Sharks sharks sharks sharks and more sharks

[g_na]

Anyone who knows me knows I love sharks. A lot. I will dive with sharks whenever possible, but unfortunately that is not as often as you might expect; there aren't many sharks left in the oceans (they are being killed at the rate of about 100,000,000 per year!) and the ones that are left are quite shy and scared of people. So it usually takes

Comments

[msjen]

Gina, this is amazing and awe-inspiring. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and pictures.

[g_na]

You're welcome. I'm glad you like it.

:)

[fuggler]

Stunning photos! My favorite is "Frederick films Emma"; the composition is just perfect and tells a lot about the experience. Were you calm the first time you dived with bigger sharks? I've only seen baby leopard and whitetip reef sharks, but I think I'm gonna be scared shitless when I'm surrounded by sharks twice my size!

My guy and I dived with this professional ocean videographer/photographer duo in San Diego, and like you, I felt lucky hearing about their experiences. When we asked what it took for them to land such amazing jobs, Richard Theiss said "well, I was broke for a long time", haha.

[g_na]

I've dived with bigger sharks on a few occasions and the only thought along those lines that has gone through my head was, "Aren't I supposed to be scared?" I really wasn't. Of course, the biggest sharks I've seen have only been about 12 feet long. I long to experience what it would be like to meet an 18 foot long shark--I would seriously be in awe of the creature.

[wyndebreaker]

I took the entire family out to a Chinese banquet over the Holidays amd made a substitution on the menu that did NOT have shark-fin soup, and I made it clear to the owner why.

In other shark news, I was watching a program on NatGo about sharks, and apparently one of their attack modes (besides food, territory, and curiosity) was practice. Apparently, they make minor non-lethal attacks on things just to stay in peak hunting mode, even if they don't need food. That's pretty bad-ass.

[g_na]

I took the entire family out to a Chinese banquet over the Holidays amd made a substitution on the menu that did NOT have shark-fin soup, and I made it clear to the owner why.

THANK YOU!

I took the entire family out to a Chinese banquet over the Holidays amd made a substitution on the menu that did NOT have shark-fin soup, and I made it clear to the owner why.

That is really cool. Like the hunter that goes to shoot at targets in the off-season or something. Or maybe the cats that play with mice and then let them go.

[death_by_soy]

The only time I've see (reef & leopard) sharks was on my "discover scuba" dive before I was certified. UnfortunateIy I was so amazed just with the whole "I'm breathing underwater" experience that I wasn't all that interested in them at the time... I wouldn't mind running into one again- as long as it's not a bull shark- they're still a little unnerving.

[g_na]

I saw many bull sharks on several shark-feeding dives in Fiji this past summer. I was surprised at how skittish they were; they didn't even come close to us. There was a possibility of seeing bulls this trip, but none showed up.

I think the only shark I'd be a little hesitant about would be a white shark. Technically I have been outside the cage with great whites and they came nowhere near me (http://g-na.livejournal.com/131063.html), although I expect the sharks may have acted differently in that circumstance than they would had I just been swimming along.

[death_by_soy]

Your white shark pics look so great! My bf is finally taking a scuba class this spring, but he said he would never ever do a cage dive w/ white sharks with me ;( I don't understand why he's afraid, but that sucks. The other thing that sucks is how expensive the white shark trips are! Everywhere I've looked it's been $800 for one day!

[g_na]

$800 for one day? That sounds like the price for the Farallon Islands trips. Don't bother with those--the water is cold (low 50s), visibility is low, and you probably will not see any sharks.

The other two places I know to (cage)dive with white sharks is in South Africa (expensive trip, and not very good visibility); or Guadalupe Island, Mexico. Guadalupe is the way to go. The water is warmer (70F), the vis is great, and you are pretty much guaranteed to see LOTS of sharks. Yes, the cost is more that $800 but you get a lot of shark for your money.

There are at least two dive operators running trips there, but the outfit to go with is run by a guy by the name of Lawrence Groth (do NOT go with Patric Douglas!): http://www.greatwhiteadventures.com/guadalupe_details.html

It is well-worth doing!