We departed Ensenada in a blanket of fog late Saturday night on our way once again for another adventure with the White Sharks of Guadalupe Island. The air was still but it wasn’t long after departing the sheltered harbor of Ensenada before we felt the roll of the W’ly swell. That roll stayed with us in varying degrees for the duration of the 185 nautical mile transit SSW to Isla Guadalupe, famous for its white shark population and crystal clear water. On arrival at Guadalupe the island was shrouded in cloud and in the dusky light had an almost mystical look about it. A very welcome sight for all as we passed the north point and into the sheltered waters of the North East bay to drop anchor in our favorite sharking spot on a now very flat ocean. Early the next morning the cages were ready and guests eager to jump in for their first glimpse of one of the oceans most powerful predators. We didn’t have to wait long for our first sighting, and by 0800 we had 3 beautiful white sharks circling the cages. As one of the guests climbed in for his first ever cage dive to check his weight, he immediately had two white sharks right in front of him. A great start and it set the tone for the rest of the day. At least 5 individual sharks on day 1 spent time with us, with 3-4 around us for most of the day. A very curious male named Wayne was our star, coming in very close and making eye contact, posing for the cameras and staying with us all day. We also enjoyed the company of Lucy with her very distinguishable damaged tail, and male Bruce with the large bite mark on his right gill area. For me it was the first time back in the water in a month after a little vacation time, and it was great to again feel the rush of being so close to these sharks. Looking forward to more on day 2 tomorrow.
Captain Gordon Kipp
Surface conditions: Swell 4-7′ on transit from Ensenada, calm in anchorage at Guadalupe, winds light, skies mostly cloudy with sun in the afternoon, air temperature 18-25C
Diving conditions: Water temp 64-65F (17-18C), visibility 80-100ft (24-30m)
Interacting with Great Whites… Like the Cat and the Goldfish
Have you ever felt like a goldfish in a fishbowl with a cat looking at you through the glass? Today, I for one, had exactly that feeling when Bruce, one of the really famous and very large Great White Sharks that inhabit the cool waters around Guadalupe Island, came to check on us in the cages. It felt really eerie when he came very close and gave us all a good look as if he was trying to figure out how to get those juicy morsels out of the packaging. It is really reasuring to know that the Nautilus Explorer’s cages are good and that as long as we stay inside we will be safe.
I find that the more I dive with these animals, the more I see facial expressions, posturing, attitudes and other traits that we normally wouldn’t believe these sharks to have. It makes me realize why some people come back year after year and enjoy the trip more each time. I know that anybody that will come next year will be looking out for Bruce because of the close encounters that he is famous for and also, to see how he is healing from the nasty bites that he has on his face. You see, even cats get scratched once in a while!
Surface Conditions: Nice sunny day, with a slight breeze and near flat seas in the bay. As we left the island in the afternoon, the wind got quite strong and we got 3 to 4 ft swells.
Underwater Conditions: The water temperature was around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, the visibility was the beautifully famous 100 ft plus although it dropped to maybe 80 ft in the afternoon. There was no noticeable current.
DM Peter
The more I dive with these particular great white sharks, the more I see facial expressions, posturing, attitudes and other traits that we wouldn't believe these animals to have – Guadalupe Island – 06 SEPT 2010 – Captain and divemaster log
