Great White Shark in the Water?????

Stop the presses! News alert! A Great White Shark is "prowling" in the ocean off the coast of Washington.

A headline in the vancitybuzz is screaming "Large great white shark prowling Washington State shores" with a large picture of a Great White Shark accompanying the headline. 
 

The article states "The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife is warning locals in the coastal town of Ocean Shores, located west of Seattle, that a great white shark is swimming in the area."

No way! There is a shark swimming in the ocean?! Who knew!? 

In related news. There have been reports of cars on the street and the department of transportation has advised people to be careful crossing the street. 

When will the media learn that the real news would be "No sharks swimming in the Ocean!" a headline that would be much more scary.

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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

Memorial announced for "Island of the Great White Shark" filmmaker, Richard Theiss

A memorial for Richard Theiss, our friend, underwater filmmaker and ocean advocate has been announced for 7 pm, March 20, 2015 at the aquarium of the pacific in Long Beach.
 

His son Bryan posted this on his FB.

I'm pleased to share with Family, Friends, and Colleagues of Richard Theiss, that a Memorial Service has been planned for Friday, March 20th @ 7pm at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA. 

Please join us as we pay tribute to an incredibly thoughtful, caring and multi- talented man.
The Family would like to take a moment to thank Aquarium of the Pacific CEO, Dr. Jerry Schubel, for his gracious hospitality in allowing us to hold this Event. 

It's asked that if you plan to attend the Memorial Service that you comment here or message me directly so that we may gauge a guest count. However there will be plenty of room and ALL are invited. We also encourage you to share this announcement amongst your Industries, Committees, and Groups to ensure all are aware of this Date & Time. 

I thank you for your comments and well wishes over the past couple weeks and look forward to seeing you very soon! ~Bryan Theiss

Aquarium of the Pacific
100 Aquarium Way
Long Beach, CA 90802

 
Richard spent many years with us at Guadalupe Island, filming his Great White Sharks. His favorite shark was "Mystery" a gigantic female who is a regular at the island. The last time I saw Richard, just a few months ago, he asked about her. Richard was passionate about his sharks and the oceans until the very end.



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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

Last chance, if you want to work with great white sharks!

This is a reminder that all interested applicants need to submit their resumes by March 1st.

Shark Diver is a commercial shark diving company, that's been in business for over 14 years and has a heavy emphasis on conservation. Our goals at Shark Diver are to be advocates for our sharks and  industry, while delivering top shark species encounters to our divers, the media and research partners.

We are looking for a SCUBA instructor for our 2015 Great White Shark season at Guadalupe Island.  Our season runs from August to mid November and the position is full time during that time.

The goals for us here at Shark Diver are to be advocates for our sharks and our industry while delivering top shark species encounters to our divers, the mainstream media, and research partners - See more at: http://www.sharkdiver.com/#sthash.DQoUz7KI.dpuf

The goals for us here at Shark Diver are to be advocates for our sharks and our industry while delivering top shark species encounters to our divers, the mainstream media, and research partners - See more at: http://www.sharkdiver.com/#sthash.DQoUz7KI.dpuf

The goals for us here at Shark Diver are to be advocates for our sharks and our industry while delivering top shark species encounters to our divers, the mainstream media, and research partners. - See more at: http://www.sharkdiver.com/#sthash.DQoUz7KI.dpuf

The goals for us here at Shark Diver are to be advocates for our sharks and our industry while delivering top shark species encounters to our divers, the mainstream media, and research partners. - See more at: http://www.sharkdiver.com/#sthash.DQoUz7KI.dpuf

The goals for us here at Shark Diver are to be advocates for our sharks and our industry while delivering top shark species encounters to our divers, the mainstream media, and research partners. - See more at: http://www.sharkdiver.com/#sthash.DQoUz7KI.d

The duties include the supervision of the divers, familiarizing the non-certified divers with the hookah gear, (discover scuba) ensuring the safety of the dive operation as well as general boat-crew work. He/she is also responsible for customer service, welcoming and checking in the guests, when they arrive on the boat. Additional duties include the production of a trip DVD and helping our divers with their gear.

The ideal candidate has a degree in, or is studying marine biology, has extensive experience diving with sharks, great customer service skills,  a basic knowledge of video and photo editing and prior live-aboard work experience. The ability to pay attention to details, adhere to established safety protocols and follow the directions of the captain are absolute must have's for the successful candidate. Teaching status, insured SCUBA instructor rating, with current first aid certification is also required.

Our vessel is registered and based in the US and all our crew members must be able to legally work here. A valid US passport/passport card, or a foreign passport with a valid work visa are required to work on the boat. No exceptions.

We are offering a competitive salary, the opportunity to work with a great team and to get up close and personal with great white sharks. What other job let's you say that there are great white sharks in your "office?"

This could be your "office"

Since it takes time to get to know the individual sharks and their behavior, we are looking for a candidate who is willing to commit to more than one season.

One of our characters at Guadalupe Island.

If you meet our qualifications, we welcome your resume. Please send it to sharkoperator@gmail.com, no phone calls please!  The application deadline is March. 1 2015 We are looking forward to hearing from you.

Let's go shark diving!

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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

We lost the "Shark Lady" Eugenie Clark.

National Geographic reported today that Eugenie Clark, an American marine biologist who fell in love with sharks as a child with her nose pressed against an aquarium tank—and whose research on the much maligned species earned her the nickname "Shark Lady"—died Wednesday morning in Sarasota, Florida. She was 92.

Photograph by David Doubilet

 

 

 

 

Eugenie Clark was an inspiration to generations of ocean explorers and had a special passion for sharks. She was one of the first to disspell  as stupid and deadly. After the movie "Jaws" hit the theaters, she wrote and article in National Geographic titled  "Sharks: Magnificent and Misunderstood."

You can read the National Geographic obituary here  and you can find out more about this inspirational woman here.

Thank you Eugenie, for your passion and inspiration. I hope you're out there exploring new worlds.

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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

Are we to blame for shark attacks?

Today, I read this piece in the Huff Post. Paul Watson of sea shepherd infamy is explaining in staggering scientific fashion (sharkasm intended), why the number of shark attacks seems to be increasing. Watson is saying:

"Shark attacks are on the rise and the reason for this is entirely the fault of humanity." 

To start with, we are diminishing bio-diversity in the ocean. Overfishing has removed 90% of the fish from the sea since 1950. Every single commercial fishery is in a state of decline. This is not just bad news for humans who eat fish, but it is very bad news for sharks, orcas, whales, seals and dolphins who have no choice but to eat fish. In other words, starvation is a very big motivation for opportunistic attacks.

Hmm, what!? Because there are not enough fish, sharks are attacking humans? Wait, didn't I hear that the seal populations are increasing and GWS as well as Orcas eat seals? 

source

While I was contemplating on how to disseminate and respond to this stellar piece of fiction writing, I saw that DaShark beat me to it. He is doing it much more eloquently than I ever could here

In his colorful way, DaShark reasons: What a load of horseshit - predator/prey cycles anybody? And are we only decimating the prey - or is it not rather so that we have disproportionally targeted predator populations among which the Sharks? 

The truth is that there is not one single documented case of more Shark attacks occurring because of overfishing!

In fact, when it comes to some GWS populations, we may be experiencing the exact opposite! Having protected the Pinnipeds, we are now seeing more GWS in California, the East Coast of the USA and also Western Australia! And there are authoritative voices claiming that the Tiger Shark population of Hawaii may be increasing owing to the protection of Sea Turtles!

That is only part of his blog. You can read the rest of what he has to say here

Once again, excellent insight DaShark!

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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

Is saving the Oceans saving people as well?

Channel 6  in San Diego aired a nice report on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and my friend Phil Zerofski, chief collector at the institute and owner of Seacamp San Diego. They are using stuff they find in the ocean for all kinds of research, including curing cancers.


I got my start as a SCUBA instructor with Seacamp San Diego and still work with their summer camp every year. If you have a kid that's interested in marine sciences, I can highly recommend their summer programs. They are not only educational, but a lot of fun to boot. Many lifelong friendships have started there, including some of mine.

If you want more information on Seacamp San Diego, visit their website at www.seacamp.com or call them at 1-800 SEACAMP

By the way, in the video they say that Phil is diving to 1200ft, they should have said 12 meters or about 40 ft.

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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

Volunteer opportunity for shark conservation in Fiji

Our friends at Projects Abroad have an opportunity to volunteer with their shark conservation program in Fiji. This is an awesome project and I can personally vouch for the fact that you will have the time of your life, doing something worthwhile. I had the privilege to go along on a tagging trip and it was a ton of fun.

This is their posting: This is truly the chance of a life time to work on pioneering shark protection projects alongside respected scientists and shark research experts.

This project is perfect for anyone with a passion for marine wildlife and the great outdoors. The Fiji Shark Conservation Project offers you the chance to get up close to some of the most endangered and mis-understood animals in the world. Volunteers are welcome on a gap year, a career break, for university research, or even as an opportunity to experience a very different way of life!

Working directly with the Fiji Shark Conservation Project, conducting the work of internationally renowned shark research scientists, volunteers will be directly involved in scientific shark research work, as well as actively working within the local community on mangrove reforestation, recycling and shark education initiatives. The volunteers and the conservation work are supervised by our resident marine biologist and local staff. We also work closely with other local and international marine conservation organisations, including the WWF Global Shark Programme.

The project is based in Pacific Harbour, on the south coast of Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu, just 3 hours from Nadi.

Volunteers do not need any previous diving or shark research experience to take part in the Fiji Conservation Project. However, volunteers need to be able to swim, be medically fit to scuba dive and have a good command of the English language to get the most out of the Shark Conservation project. This project is not available for people who do not want to take part in the diving.
Volunteers who have not dived before receive the PADI Open Water dive course during their first two weeks on the project. Volunteers with an existing dive certification equivalent to the PADI Open Water qualification receive the PADI Advanced course. After the dive course, volunteers will also receive the Project Aware Shark Conservation Diver Course. Those who already have the Advanced certification or higher will receive the Project Aware Shark Conservation Diver Course during their first week, and an extra Shark Feed Dive during their project time.

You can get all the information on this link: http://www.projects-abroad.co.uk/volunteer-projects/conservation-and-environment/shark-conservation/fiji/

This project is of course at the same location we go to dive with bull sharks in May. If you can't volunteer for this project, maybe you want to come out diving with us and support Beqa Adventure Divers, the outfit who was responsible for creating the first underwater national park in Fiji.

Our trips are from May 9-17, 15-24 and 22-31. For more information call 619.887.4275, email us at staff@sharkdiver.com or visit us on the web here.

Let's go to Fiji!

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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

Do you want to work with Great White Sharks?

Shark Diver is a commercial shark diving company, that's been in business for over 14 years and has a heavy emphasis on conservation. Our goals at Shark Diver are to be advocates for our sharks and  industry, while delivering top shark species encounters to our divers, the media and research partners.

We are looking for a SCUBA instructor for our 2015 Great White Shark season at Guadalupe Island.  Our season runs from August to mid November and the position is full time during that time.

The goals for us here at Shark Diver are to be advocates for our sharks and our industry while delivering top shark species encounters to our divers, the mainstream media, and research partners - See more at: http://www.sharkdiver.com/#sthash.DQoUz7KI.dpuf

The goals for us here at Shark Diver are to be advocates for our sharks and our industry while delivering top shark species encounters to our divers, the mainstream media, and research partners - See more at: http://www.sharkdiver.com/#sthash.DQoUz7KI.dpuf

The goals for us here at Shark Diver are to be advocates for our sharks and our industry while delivering top shark species encounters to our divers, the mainstream media, and research partners. - See more at: http://www.sharkdiver.com/#sthash.DQoUz7KI.dpuf

The goals for us here at Shark Diver are to be advocates for our sharks and our industry while delivering top shark species encounters to our divers, the mainstream media, and research partners. - See more at: http://www.sharkdiver.com/#sthash.DQoUz7KI.dpuf

The goals for us here at Shark Diver are to be advocates for our sharks and our industry while delivering top shark species encounters to our divers, the mainstream media, and research partners. - See more at: http://www.sharkdiver.com/#sthash.DQoUz7KI.d

The duties include the supervision of the divers, familiarizing the non-certified divers with the hookah gear, (discover scuba) ensuring the safety of the dive operation as well as general boat-crew work. He/she is also responsible for customer service, welcoming and checking in the guests, when they arrive on the boat. Additional duties include the production of a trip DVD and helping our divers with their gear.

The ideal candidate has a degree in, or is studying marine biology, has extensive experience diving with sharks, great customer service skills,  a basic knowledge of video and photo editing and prior live-aboard work experience. The ability to pay attention to details, adhere to established safety protocols and follow the directions of the captain are absolute must have's for the successful candidate. Teaching status, insured SCUBA instructor rating, with current first aid certification is also required.

Our vessel is registered and based in the US and all our crew members must be able to legally work here. A valid US passport/passport card, or a foreign passport with a valid work visa are required to work on the boat. No exceptions.

We are offering a competitive salary, the opportunity to work with a great team and to get up close and personal with great white sharks. What other job let's you say that there are great white sharks in your "office?"

This could be your "office"

Since it takes time to get to know the individual sharks and their behavior, we are looking for a candidate who is willing to commit to more than one season.

One of our characters at Guadalupe Island.

If you meet our qualifications, we welcome your resume. Please send it to sharkoperator@gmail.com, no phone calls please!  The application deadline is March. 1 2015 We are looking forward to hearing from you.

Let's go shark diving!

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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

We lost a great friend and shark advocate.

Yesterday, we lost Richard Theiss, a nice guy and great underwater filmmaker. His son Bryan posted the following on his facebook page.

Richard Hartman Theiss
9/25/1951 - 2/5/2015

              

Today I lost my Father, Best Friend, Unwavering Supporter and Mentor. The world lost today a Musician, Oceanographer, Wildlife Conservationist and Animal Rights Activist. The Heavens gained today the most Compassionate, Sincere, Caring, and Thoughtful person I've ever known. I miss you with every breath Dad!

The Family would like to welcome any Photos, Stories and Memories you'd like to share. You are welcome to post here, private message me them directly, or email me at brtheiss@msn.com

I've know Richard for over a decade and remember him for his love of the Great White Sharks. He came out with us for many, many expeditions, filming his documentary "Island of the Great White Shark". We shared some good times, over the years and I remember him always asking about his favorite shark "Mystery"

The last time I saw Richard was last year, when he told me that he was looking forward to spending time with his son Bryan in Hawaii. Sadly that time turned out to be much too short.

Richard, you will be missed my friend!

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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

Do you want to join a researcher at Guadalupe Island?

Every year we get hundreds of emails from people asking us, how they can get involved with shark research. This has lead to Shark Diver teaming up with Nicole Nasby-Lucas from MCSI to offer special science expeditions to Guadalupe Island. These special science expedition give our divers a chance to actively participate in the Great White Shark photo ID project and also learn about the results of various studies, involving our sharks at Isla Guadalupe.

The response from our divers has been overwhelming. Last year's science expeditions filled up in just a couple of weeks and for this season, we already sold out our September and October expeditions. Right now, we do have a a few spaces left on our November 11-16 expedition.

Don't miss your chance to be part of this exciting research, which up to today has resulted in over 160 sharks being identified at Guadalupe Island. Some individuals like "Bite Face", "Jaques", "Thor" and "Chugey" are regular visitors and have been seen every year since we started going to Guadalupe Island. You will learn the differences in behavior and migration between male, female, juvenile and adult sharks along with many other interesting things about Great White Sharks and sharks in general.

Nicole has a wealth of information and is excited about sharing her knowledge with you, our divers and research assistants. She will teach you how to identify the individual sharks and tell you about their history at Guadalupe Island. Just imagine, next time you watch "shark week", you might recognize the shark and realize that it's the one you came face to face with. The one that looked you straight into the eyes!

If you would like to be part of this experience, we recommend that you book now, since this is your last chance to join a scientific expedition in 2015.

The price for this trip of a lifetime is $3300 and it includes a copy of the photo ID book, containing all the identified sharks at Isla Guadalupe. We will also provide digital underwater cameras for you to use and you'll get a DVD of your trip to take home and share with your friends. If we encounter a new shark during your expedition, the group will be offered and opportunity to name the shark!

This special science expedition will run from September 11-16 2015

To book your expedition, or for more information, call us toll free at 855.987.4275 or 619.887.4275. You can also reach us via email at staff@sharkdiver.com or visit http://www.sharkdiver.com/dive-packages/great-white-shark-diving-science-expedition/

Let's go shark diving!

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 staff@sharkdiver.com.