Non-Cage dive with a White Shark

[smay28]

luke, those pics are stunning. I'm curious as to how close you got to the shark and whether you were exhaling or trying to hold your breath when it got that close. Was the shark at all curious about you or did it seem disinterested? I'm impressed you even got photos with that kind of adrenaline running through you. How long did you wait until the shark passed before surfacing and did you have much of a surface swim afterwards before exiting the water?

Great questions all...

 

[baitedstorm]

I'm still trying to catch my breath and I'm only reading about it.... Awesome pictures.

 

[Dee]

Wow....we ain't talkin' mild mannered Caribbean Nurse Sharks here!

Did your wetsuit come clean?!?

 

[murphdivers286]

you have done what other people either dream about doing or fear. awesome photos

 

[lukeROB]

Great questions all...

OK heres, the scoop - Some people may have read this but anyway (also not properly edited, etc yet):

Sunday, 25th April, I decided to go on an afternoon dive out on the boat with my Dad and younger brother to get some photos (I hadn’t dived for a couple of weeks as I’ve been waiting for some new lenses to arrive – couldn’t wait anymore). Weather wasn't perfect so we ended up about 2 miles out of Mindarie (Perth, Western Australia) on a reefy bottom about 12m deep, known as Gordon’s Grotto. The usual suspects were around and I was getting some alright snaps. After about 30 minutes underwater I was taking a picture of a scorpion cod which was letting me get really close, and I wanted to do some tests without my strobe. I moved slightly to get a better angle an a bit more light. Then out the corner of my eye I saw something big - I looked to my left and only one thought my head "holy $hit, that's a !@#$ING MASSIVE WHITE POINTER!!!!".

No time to waste with hand signals, eyes wide I pointed over my Dads shoulder and they turned to see this thing. I swear it was only about 8m away. I hit the deck and Dad and James bailed into a crevice I just lay flat in a little gully. We didn't really panic surprisingly but all watched amazed thinking it would just pass by. No such Luck. I really could not believe what was happening, it was more like a movie. My eyes were seeing it but the brain definitely didn’t want to accept it was real.

Had my camera in hand, setup for macro shots – so just pushed the macro button off and took some photos. Definitely happy the strobe was off because I didn’t want to do anything that would annoy her. I wish I was a little more composed as the shots could have been much better, but at the time this was the last thing I was thinking. I thought without these people would probably say ‘you weren’t that close, you sure you know what a great white looks like?’ so with shaking hands to prove we were there, and you can see this shark wasn't small. It was around a 4m long female. It circled around for about 6 minutes and came right over my head (I'm talking around 2 - 3m, got photos of that too).

It wasn’t aggressive at any point though. But man the presence and respect it commanded was amazing – I felt very insignificant with her eyeing me out. I think the fact that she had showed herself was comforting because one of us could have been snapped up without even knowing what was going on. I learned to dive in Cocos Islands and everything Dieter, Karen, Nigel and Mary had told me about shark behaviour there came flooding back - “No erratic movement, pectorals not dipped, Letting you know she’s there” – she wasn’t displaying aggressive behaviour. I did let myself enjoy the time before even thinking “now what?”. The amount of emotion this shark was able to emit was amazing. It was a show of total fearlessness “I’m top of the food chain, not sure what you are but I’m interested, never seen you before”. They are definitely very intelligent and every movement seemed calculated, and that black eye was piercing as it stared us down.

Eventually it headed off and I spotted the others bubbles behind me and quickly snuck into the same crack as they were - I was feeling a little lonely and unprotected. Next thing Dads tapping me and there it was again back for another look. A couple more minutes and it swam off again - in the direction of the boat goddamnit! I grabbed a slate and very shakily wrote ‘What Should We Do?’ – my response from the others - a shrug of the shoulders. Thought well I’ve had the most diving experience, 100+ dives in the last 18 months, I’ll make the decisions. Told the other two to follow me. We needed to do something soon, already 43 minutes bottom time – James only on his tenth or so dive ever. I was definitely wishing at this point I hadn’t taken out my little 63cu ft tank with a 210bar fill. Once I couldn’t see her anymore it was a much worse feeling cause I knew it would not have just totally left us alone but was probably hanging just outside of our visible range(about 10m max). Sure she was interested to see our reaction to the situation.

So with the other two following I bailed through all the caves and gullies I could remember taking photos in, but didn’t really know exactly where the boat was - just picking out landmarks. I must have looked funny swimming around, poking my head around corners and out of holes to see if the shark was nearby still. There was lots of surge and my heart was pounding, I could physically see the pressure needle dropping I was breathing so hard. Crap 40 bar left - ended up coming out into the open, and thought stuff it - we’re in front of the boat “now or never!”. Grabbed the other two, signaled up, hung on and headed for the surface (needless to say I think it was a little faster than 18m/min – more like 12m in 20 seconds).

My mind was blank here, mid-water I was just sort of meditating to overcome my brain saying – “what are you doing the bottom is much safer?” Hit the surface swimming, boat about 25m in front of us - that’s got to be the longest swim of my life. I was dragging my brother because he wasn't keeping up – I really don’t think he realized exactly what was going on. Man I had a boat wake going out behind me – could have had someone skiing on it. A guy jumped off to help and apparently this thing was cruising slowly toward us all about 15m to the right. Out the water and into the boat hands shaking, thinking - THANK GOD and THAT HAS TO BE THE BEST THING THAT I'VE EVER SEEN (caught in two minds). I still can't stop thinking about it, it was that damn good, especially these first images and the total incomprehension of the situation. We must be one of the select few that have seen a White like this without a cage and I feel very privileged.

I must say though if I had the opportunity again but didn’t know the outcome I would choose not to be in the situation. If I knew we would all be fine, I’d do it tomorrow twice.

Hope everyone enjoyed the read.

 

[alcina]

Goose-pimples here!

You have more shots?? Can we see, please?!?!

 

[archman]

Those "aggressive behavioral cues" are known from very few species, which does not include great white's. Nevertheless, knowing what this shark prefers to eat (plump seals resembling scuba divers), I wouldn't have been real excited popping up to the surface either. I know a commercial diver that interacts with big sharks a lot... she says all you have to do is bang them on the nose to make them leave. Screw that!

 

[jhelmuth]

Very cool! I love sharks. It's hard to say that I'd not be scared, but I'm hoping that I can have that experience one day. It seems your actions were quite appropriate for the moment.

 

[getwet2]

Thanks for sharing your amazing adventure. Pictures are great!

 

[NickR]

OMG! :eyemouth:

I've dived Gordon's Grotto loads of times. I tell my wife it's perfectly safe, no sharks up there. I'm just glad that she didn't see the news at the weekend, and I defiantely won't be showing her your pics (BTW, they're really cool).

I've always thought that if I see one I'll try and enjoy the experience, but like you it's not a situation I would choose to be in.

Take it easy.

Maybe I'll see you in the Grotto sometime.