Great White Sharks in Mexico? Epic Shark Diving!

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Another great trip to report for the 2012 white shark season. Smooth sailing down to Guadalupe Island and 12 different sharks on the first day with visits from Diablo, Thor, The Russian, Bite Face, Harvey, Mau and Chugey along with 2 new, unidentified sharks were among the sharks competing to be photographed by our divers.

The second day was a bit slower, but we had one new shark entertain our divers all day long with some fantastic passes close to the cage.

On our last day we had" Bullseye" show up and put on the best show of the season. He has not been seen since 2009 and was curious to check us out. He was investigating our cages, propellers and divers at extremely close range, this is what we call "Epic" shark diving. Our trip back was a smooth as it gets, with glassy ocean waters and no waves.

Are you on our next trip, we cannot wait to see you!

Cheers,

Martin Graf
Dive Operations
M/V Horizon
Shark Diver

Shark Photographer James Dylan - Epic!

guadalupe shark cage diving 2011
In 2011 we were excited to have underwater photographer James Dylan aboard the good ship Horizon for a week of shark adventures at Isla Guadalupe. Famed for white shark encounters that have been thrilling divers for the past decade.

James and his sharks did not disappoint and he cranked our some amazing shark images. Here's his report and his website for a closer look at his white sharks:

"I climbed slowly down the ladder trying to adjust to the extra weight strapped to my waist. I looked around for my designated regulator and drop into the royal blue Pacific. The water was cold as ice, but I didn’t care. The metal enclosure that I stood in rocked back and forth with the waves and I had to grab onto the bars to keep my balance. I scanned the endless ocean for some sign of life besides the school of fish surrounding me. A dark shadow moves in the distance. A massive great white shark materializes out of the depths. My heart stops and I have to remind myself to breathe out of the regulator. This was the one moment I had been waiting for for 17 years and that one moment will forever be seared into my mind.

Over the next two days I came in contact with between 10 and 15 different white sharks, all with different personalities. On day two, perhaps the most famous shark at Guadalupe showed up. They call him shredder. He is 16 feet long and always loves to show off to the divers watching him. He circled the cage for three hours giving everyone a good look. As he swims past you, he looks at you dead in the eye and you can see his eye snap from diver to diver. Let me tell you, there is absolutely nothing more amazing, thrilling, and terrifying than having a 16 foot great white, swimming mere inches away from you, stare at you; studying you.  Another smaller, unidentified shark, paid us a visit later that day. This one was showing more… aggressive tendencies. He would dive deep and torpedo up from the bottom right at our cage and veer off at the last second.

The whole reason I got into photography was for this very reason.  Shark Diver was able to provide me with the opportunity to capture stunning images which I was able to display at an exhibition last spring.  Several examples from this exhibition are posted above.  For more of my work, please visit my website at www.james-dylan.com.

I had an incredible experience with Shark Diver.  I hope to see you all again very soon."

Self Propelled Shark Cages - The Evolution of Cool

self propelled shark cage
With the wrap of Shark Week 2012 it's time to look at the world of self propelled shark cages our teams recent commercial with Volkswagen (whole series here) featuring arguably the coolest self propelled shark cage ever built.

So cool in fact that this vehicle will now be ensconced in the hallowed halls of Volkswagen Corporate for all time.

You don't get to VW Corporate if you don't produce paradigm shaking innovation.

This years commercial series was shot in Florida and the Bahamas over a month with a unique team of creatives, shark divers, RED shooters, and serious front of the camera talent.

The end result has been nothing but net and Kudos to the entire team for an effort hampered by some serious weather. We have a saying here at Shark Diver about weather, design builds, and film and television productions....at the end of the day its all, "accidentally perfect."

Here's to next year!
 

Isla Guadalupe White Shark Cage Diving 2012 - Trip Report

shark diver 2012 white shark diving isla guadalupeFrom the Sat phone on the M/V Horizon this week a quick update from Captain Spencer on the M/V Horizon:

Moooove on over epic 2011 season and bow down to 2012 White Shark season!

 16 passengers and a crew full of shark men (and women) set off on a 5 day journey of a life time and got a life time worth of White Sharks in just 8 hours!

 As the sun sets over the hunched back of Guadalupe Island the prime rib is exiting the oven bound for a hot date with some happy folks.

 A saxophone is caressing the air played by a passenger on the top deck. Others exchange experiences over a ice cold beer in lounge chairs on the back deck. After our arrival here at 4AM people began to stir in their cabins. Cages were in the water as the sun peaked up out of the big blue Pacific.

 After breakfast everyone had a rotation in the cage to shake off the cob webs; it was game time. Enter Carcharodon carcharias (Great White Shark). For the next eight hours it was breath taking. Over twelve different sharks made an appearance on day one of the 2012 shark season.

 At times they came within inches of the cages.

 Here's my left side and then my right side, as if the sharks were putting on a show for our viewing pleasure. We saw so many sharks today my voice is shot from yelling WHITE SHARK so much. The afternoon it was even crazier. There were times when people would come out of the water saying they were seeing 3-4 sharks at a time!!!

 What an epic day aboard the good ship Horizon.

 As I walk through the laptop filled salon, divers share their epic day with photos. Pictures and movies of sharks up close, sharks in the back ground of divers, and of course smiling the whole time. No words can explain what just happened here at this magical island in the middle of the Pacific ocean.

 I can't wait to see what day two has to offer.

Cheers,

Captain Spencer Salmon
M/V Horizon 2012

Shark Week Volkswagen Commercial 2012 Bahamas

volkswagen shark diving commercial shark week 2012The final episode of the three part anchor commercial to Shark Week is complete with last nights much anticipated dropping of the SOVW aka "Skittles" into waters swarming with sharks.

In case you missed it here it is in all it's commercial magnificence.

We're taking a cue from a current crop of tv build shows, a dash of Mythbusters inspired mayhem, and of course the pure DNA of Shark Week to thrill audiences from Canada to

the Florida Keys.

Produced by: Discovery Creative / What We Do Media / Engine Pictures
Executive Producer/Host: Luke Tipple
Line Producer: Patric Douglas/Sharkdiver.com
Field Producer / Dive Safety Officer: Greg Mooney
Engineer: Andre Verwey
Assistant Engineer: Marcelo Jerez
Captain: Scott Grey/M/V Kate
Safety Divers: Rob MacDonald & Andrew Driver
Underwater DP: John Friday
Underwater B Camera: Alfredo Ruiz

 

Shark Cage Diving Guadalupe 2012 With Jim Miller

cage diving with great white sharks
Here at Shark Diver we have a fan base that translates into return divers year after year, we call them "The Hard Core Shark Divers."

And none is more hard core than Jim Miller who penned this trip report for us at the start of the 2012 white shark season at Isla Guadalupe.

Thanks Jim, see you in a few weeks:

Sunday, July 29th, 2012

An open letter to potential shark divers from a two time shark diver (third trip coming up in September 2012).
When I landed back home in Boston with all the stories, pictures, and video, I asked myself, do I really need to go back?
The answer comes quickly and easily. Absolutely, yes! I relive one of the most intense experiences of my life every night as I sleep, and I’ve done it twice! How many people can say that they’ve been close enough to touch a Great White Shark?
That they’ve been in the water with one of the world’s most perfect predators? What possible reason could I have for going back?
I am not an adrenaline junkie nor do I have a death wish. Honestly, there are a lot of reasons. First and foremost is my new found love for the animal. I had an intense fear based on an experience from childhood. I wanted to beat it and it only took me 40 years to muster the courage. Being in such close proximity to these enormous, powerful, and graceful creatures is just unbelievable. There are no words to properly describe the experience. The only way to understand is to be there. You can watch Shark Week all you want, but frankly, it’s the difference between a riding a skateboard and driving a Lamborghini Diablo.
We all work hard and deserve to take time away from the chaos of daily existence.  I had been considering shark diving for several years, my fear getting the better of me every time. In 2010, I resolved to at least take the first steps to making the trip a reality. I decided to contact Patric Douglas, CEO of Shark Divers, with my concerns. Truthfully, I figured that being the CEO, he would either blow me off or just tell me what I wanted to hear in order to make the sale.
I could not have been more wrong.
During our first exchange, I spent approximately 45 minutes on the phone with this guy who I had never spoken with before. Within the first five minutes of the conversation, we were on a first name basis and it felt like I had known Patric for years. However, I am still a skeptic, and that mandates that I do my due diligence, salesmen be damned. My search turned up several stories from happy shark divers. My decision was made, but still, I decided that I would reserve judgment until the trip had concluded. My conclusion is that Patric Douglas is not a salesman. He is someone who cares deeply about the environment and the preservation of the wildlife that lives in it. The same can be said for the crew M/V Horizon.
When I first boarded the Horizon back in August 2010 for my first trip, I was treated like royalty, which is a bit much for me to take. Honestly, I was more than a little wound up and scared. In other words, I was as ready for this trip as I would ever be. Being from Boston means being a bit more intense, so when someone tried to take my luggage out my hands, I thought I was going to have to get mean. I just was not used to being treated so well! It wouldn’t have mattered much, because Mark would have kicked my butt anyway, just sayin’. I said to him, “I can carry my own luggage, buddy”. He responded with “this is your vacation”.
With that, it began and I let him have my suitcase. This brings me to Captain Spencer Salmon, who never ceases to crack me up. Captain Spencer is all business, but one would be hard pressed to see him being anything other than relaxed. He is a very unique character to say the least. Then there’s dive master Martin Graf, who briefs and instructs the divers on policy, procedures and dive safety. Martin provides a wealth of knowledge on Guadalupe White Sharks and all dive related information one would need to have a great trip. He knows the sharks by name and in some instances, does not need to be in the water to identify them. Martin is an important resource for the divers and a critical part of the Horizon crew. I can’t forget Captain Kyle, who I believe is a New York Giants fan… Can’t be perfect I guess, but still, another reason for me to be a repeat customer…  I just can’t say enough nice things about the crew. They are a huge part of the reason why I want to go back.
Oh, and did I mention Chef Mark? How could I possibly forget Mark?
The man who keeps us well fed and fueled up for diving! Chef Mark prepared the best steak I ever had. You read correctly. The best steak I ever had was on the MV Horizon. I don’t know what magic he used to prepare that steak; I just hope he uses it again in September!
Yet another reason for returning has to do with the people you will meet and the friends that you will make during this adventure. I’ve made some pretty good friends on both trips that I am still in touch with. In fact, I know of two people that I dove with last year who will be returning this year. On my 2011 trip, after a hard day of diving, I can remember sitting down with my friends, Julie, Sean, James, Jack, Pierre, and Janice and talking about the day’s adventure over cocktails.
If you are the type of person who has a hard time changing gears from work to vacation, you’ll be happy to know that it’s pretty easy to do on this trip. There is so much to take in, that it’s almost over-whelming. I can remember Captain Spencer cutting the engines on the way to Guadalupe and informing everyone over the P.A. system that there was a pod of Blue Whales just yards away from the ship. You almost expect a “Jurassic Park”-like experience.  You have to have your camera ready at all times. For example, during my first trip, we had a white shark perform a full breach, just feet away from the ship. No one saw that coming… And no one captured that on film, but I will remember it forever.
So with that said, I am 49 days away from my third trip with Sharkdiver.com and the MV Horizon to Isla Guadalupe and I am going crazy… The anticipation is tangible. I’ve watched the film I’ve taken from my previous trips countless times. There is nothing that I can do to appease the ache. I have an intense longing to be back in the water with Shredder, Bruce, and the rest of the Guadalupe White Sharks. As far as I am concerned, this is no longer just a vacation for me. I have found a cause that I love and can get behind in such a way that affords me the opportunity to actually have a positive impact. This is an opportunity to make a difference.
After this experience, you will have no choice but to talk about the adventure with people close to you about the plight of sharks as a species. Your words will travel. The act of you telling your stories will spread awareness. Not to mention that you will have the time of your life. So I’m carefully planning what gear I’ll be taking with me this year so that I can better communicate what I experience.
Tonight, I’ll be dreaming of September 15th, 2012 and the start of another adventure that I will never forget.
Shark Diver,
Jim Miller

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