Trip Photos -- Oceanic Whitetip Sharks and Swimming Pigs

[Dr. Doug Ebersole]

I just got back from an amazing Bahamas trip with Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures (Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures: Diving Palm Beach and the Bahamas) where we spend the week diving with oceanic whitetip sharks. These dives were done off his liveaboard dive boat, Shear Water by floating alongside baited crates hung from the surface in the open ocean (some depths greater than 4000 fsw!). We had incredible interactions with up to seven of these open ocean predators at a time. Not for the faint of heart but a great trip for shark lovers. Here are a few photos:

I love the reflection in the other photographer's dome port on this one

After several days of shark diving we stopped off at an island known to have pigs that come out to the water to meet the boat. We spent the afternoon with these "swimming pigs".

And, yes, the glamorous life of my friend Douglas Seiffert -- professional underwater photographer:

We finished off the trip with some reef dives where we found a very friendly turtle and lots of lion fish

Thanks to Jimmy and his crew for a fantastic week!

More photos can be found on my website, debersole.com, under the "Gallery"

 

[alcina]

#3 rocks!

And not so many people have beach pigs in their portfolios

 

[deco_martini]

As far as baited shark photos go though, I prefer your stills from tiger beach. Tigers are just very photogenic.

I've seen stills of unbaited white tip sightings in the red sea where the white tips have their own portable ecosystem handy with 15 or more pilot/remora/etc fish on/around them. Those pictures are very impressive. I think the presence of all the extra fish adds color and balances out the white tip's less photogenic features like the fins so long they bend and look "worn out".

 

[Adriaan557]

Wow, brilliant photos!

 

[Rickg]

Absolutely amazing.

 

[SCUBAJENNIFER]

That is incredible...I've never seen close ups of Oceanics like that. Thank you for posting!!

Were there ever any issues? I've heard and read that they can be quite aggressive at times.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Great shots! The vis looks like it was almost unlimited. How's the rest of the critter shooting there?

 

[deeper thoughts]

Wow beautiful pixs!!!!!!

 

[AndyT]

#2 and #4 are stunning. Looks like a fantastic trip !

 

[parabolic]

Magnificent Doug!! Love 'em all but that reflection in the dome port is priceless. Oceanic whitetips are a beautiful shark, definitely on my bucket list. Along with swimming pigs. BTW Doug Siefert is an old friend of mine, if you run into him again please say hello for me. Thanks for posting these, they are wonderful,
++Ken Bondy++