

We also met a man on an elevated train in Chicago once who told us how he lost his fingers to a shark on the Great Barrier Reef. Of course he could have fabricated the story, but the kids were on the edge of their seats throughout, and he DID have a funny accent [No offense, Pieter.]

-- Anita (notgiving@anymore.thingee), March 26, 2000.


Anita,

Oops, sorry. Guess I shoulda said where the article ended and my tongue-in-cheek comments started. (The last statement, in bold, was mine.) :-{ I'm glad to hear that your vacation encounter was a peaceful one.

I'm all for helping boost Australia's tourist economy, however, swimming through the great whites' feeding grounds isn't my cup of tea. Visting the opal mines or their beautiful beaches is much more tourist-friendly...

-- Deb M. (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), March 26, 2000.


C'mon, you can't really be that thick?
Great White or White Pointers are a COLD water dweller, the ones we get on the reef are usually Black Tipped Reef Sharks and unless you interupt them in a feeding frenzy, your pretty safe.

I admit in honesty, that today the 30th a shark attack occurred at the Southern end of Queensland, where a lad had his lower leg pretty well chewed!
That would have been a Bronze Whaler or a Grey Nurse Shark.
HooRoo, Scarlet

-- Scarlet Breasted (scarletbreasted@hotmail.com), March 30, 2000.


Scarlet,

"C'mon, you can't really be that thick? Great White or White Pointers are a COLD water dweller, the ones we get on the reef are usually Black Tipped Reef Sharks and unless you interupt them in a feeding frenzy, your pretty safe."

Buzz - wrong answer! There are great whites in warmer waters too - just watch the "Discovery Channel" (on cable tv) shows like "Shark Week". Great Whites have been found in the Mediterrenean (sp?).

Also, check out the current "National Geographic" (April 2000 issue, pages 10-29). On page 11, you'll see a world map with the Great Whites' ranges of presence. Year round - Southern California and between Malta and SicilyIn the "Frequent" category are: Italy, Greece, Southern California, Northern Baja California and North Africa. In the "Occasional" category are: Bahamas, Cuba, Central & South America, Papau New Guinea, Indonesia,Eastern Africa, and, yes Australia's Great Reef - the Coral Sea.

"Cold water only" - hardly...

-- Deb M. (vmclell@columbus.rr.com), March 30, 2000.



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