Location: On our way home from Shark Bay, Guadalupe Island to Ensenada, Mexico
What a trip!! The sharking was amazing and fabulous. Who needs tuna throwlines anyways.. We had the best sharking of the last 4 years on this trip and I am absolutely convinced that our new submersible cage has a lot to do with it. The only question in my mind is whether we should offer 2 or 3 sub cages next season. Personally, I think that the excellent sharking was also because our Mexican sharks were trying to show our Australian friends a thing or two! Memorable events included an ENORMOUS female who kept on circling the Nautilus. Another great white who insisted on following our inflatable around – the perspective we have as divers is “odd” as we were thrilled to be followed by a great white shark when one would think the more normal reaction would be HOLY SH*T, the shark that won’t quit following us is as big as our skiff! We had one big ‘ol female stick her snout inside the viewing port of one of our surface cages – there was no bait or chum involved and she didn’t get excited. My understanding is that she just swam up and took a closer look at some of our divers. With the engineering and strength that was built into our shark cages, the whole incident was a non-event except for our lucky divers who had the presence of mind to keep their cameras going. I had my own “moment” in the submersible cage on Day 2. I’ve developed the habit of riding the top of the sub cage from just inside the guard rail while leaning over the side and peering down into the blue abyss. It’s very cool and a great way to watch the sharks. A big honking female swam past and as I leaned out, I suddenly realized that I was very, very close to this shark. It was a cool moment but I beat a hasty retreat! Zale was in the cage with me and later told me that it looked like I was making out with a great white shark! As always, when we have a group of experienced and concerned divers onboard the talk at cocktail hour seems to turn to conservation and the enormous fishing pressure that sharks are under. I think that just about every diver feels sick at the illegal raping and pillaging of what is left of the shark population. We chatted with Rodney Fox at length about this and I was struck by his very apt slogan “Let the sharks live”. Pretty well sums it all up. Why can’t we leave the remaining 5 percent of the world’s shark population alone and let them live in peace. Captain Mike. ps. please email me if you are interested in trying to make a difference and letting the sharks live. mike@nautilusexplorer.com.
Weather: Hot, clear, sunny, calm and beautiful.
Water: 100 foot visibility for the most part. 69 degree water temperature.
Let the sharks live
