Deep Blue vacations near Oahu

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AZTinman

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Messages
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Location
Casa Grande, Arizona
# of dives
500 - 999
Hopefully, the video link will work. Deep Blue, the largest great white shark ever recorded on video, has been hanging around a dead sperm whale off the coast of Oahu. Researchers at Isla Guadalupe have been looking for Deep Blue to return since she was filmed five years ago. At around 21', she's an impressive sight. Snorkeling with her would be an amazing experience. Fun stuff!

-AZTinman

 
Based on reports I heard, there were actually at least three big white sharks feeding off that whale carcass plus a satellite tag detection from a fourth. Deep Blue was positively identified the day before this clip was shot, but the shark in the OneOcean footage that's gone viral was actually a different shark of about the same size identified as "Haole Girl."

There's been a lot of commentary about this being considered "wildlife harassment;" I won't get into that but I will say that a) the consensus I'm seeing among the scientists I talk to about these things is "I don't like touching animals, but it's not the worst crime committed ever," and b) a friend who got 840 closeup pics of "the most photogenic shark in the world" and now feels he's too spoiled to go back to Guadalupe Island said they had to move out of the shark's way to avoid touching her and at one point they moved away from the whale carcass for a bit and the shark tagged along. Given that other footage showed a couple rough-toothed dolphins buzzing the shark without a care, a bellyful of whale blubber seems to have put her in a pretty copacetic state.
 
Yes, I heard the same comment from the white shark guy who works for the Guadalupe operator I use. Deep Blue was identified on the carcass a day or two before the video was shot. Personally, I make considerable effort to avoid touching underwater critters. Often, I find myself in situations where I'm trying to avoid being touched. Sea lions in the Gulf of California are notorious for touching divers. Nurse sharks in Cozumel frequently approach divers and bump then. Some of the Cozumel dive guides have created a bad situation by feeding nurse sharks.
 
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