Which Great White Sharks are back at Isla Guadalupe?

Our 2013 Great White Shark season at Isla Guadalupe started out awesome by seeing Chugey, all healed after a near fatal wound and Quetzalcoatl coming back after an 8 year absence. The trips just keep getting better. We see almost daily breaches and have seen well over 20 different sharks from our previous seasons, along with a bunch of new ones.


For all of you that have come out with us before, I'm happy to report that our friends Bruce, Chugey, Thor, Gunther, Drogin, Bite Face, Jaques, Quetzalcoatl, #89, #130, #132 # 138, #146, Johnny, Horizon, Reb, Diablo, Atlantis, Kimel, Squire, Joker and Monkey have all safely arrived at Isla Guadalupe and are entertaining our divers, like Lucy and Ben Challenger who have sent us this video. Ben of course is none other than this guy and Lucy this young lady


No sign of Shredder yet, but the fact that Quetzalcoatl came back after not having been seen for 8 years, gives me hope that he will come back as well. I can't help but get attached to "my" sharks. Something happens, when they swim by and look you straight into the eyes. I can't explain it, you just have to experience it for yourself.

Cheers,

Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkoperations@gmail.com.

To Dive or Not to Dive with a Great White Shark?

A First Timer's Feared Question 

It’s September 19^th, 2013; almost one year to the day that I left the corporate world of broadcast news.  Now, if you’d asked me back then, if I had any clue I’d be dunking myself in shark-infested waters 200 miles out at sea, I would have laughed at you with a shudder, as the body tends to do when it senses something unpleasant or scary.  But in 2 weeks, I’m going to be doing exactly that.  I will be climbing into an aluminum cage floating in a depth of 250 feet of water, where one of the most feared creatures waits for me to dip my little body, dressed like a meal, into its salted sea world.

I grew up on the ocean; lived everyday at the beach.  I’m used to the unknown and mystery the vast ocean provides a landlubber, who stares at the horizon and only dreams of traveling there.  But as fate would have it, that dream is coming true.  Sometimes you don’t have to ask for things that you want; they just seem to find their way to you.  My life, like so many others, became mundane; working in an office 50 to sometimes 60 hours a week; punching in, punching out, not making the time or taking the time to live and experience what was “out on that horizon, out beyond the neon lights.” 

In March of this year, through osmosis or cosmoses, I met Martin Graf, Managing Director at Shark Diver, who listened to me talk about my love for the sea, big fish, waves, surfing… anything ‘ocean.’  How could he not make me a member of Shark Diver after hearing my longing to be near it?  I even call myself, 'Ocean.'  Now, I am scheduled for 'the dive' and what is running through my head?  Am I going to be eaten? How ironic though, since my whole working life, I’ve been swimming with corporate sharks, feeling their ‘bite,’ for 20 years.  I fear them more!  I actually welcome a great white’s nibble.  I hear they are turned off by the taste of human blood, anyway.  Mine is way to sweet, I can assure them.  But it’s got to be on every diver’s mind, even the toughest, which take the leap and book a trip to faraway lands such as Isla Guadalupe, where predators lurk.  Some seek a thrill, some fill a bucket list and some are just ‘crazy’ as many do say.  Here’s what I tell the divers who express their fears after just committing to embark on a life-changing undertaking…these are the divers who hear from their family and friends, the shuddering, ‘your crazy.’  I say, “This is living!”  This dive is one of those awe-inspiring moments that God hands to us when we’re least expected.  It’s an offering with an intent on waking our spirit, arousing our soul and forcing us to come face to face with those moments in life that stop you in your tracks and just blow you away.  It’s like a bloom in a barren desert, an eagle soaring over a snow-capped mountain, or a giant fish swimming freely in a seemingly endless blue abyss. They are moments that make you cry at their beauty.  They are moments you don’t want to experience alone.  You are hoping the whole world could see what you see.

It’s not just a ‘crazy’ choice we have made to dive with a giant – no – it’s a climb others may never reach, it’s a cleanse from life’s hazy film, and it is a spiritual moment shared between man and beast that one can only feel by living it!  How can there be any other answer?  “Yes, to dive!”

~Cindy Michaels, Dir. of Communications, Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkoperations@gmail.com.

Familiar Sharks Crash Party!

Shark Diver's Log from the Horizon

After a flat calm crossing, we arrived at Guadalupe Island and awoke to a beautiful sunrise. 150 + ft. visibility, no wind and bright sunshine made for perfect shark diving conditions. After the first couple of rotations, everyone had seen their first shark and we ended up being visited by at least 7 individual sharks. Bite Face, Thor and Johnny stopped by again and Doby, a new shark from last season showed up to check out our divers.

Today was even better. Jaques made an appearance early in the morning and stayed around for most of the day.
What an experience to have a 16.5 ft. shark come by and look you into the eye. Johnny and Thor came back again, along with Thor and our very own ”Horizon”. I have to say that Horizon looks a little beat up. He has his trademark triangular cut out of his dorsal fin and both the bottom and top of his caudal fin are cut.
He doesn’t seem to lead a very careful life. It never ceases to amaze me, that we see sharks like Jaques, Thor and Bite Face who have been around every year since 2001. Still no sign of Shredder though, I’m starting to worry about the guy. Hopefully, he’ll show up soon.  The Horizon returns on Sunday, only to head back out that night to take another group of excited divers to the island.  All have heard the story of Shredder.  We're bringing the party to you, buddy.  Now all you need to do, is attend!
Cheers,
Martin Graf
Managing Director, Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly sharkoperations@gmail.com.

Monster Shark in China?

I came across a headline on the shanghaiist website. "JAWS NOW IN SHANDONG" Shandong fishermen haul in horrifically giant shark!

The article states: "Fishermen in Rizhao, Shandong Province, hauled in an utterly massive 10-meter-long (32 foot) whale shark on Sunday, and took plenty of photos as a friendly reminder that oceans are terrifying places full of monsters. The giant fish weighed some 10,000 kilograms and was dead on arrival, but the fishermen brought it back to land where, with the use of a crane, dropped it into a truck." 

The ocean is a terrifying place, full of monsters? Now just in case someone is not clear on this, whale sharks, while indeed massive animals, are feeding on plankton and are NOT a predatory shark! What is terrifying, is the fact that there are still "journalists" out there that write this utter rubbish, without having any understanding of what they are talking about and a newspaper publishing it, without checking any facts about these gentle giants.

The article concludes with:  "This shark, along with that terrifyingly massive beast a few years back, serve as steady reminders to never go into the ocean ever."

The "terrifyingly massive beast a few years back" was also a harmless whale shark, a fact the author actually alluded to a few times in that blog post. Is that journalist, Eric Crouch, actually as stupid as his article suggests or is he just looking to create controversy?

Idiots like these try to scare people, instead of informing them. They never let a good fact get into the way of a headline!

We at Shark Diver are trying to educate people and give them a first hand look at how sharks really are, by taking them to Guadalupe Island, Bahamas  or Bequa lagoon in Fij to dive with and experience sharks first hand. We also started shark free marinas to raise awareness of the declining shark populations. It is frustrating to see, that there are individual "journalists" out there who either don't take the time to research  the subject of their article, or worse, purposely spread misinformation, simply to be able to create a sensational headline.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkoperations@gmail.com.

Great Whites: From the Eyes of our Divers!

More Great Videos from this Season's Divers!

There is nothing more exhilarating than experiencing seeing a massive creature in its natural habitat. Our divers who come out with Shark Diver to swim with the great whites of Isla Guadalupe are so often 'blown away' by what they witness, that when speaking with them after their trip, they are at a loss for words.  ...except for these....

Smiles, the Great White

"Seeing these creatures up close and taking this trip with you guys, exceeded my every expectation!" is a common response when we ask them... "how was it?"  We have been receiving so many videos and awesome pictures from the divers on this season's trips!  We love it!  Every shark is different and so is each individual diver's encounter.

Chugey, the Great White

They have asked us to share their adventures which have been captured in video and stills so that more people can see for themselves how incredibly mind-blowing swimming with these amazing animals can be.  We thank them so much!
We have linked you up with videos from two very excited divers, who just couldn't get enough.



Video: Brian Arnone, Shark Diver Diver

Video: Mike Laspina, Shark Diver Diver

Click on their names to see what they saw.

If you have taken a dive with Shark Diver, we encourage you to send us your videos or pictures so that we may share with those who tell us and you, "you're crazy!"  If they saw what you have seen, we doubt they'd say that anymore.

~Cindy Michaels, Dir. of Communications, Shark Diver


About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkoperations@gmail.com.

Shark Encounters on the Horizon!

2013 Guadalupe Island.

What a day! To say that the shark action Friday was 'good,' would be a huge understatement. We saw over 10 sharks that have been previously identified, along with at least 3 others that we didn’t know.

The action started when our first divers entered the water at 7am and it didn’t stop, even when we stopped diving after running out of daylight. Just before everyone got out of the cages at the end of the day, we had a complete breach right by the stern of our vessel. The sharky cast of characters included some of our favorite sharks that we have known since 2001. Chugey, Thor, Bite Face, Jaques, Squire, Gunther and Johnny along with some newer friends like #89, #130 and #146.

After another excellent dinner (Rib eye steak with mashed potatoes and string beans) we were treated to a presentation on the great white sharks, by resident shark expert Dr. Mauricio Hoyos.  What can I say, I love my job.       (pictured: left, Chugey; right, Johnny)

Cheers,

Martin Graf, Managing Director, Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkoperations@gmail.com.

Our Divers See the Whites of the Great Whites!

Another Happy Diver, Another Great Video!

We have been hearing so many awesome stories of experiences from recent divers! Keep 'em coming! When divers take the time to make videos, that means it was definitely an adventure of a lifetime.
Lucy Challenger, who had an amazing time swimming with the great whites of Isla Guadalupe recently, put together this fantastic video of what she saw... in and out of the cages!  The video is set to the music of Collide... the song is Razor Sharp. Thanks Lucy! We love it!
Check it out. http://youtu.be/D8SKpS0MUjs
...more to come from the amazing adventures of a Shark Diver!

~Cindy Michaels, Dir. of Communications, Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkoperations@gmail.com.

Isla Guadalupe Shark Encounters This Week!

What's happening on the 'shark boat?'

2013 Guadalupe Island

Yesterday, we woke to a beautiful sunrise and flat calm waters. A great day for shark diving! After a delicious breakfast we had our cage safety orientation and got into the cages. We have 9 divers on board who are not SCUBA certified and were eager to go into the cages and breath from a regulator for the first time. 

Great White Don Julian

Right after Steve finished clearing his mask, “Bite Face”, a 15 ft shark we have known for 13 years, swam by the cage, just a couple of inches from where Steve was watching. What a way to start your first dive ever!  The morning was a little slow, but we had a few sharks cruise by the cages, checking out our divers. The action picked up considerably by mid afternoon. 



During the last 2 hours we had up to 3 sharks at the cages at the same time.  
Another nice day at Isla Guadalupe and 17 freshly minted “Shark Divers.”  We ended up seeing a total of nine different sharks, with Bite Face, Big, Julie, #130, and Don Julian making an appearance along with 4, as of yet, unidentified animals.
After another one of Chef Mark’s excellent dinners, we are all tired, but excited to see some more sharks tomorrow.

~Martin Graf, Managing Director, Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkoperations@gmail.com.

How is Guadalupe this season?

Our 2013 white shark season has been incredible so far and our divers are coming back excited. This is a trip report we just received from Robert Saipe.

Amazing Time at Isla Guadalupe! 

It’s been 2 weeks since we docked after an amazing adventure at Isla Guadalupe, but, each day, I still find more joy as I think about the experience that Shark Diver delivered.  When I booked my trip, all I really hoped for was a chance to see even one Great White up nice and close but from safety.  Who knew I’d come away with so much more?  I’ll try to relay the basics of my experience through these passages, but I know words can’t fully express how deeply thankful I am for meeting our Guadalupe friends!

The crew at Shark Diver really are the best.  Most people probably hope for great dives when they book, but I have to tell you that vacation time outside of the dives was wonderful too.  The crew, at all times, exemplified the words ‘professional’ and ‘caring’.  For me, the fun never stopped.  When I was in the water, I saw amazing sharks.  When I was out of the cages, I shared countless laughs and stories with crew and other divers.  I particularly enjoyed the evening chats with the crew.  It’s something special to know that, while the crew worked super hard for us, they were courteous, caring, fun, and, most importantly, ‘real’.  I never felt like I was in the company of staff who were just doing their job.  I instead felt like I was always having a great time with terrific people who were celebrating the joy with us. 

“White Shark!”  Ah, I’d read those words from other reviews, but now I completely appreciate the chant.  Someone would always accent the phrase each time one of our friends would come to visit.  On day one of our dives, it took only minutes before we had visitors.  Surprisingly enough, not all were of the same species though.  You can’t know much about things you’ve never yet considered, so I was amazed at the level of interaction we saw between one of our first sharks and a sea lion.  We’ve all seen countless footage of Great Whites breaching upon one of these for lunch, but what an incredible sight it was to see prey almost toying with the massive predator.  For nearly 15 minutes, we watched a sea lion swim around and actually follow a great white.  Maybe it was taunting the shark (quite speedy one-on-one), or maybe it was hiding in it’s trail, but one thing was a constant; both were very aware yet surprisingly fine with each other in proximity.  I’m sure this is wrong, but, in some moments, the calmness of their interaction almost resembled playing.  Of course, I wondered if that would change if one got, erm, suddenly hungry.

By my first dive, I had already seen two different Great Whites – wonderful start!  Dive Master Martin joined our initial trio in the cage, and it was nice to see him just as excited as we were.  Though all of his efforts were devoted to providing us a great and safe time, I thought it was very special to see his obvious love for these creatures too.  These are the kind of people I wanted to be on tour with – those who deeply care about these amazing sharks.

We had one-hour rotations, so it was never long before our next turn.  The weather was gorgeous, and the breaks were just enough to recharge, enjoy the sun, and get ready for the excitement again.  Perhaps we were lucky, but my cage team saw sharks from nice and close on absolutely all 5 dives that day.  Some stayed for hours, others just for minutes, but all showed their uniqueness.  I have always loved Great Whites, but, before this, I had never realized the impressive depth of their intelligence and personality.

By day two, my sleep patterns were fully adjusted, and I woke up feeling extra strong, definitely raring to go.  Of course, chef Mark’s hard work had something to do with that. I can’t tell you how nice it was to always have such wonderful food so we could always feel full, great and strong.  Every meal Mark and Carolyn served us on the journey was a 10.”

Some divers took breaks from their turns by day two which I think had a lot to do with the gorgeous weather and the fact that we’d already seen so much.  Around lunch, I skipped one rotation, however I did make up for that with an open spot later, so, again, I logged 5 one-hour dives.  This day was loaded with excitement.  Some of the previous day’s sharks returned, but we also saw several new ones, including Annika, the lone female we met on our trip.  I loved watching Chuggy, the battle-scarred but strong male as he entertained us with dozens of passes.  One unnamed Great White spent hours showing us his charisma.  Johnny, Reb, Diablo andAtlantis put quite a show on too.  I lost count of how many times these sharks came in for an ultra close look.  What wonderful, curious creatures they are.  It is an exceptionally profound experience to see a Great White so clearly in control of his domain yet totally willing to exchange a calm moment as you look each other in the eye.  Not once did I feel like they were looking at us to attack.  I had many chances to see their incredible power, but, at every moment, I felt like each instead looked at us more with curiosity, just like we had for them.  It was a wonderful time as, by day’s end, we’d identified a total of 7 Great Whites this day alone.

On day three, I awoke hoping to spend as much time in the water as I could.  I decided that, on all available dives, I would wait to see if anyone else wanted the open spots, but I would take them if no one else did.  Many did take breaks, so, in all, I was able to enjoy a whopping 7 dives that day.  The three I took in a row wore me down a bit, but, wow, they were fun!  These sharks revealed so much personality.  I find it almost disrespectful to say too much about individual experiences with them (after all, I don’t have their permission!), but let me say, “It really wouldn’t be possible to have closer interaction with Great Whites than I was given on this day.”  The eye-to-eye, close as imaginable interaction I had with one in particular will forever be more than just a memory for me; it’s a permanent celebration.  I will cherish the sense of joy and awe I felt from those moments forever.  Before this trip, I had never met anyone who had been lucky enough to have safely met but deeply interacted with a Great White.  What a blessing it is to be one of so few who has spent some time with them in a way where we were both completely safe and could share our curiosities.

On the very last dive, it was quiet for many minutes, but then two entertainers came for close-ups.  When the clang on our cage let us know it was time to go, I remember thinking, “How can I leave right now?  There’s a massive Great White swimming just a few feet in front of me.”  But then, I shared one last look and turned to the ladder with a smile.  After all, “What better final moment of the journey could I ask for!” 

Thank you Shark Diver!  I’ve no doubt I’ll be back soon.  This journey with you was absolutely amazing!

Rob Saipe.

Thank you for your great report and pictures! We enjoyed introducing you to our amazing friends and welcome you to our Shark Diver family.

Cheers,

Martin Graf

CEO 

Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkoperations@gmail.com.