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21/07/2005: "THE AUTHOR MEETS JAWS .....Peter Benchley in Australia"

The book was a hit and the film was not yet released when Jaws author Benchley came to Australia to learn and to dive similtaneously with sharks!

With his face mask completely fogged at Sykes Reef near Heron Island and with two big sharks nearby, I instructed him to clear it. He was most thankful later and gave me his Jaws film production T-shirt (not the one on the JAWS inspired youth, above)!

While I was out of the water (reloading my 16mm camera), he was in a dangerous position just one meter from the feeding jaws of two 10 foot tiger sharks. Maybe the mask had fogged again?

Diver Ron Isbel was nearby, positioned above, with a .303 powerhead. Just in case.

"They did not appreciate the danger they were in" said Ron Isbel later. His view backed by Merv Cox and Ron Zangari who saw and photographed the situation, reported here for the first time.

The production was an episode of The American Sportsman - a pre Jaws (the movie) promotion.

A few months later Benchley and Jaws were international movie sensations. Director Spielberg was on his way to a brilliant career too.

Peter Benchley returned to Australia ten years later to film sharks having then become a crusader for a better recognition of the species.