Sunday, October 25, 2015

I wonder what are great whites thinking when they make eye contact with us?!...

Hi all!
Oct 21,  2015
Wind from NNW makes us feel like real adventurous explorers in the ocean In route to Isla Guadalupe, white bellied Dolphins escorting us along the way! A sun fish rests on the surface sideways probably enjoying of the swells and water temp of 74F, a sky covered with clouds in grey color lets the thin light break thru, some boobies don't waste time to play In the wind gliding just over the surface without touching the water!
Our new first day at the island started with lots of enthusiasm from our guests wanting to see great whites! The clouds and thin rain didn't let the sun break thru at first, air temp was 21C, underwater was a whole other story! Water temp 24C, vis 20m, submersible cage started to descend very early while divers on the surface cage were  already immersed. At depth our first visitor arrived very curious about the submersible cage,  Gunter, a male white shark kept coming at us repeatedly with a smiling face, a pilot fish rubbing its little tail against shark's snout! They know the area! It seems he doesn't have rush or stress by the way he swims, other male comes in, keeping distance from each other they shared the swim area below SOLMAR V! Which was very good for us, after being absent for several trips, a shark named Horizon shows up with fresh bites on its right flank, at least today they are pacific swimmers, Andy another male white shark got in the area once the other two disappeared, surfaces cages were slow active hoping these shark will come up to break surface but they didn't, so 3 other sharks including one female made appearance by the submersible cage, it was fun to see interaction, at times  how they measure one against other to keep status! 
The following day  “Legend” a male shark recently acoustic tagged showed up, after a few weeks of being absent he came back keeping every one happy putting on a great show from about 7:30 in the morning to around 12 noon! He is a speedy guy, barely taking a break, he kept circling surface cages very focused on how to get the bait! In the end he always did it! Launching its body in different angles got the bait by doing vertical rapid ascend breaking surface half of body out of the water, wide open mouth showing teeth and splashing such amount of water! Many other times coming straight at the cage open mouth, swimming slowly, very close to cages was also one of the things he liked to do among so much more! The "Watch what you wish for" became reality for our guest. Submersible cage was as good as on the surface. Having up to 4 sharks circling at the same time, and providing a different perspective to see them from this cage, that smiling face never disappears, barely open mouths, that big eye definitely is making contact with us, I wonder what are great whites thinking when they make eye contact with us!?!?...
Dive inst
Daniel Zapata, Solmar V.

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