September 21 – September 25, 2017 #TripReport (Guadalupe Island)

Hi All! 

 

Back to civilization from a remote area as Guadalupe Island is, great place by the way!

 

Amazing visibility made every pict fantastic! Even water temp was nice for a 7 mm thickness wet suit, 70℉/21.1℃, 3 days shark action was spectacular, our two type shark cages were constantly in use due to sharks, wind blowing from west, at times from south, but the fun was there! 30ft/9m deep submersible cage sharks circling it! checking us out! so close to cage that we can make eye contact with them! Some how they actually like sort of hide under our boat Solmar V spending time under the shade, but surface cage also was fun! Lucky sundeck customers waiting for that jump! Didn't have to wait long! it actually did happened, this new in the area shark after chasing bait from different angles decided to jump right there just feet away from cage open mouth showing white teeth taking that bait! Back in deep water more sharks wanted to stay there, below submersible cage in a comfortable zone, seeing them to measure one against other surrounded by yellow tail and mackerel fish, break time for some of our customer during lunch time! Air temp from 68 to 74℉/ 20 to 23℃, also good timing for a panga ride, female elephant seals just laying enjoying direct sun temp, lots of pups barely barking, rock formation and back to more cage diving, at times we had 4 to 5 sharks under submersible cage, at the very last day a 6ft/1.8m shark showed up extremely fast swimmer chasing bait, so close from cage, no scars, eye rolling back to cheek us out, splashing lots of water with tail in the effort get the bait which it did several times showing how its done!

Dive Inst:

Daniel Zapata, Solmar V.

Crossing time to Guadalupe island 19.5 Hrs

Crossing time to Ensenada, Mexico 20.5 Hrs

September 16 – September 20, 2017 #TripReport (Guadalupe Island)

Hello everybody!
This is the report for the trip No. 10 to Guadalupe island.

On this trip we had three good days of cage diving with the Great Whites. On the first day the action started early; the first shark showed up around ten minutes after the first group of divers went in. The rest of the day was great, sharks all the time and some times three of them were in the area. The people in the submersible cage had a great time, one of the groups had four sharks swimming around them. Today we had six or seven different sharks, one big female included.

On the second day the shark activity was more concentrated on the surface cages. This was the best day; we had very active sharks breaching and chasing the bait. As always "Crazy Luis" the wrangler gave us a good show, attracting the sharks close to the cages, so the people could take good shots of the animals. This day we had five sharks in the area.
The last day was the quiet day for the surface cages. The sharks stayed in deep water most of the time, so the action was concentrated around the submersible cage. Today we had four sharks in the area; they breached a couple of times going after the bait.

Overall we had a good trip, our guests had a great time in the water with the Great Whites and out of the water eating, drinking and relaxing.
Pablo Dive Instructor
Solmar V

Weather conditions
Wind 2
Clouds 2
Current 3
Visibility 5
Temperature 70F/20C
Crossing 20 hrs

September 9 – September 13, 2017 #TripReport (Guadalupe Island)

GREAT WHITE EXPERIENCE

What can we ask for a better adventure in the Pacific ocean than facing the apex predator? Not much, if we consider the good weather, great company and the best action in the cages for our 9th trip of the Guadalupe season.

This time we had a good variety of sharks coming during the 3 days of cage diving, even since the first moment when we arrive to the island looked that the sharks missed us cause as as soon as we were unloading the cages two sharks were coming around us to welcome the Solmar V. Once we had the cages in place the waiting wasn't too long so the divers hop into the suits and got into the cages to enjoy what they have been waiting for a long time, to have face to face this great specimen.

On the first day we got between 5 to 6 different sharks including some inexperienced juveniles of about 2 and a half meters and a couple of big ones trying to reach the bait at the end of the rope giving the spectacle that the customers were expecting.
On the second day, we got up early to set up the chump so the sharks didn't wait to long to get their breakfast first thing in the morning but we had to wait a couple of hours for this, but when they arrived the action didn't stop. A big female of about 4 meters kept coming toward the lines and coming close to the cages so the divers could get the best shots. This girl had company of about 3 different males around that were quite scared of her due the size of it and never got closer to the bait when she was in the area. At some point we had the quick visit of a well known shark, "Mau" came straight to the chump and surprised our wrangler cutting the rope and getting his meal on a fast breach. During the day the big female kept breaching on and on giving the great show to the divers.
The last day started a little slow due a slight temperature change, there was a thermoclime that kept the divers in the deep areas but not long enough so the sharks started to reach the ends of the ropes to get the bait, a reduce number this time but good quality on breaching and speed coming from one wrangler to the other.

So as usual, as happen in this magnificent island the action is on at the middle of the season and we are waiting for the big girls to come over in the next trips.

Rodrigo Marroquín, dive instructor.
SOLMAR V.


Trip Conditions:

Temperature
68 F / 20 C

Visibility
75 feet / 25 mts

In scale 1 to 5

Seas: 1

Current: 2

Crossings
To Guadalupe: 3

To Ensenada: 2

September 4 – September 8, 2017 #TripReport (Guadalupe Island)

Hello you all!

This trip to Guadalupe Island was very special! During the crossing from Ensenada to Guadalupe Island, we watched a humpback whale in troubles carrying a big orange buoy  with a several entanglement with a rope all around its body. It was swimming with the tail because the pectorals fins were wrapped with the rope. Immediately we put the panga in the water and all the divemasters got ready to start the rescue. Another boat was on the route to Guadalupe, the Sea Escape and the same ,all their Divemasters and crew were ready to act.The 6 Divemasters of the 2 boats we worked all together, and after study the situation we enter the water to cut the ropes and after few minutes of hard work the job was done and the Whale was free!! Everyone at the 2 boats was happy!! We continued our way to Guadalupe to find the apex predator of the Oceans: the Great White Shark!! The first day we have a good interaction with them, and we can say that we saw 7 different Great Whites during the day, most of them males of 3 m / 9 ft an to 3.5 m / 10 ft. They were around the cages at the surface trying to catch the bait ,showing us all their jaws, splashing the water at the surface and showing the big dorsal fin out of the water and passing close to the submersible cage at the 20 ft / 6 m. The visibility was 60 Ft / 18 m and the water temperature 70 °f / 21 °C. The second was a little bit windy but the action with the sharks continue in the same way. Action all day!! The last day of diving was possible to watch 5 Great whites passing close to the cages at the surface and turning around the submersible cage. Garmin, a male of 3.5 m / 10 ft was very active at the surface, going against the bait and sometimes doing vertical attacks to breech at the surface, taking the bait by surprise. The rest of the day the wranglers were very busy because the action increase more and more with a big rotation of divers, coming in and out of the cages. Everyone was amazed!! Great whites everywhere ! The sharks never stop, they keep more pressure against the bait, biting the bait and pulling the ropes to escape to deeper waters. 

Excellent trip with a succesful and happy rescue of a whale and a unique interaction with the King of all the seas. Waiting for more adventures to come! See you soon!


Ignacio Hernan Leyro 
Scuba Insructor

August 30 – September 3, 2017 #TripReport (Guadalupe Island)

Hi All

Trip 07, Sept 02, 2017 Guadalupe Island, Mexico

Our 19 hours crossing time to isla Guadalupe happened so smooth, upon arrival it seems sharks were already there waiting for us to get into the water, our guests so enthusiastic to see the first one, of corse visibility helped out a lot, first rotation got in surface cages, every body else enjoying the spectacular view from sun deck, while  others submersible cage rotation as well, every body at the same time having big time fun!! Water temp 72 ℉/22℃, the number of jumping was insane of these sharks, several times body out of the water while others completely mouth open out of water exposing those sharp white teeth, even thought at times vis decreased a lot just on the surface sharks were still there, counting up to 7 sharks along the day, 24ft/8m deep submersible cage was fun, just another perspective to see these white sharks and surrounded by 4 to 5 of the then in the same frame, we even had such a small female white shark about 6ft/1.8 m long with so much stamina trying repeatedly to get the bait launching its body out of water exposing as well those white teeth, jaw dropping to see the speed of one specific shark, fast as a bullet got the bait, of course lots of photo shooters standing on the upper sun deck didn't even want blink eyes so don't miss that great shot, spectacular panga rides to see those pups seals, rock formations of the island, elephant seals, Cuvier's beaked whales at the distance and then back to great white cage diving, some of the sharks we had were Gunter, Zapata, Crazy Luis, Andy; not easy to leave such a place but! About 2 hours before we got back to Ensenada Port Mexico about 400 hundred Dolphins escorted us leading the way in, so many of them jumping high up in the air, what a great experience and memories, slowing down engines they did speed as well just resting around the boat! spouts every were!

Return time to Ensenada, Mexico 21 Hours, 180 Nautical Miles from Isla Guadalupe Mexico.

Vis average 60ft/18m

Air temperature 75℉/23.8℃

Dive Inst 

Daniel Zapata, Solmar V.

August 25 – 29, 2017 #TripReport (Guadalupe Island)

Hello people!

This is the dive report for trip number six.
From the 25th to 29th of august.
On this trip we had three good days with the Great Whites. The first day the action started early; almost as soon as we anchored the boat. Five sharks were in the area, Garmin and Crazy Luis were two of the sharks chasing the bate. The people in the submersible cage had a blast! The sharks came close to the cage, the divers had the opportunity to take great shots of the animals.
The second day started slow, the sharks were not interested on the bait and they stayed most of the time in deep water. In the afternoon they were more active and playful following the bait. Three or four animals showed up during the day. Finally the last day in Guadalupe and the first shark showed up early in the morning. As the day before, the animals became more active as the day passes and we had great action in the submersible cage. At noon we had six sharks under the boat; and some of them were chasing the fish of the wranglers.On this trip our guests had a blast watching the Great Whites and doing panga rides to see the sea lions colonies.

Pablo
Dive Instructor

August 20 – 24, 2017 #TripReport (Guadalupe Island)

Dive Report -Trip N º 5  ( August 20 Th to 24 Th )

Hello you all !! We have ,had a wonderful experience in the clear water of Guadalupe Island. Since the crew set the cages in the water took a short time to find the first Great White Sharks. Immediately the sharks were near to the surface showing the dorsal fin and turning around the bait. The divers got ready in theirs wet suits and the most incredible adventure begun!! Great whites Sharks in everywhere all day!! Big males of 3 to 4m / 9ft to 12ft, massive sharks passing right in front of the cages at the surface, looking to attack the bait, opening their jaws and showing the teeth. We watched 6 to 8 different sharks during the first day only!! The next day we had lot of action as well a  hungry male of at least 3m / 10ft was giving hard time to the wranglers attacking and biting the bait at each time ,and when failing comes to bite again and again! A baby female of only 2m / 6ft was very active and it was the attraction of the day, small shark but very interested about the bait, circling and swimming and trying to catch the bait many times. Another male was around, very aggressive, big size 3 m / 9 ft, and it was breaching, showing us the jaws!! 

The water temperature was 72 F º / 23 º C ,the visibility was pretty clear 40 ft / 12 m to 50 ft / 15 m. Around the submersible cage at the 20 ft / 6 m was possible to watch 3 to 4 Great whites at the same time. A couple of them comes in a vertical position from the depth straight to attack the bait at the surface, to come down around the submersible cage. The action was no stop!! The sharks were very active, swimming around, going up and down, very aggressive while attacking the bait and very calm at depth. Garmin, a big male of 3.5 m 11 ft has a big scratch at its head and signs of a fight in the gills .we interacted with the Great whites to the last minute of the trip and we can say that we watched 8 to 10 different sharks during the trip. 

Another fascinating experience with the Solmar V!! Se you soon !!

Ignacio Hernan Leyro
Scuba instructor
Solmar V

Water temperature : 72 º F / 22 ª C
Visibility : 40 ft / 12 m to 50 ft / 15 m
Weather : cloudy in the morning ,sunny the rest of the day .Temperature 26 º c / 80 º F
Crossing : Ensenada to Guadalupe Island 18 hs