Pix of great whites off Guadalupe Island, Mexico

[mbuff]

re: farallons chumming
You know, I don't know if any current farallons outfits are chumming. Sorry if I was jumping the gun there and being all lecture-y.

I didn't get a chance to check out the photos the other night, but they really are beautiful pictures. What beautiful animals! Congrats on the great footage and successful tagging.

How long will the tags stay on ?

 

[fmw625]

Great pics Dr. Bill. Until I was wondering if you were in a cage or not until reading the entire post. Must have been an amazing experiance.

 

[murphdivers286]

Thanks for the input Bill. Maybe one day I can dive with them without changing their habits.. I would rather see them in their natural glory...

 

[Poogweese]

SIDE NOTE: I saw something on The Channel 2 News (SFO local news) a year or so ago about some crazy Guy who goes in the water at The Faralons without a cage but he carries a huge picture of Killer Whale face. The footage they showed had The Great Whites turning 180 degrees away from the picture when he held it up to them. Crazy but true. Anyone know of this Guy or his research?[/QUOTE]


First I ever heard of this Orca Picture guy...This would be a great experiment!!

Poog

 

[fishoutawater]

A few years ago, I saw a video of some guy that had a cage he would sink to the bottom (about 30-40 ft) for encounters with GW's. The interesting thing about this film was that he would leave the cage and go outside with the shark. He had this theory that if he held his arms up in a threatening manor, imitating a crab, he would scare off a GW.
It actually worked! Everytime the shark would come in for a closer look, the guy would stick his arms out, and the shark would veer off. He did this several times.
Then another shark showed up, and he would raise his arms against that one as well.
But soon it got kinda funny. Both sharks started towards him from opposite sides, whereupon the diver made a mad dash for his cage.
His theory was that maybe it was a learned behavior from a "childhood" encounter with a large crab.
And seeing how these two sharks seemed to actually start working together to get to the diver, makes me wonder how "dumb" these animals really are.

BTW: Beautiful pics and very interesting insight doc! Thanks for sharing!

 

[drbill]

For those who haven't discovered it yet, all three installments of my newspaper column about the encounter are now archived on my web site (see link below).

I recently saw that some GWS dive operators charge over $8,000 for the experience. Were my aged eyes deceiving me? If true, my friend gave me one heck of a Christmas present!

Dr. Bill

 

[Chaseh]

A few years ago, I saw a video of some guy that had a cage he would sink to the bottom (about 30-40 ft) for encounters with GW's. The interesting thing about this film was that he would leave the cage and go outside with the shark. He had this theory that if he held his arms up in a threatening manor, imitating a crab, he would scare off a GW.
It actually worked! Everytime the shark would come in for a closer look, the guy would stick his arms out, and the shark would veer off. He did this several times.
Then another shark showed up, and he would raise his arms against that one as well.
But soon it got kinda funny. Both sharks started towards him from opposite sides, whereupon the diver made a mad dash for his cage.
His theory was that maybe it was a learned behavior from a "childhood" encounter with a large crab.
And seeing how these two sharks seemed to actually start working together to get to the diver, makes me wonder how "dumb" these animals really are.

BTW: Beautiful pics and very interesting insight doc! Thanks for sharing!

If you were diving with a GWS, busted wind in your wet suit when it swam at you and it then turned away, it wouldn't mean this this is an effective repelent (from sharks)...Like the Doc said, they often approached then turned from the bait at first too. The guy you saw on video may have been wise to swim for the cage when he did.

 

[H2O Photo Pros]

I went to Guadalupe this past november and it was spectacular. It is the time of the season when the larger females come in and are quite active. I have another trip the same time this year. If you'd like any info, send me a PM.

Mike