Our 2015 Guadalupe great white sharks season has come to a close. After the first day of choppy seas the remaining few days at the island were spent with just us and the Great Whites. We were able to identify #160 The Legend, #163 Luca, #168 a shark we’ve been calling Smiley due to a sad face marking on the left side of his torso (he’s made many appearances by our cages throughout the season) and even 3 new sharks that were not part of the 170 that were identified going in to the 2015 season. I wouldn’t be surprised if that number becomes around 200 by next year. Our group of Germans, Swiss, Canadians and British all got their fair share of shark and yellow fin tuna action, but only a handful of us got to witness something I didn’t think would happen all season on the last evening at Gaud. Seagulls floating in the water off are back deck throughout the day is a common sight, what makes it interesting is from down below these birds look like chunks of tuna or bait bags floating on the surface. This causes the sharks (mostly the juveniles) to swim up and try to grab a quick snack always failing as the birds see the approaching danger and fly off, until yesterday… We had a 12 foot male show up in the afternoon, acting quite sketchy as he twitched and jerked around the cages. Every dive we would watch as he rocketed up into the light after the birds, only for them to fly off. He must have been determined to get anything at this point as he was now speeding up, and it worked. Not just once, but twice this male nailed to Gulls that were not fast enough to take off this time. What was most interesting is the 2nd time he killed the bird then chose not to eat it as we watched the bird’s body float off in the swell. Perhaps he didn’t like the taste of the first one? Perhaps he got distracted and came back for it later? Either way it was quite the sight to see one the Great Whites to finally get the birds they had chase plenty throughout are time out here this year. Tonight we’re sailing to Cedros Island to dive with a Sea Lion colony. Stayed tuned as we make our way down the Baja and eventually return to the giants of Socorro.
Our 2015 Guadalupe diving with great white sharks season has come to a close.
