What’s it like to come face to face with a Great White Shark?

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What’s it like to come face to face with a Great White Shark? That is a question I get asked time and time again. With the news media portraying sharks as blood thirsty, mindless killers, just looking to eat us, most people think I have a death wish, diving with sharks. So I thought I should share what it is really like to come face to face with one of the most feared creatures on earth.

Here is a little video that shows how most people think an encounter with a shark will be like.

The reality it is more like the sharks swim by slowly, looking you straight into the eyes and showing absolutely no signs that they want to eat you.

When I first started diving with white sharks, what struck me is the fact that it is not scary at all. I’m by no means the only one that feels that way. In 15 seasons of taking divers to meet these awesome creatures, the most common reaction when coming face to face with a great white shark is just awe. Even divers who saw “Jaws” and joined us expecting a huge adrenaline rush, mostly are just blown away by the experience and don’t find it the least bit scary. The scariest part of the expedition is the anticipation of that first meeting.

I remember that after about 3 trips to Guadalupe Island I started thinking “I’ve seen it” and didn’t expect to do this for much longer. Well, at the time I didn’t expect to be in the cage and have “Shredder” swim by to check me out. When he looked me straight into the eye, something happened. I realized that this huge shark is focused on me, that he was individually checking everyone out.

Shredder

Thinking back, that is when I fell in love with those sharks. Now as I always say to our divers. I love those sharks, but it is not a mutual feeling. That is perfectly OK. I love them for what they are, awesome predators, not mindless killers, but certainly no harmless pets either.

I don’t feel the need to tell everyone that these sharks love me and that I can go hold onto their fins, because they accept me as one of their own. Come to think of it, I’m glad that they don’t treat me as one of their own. Even though I’m not a small person, in terms of white shark size, I would be a very, very small shark. White sharks definitely are into having their personal space and don’t react kindly to a smaller individual invading that space. I’ve seen what they do to a smaller shark that is doing this.

I’ve been diving with sharks for over 15 years and I’m excited every time I’m about to get into the water with them. I find them fascinating and discovered that they are generally very cautious and even shy, not the mindless killers the media makes them out to be at all. Last season I saw 3 white sharks that got scared by a towel that fell overboard and drifted down. 2 of them checked it out and got the heck out of there. One of them kept circling it, approaching it and jerking away, when the towel moved a little. He kept doing that until both he and the towel went out of sight.

I hope that I have given you an idea of what it feels like to come face to face with a great white shark. If you really want to know, there is no substitute for experiencing it for yourself and I hope you’ll get that chance. It is an experience you’ll never forget. When you do go out, remember that while we don’t have to fear these sharks, we definitely have to respect them.

We at Shark Diver promote “Safe and Sane Shark Diving” that respects the sharks and the environment. We hope to see you on one of our expeditions to Guadalupe Island.

Let’s go shark diving!

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

What’s it like to come face to face with a Great White Shark?

Instagram 

What’s it like to come face to face with a Great White Shark? That is a question I get asked time and time again. With the news media portraying sharks as blood thirsty, mindless killers, just looking to eat us, most people think I have a death wish, diving with sharks. So I thought I should share what it is really like to come face to face with one of the most feared creatures on earth.

Here is a little video that shows how most people think an encounter with a shark will be like.

The reality it is more like the sharks swim by slowly, looking you straight into the eyes and showing absolutely no signs that they want to eat you.

When I first started diving with white sharks, what struck me is the fact that it is not scary at all. I’m by no means the only one that feels that way. In 15 seasons of taking divers to meet these awesome creatures, the most common reaction when coming face to face with a great white shark is just awe. Even divers who saw “Jaws” and joined us expecting a huge adrenaline rush, mostly are just blown away by the experience and don’t find it the least bit scary. The scariest part of the expedition is the anticipation of that first meeting.

I remember that after about 3 trips to Guadalupe Island I started thinking “I’ve seen it” and didn’t expect to do this for much longer. Well, at the time I didn’t expect to be in the cage and have “Shredder” swim by to check me out. When he looked me straight into the eye, something happened. I realized that this huge shark is focused on me, that he was individually checking everyone out.

Shredder

Thinking back, that is when I fell in love with those sharks. Now as I always say to our divers. I love those sharks, but it is not a mutual feeling. That is perfectly OK. I love them for what they are, awesome predators, not mindless killers, but certainly no harmless pets either.

I don’t feel the need to tell everyone that these sharks love me and that I can go hold onto their fins, because they accept me as one of their own. Come to think of it, I’m glad that they don’t treat me as one of their own. Even though I’m not a small person, in terms of white shark size, I would be a very, very small shark. White sharks definitely are into having their personal space and don’t react kindly to a smaller individual invading that space. I’ve seen what they do to a smaller shark that is doing this.

I’ve been diving with sharks for over 15 years and I’m excited every time I’m about to get into the water with them. I find them fascinating and discovered that they are generally very cautious and even shy, not the mindless killers the media makes them out to be at all. Last season I saw 3 white sharks that got scared by a towel that fell overboard and drifted down. 2 of them checked it out and got the heck out of there. One of them kept circling it, approaching it and jerking away, when the towel moved a little. He kept doing that until both he and the towel went out of sight.

I hope that I have given you an idea of what it feels like to come face to face with a great white shark. If you really want to know, there is no substitute for experiencing it for yourself and I hope you’ll get that chance. It is an experience you’ll never forget. When you do go out, remember that while we don’t have to fear these sharks, we definitely have to respect them.

We at Shark Diver promote “Safe and Sane Shark Diving” that respects the sharks and the environment. We hope to see you on one of our expeditions to Guadalupe Island.

Let’s go shark diving!

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

Update from our friends in Fiji

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This is a reblog from Mike in Fiji. http://fijisharkdiving.blogspot.com/2016/02/cyclone-winston-images.html

It looks like they made it through the Cyclone OK, but that can’t be said for other parts of Fiji.

Just amazing.
I’ve just come back from Suva.
Insiders know the route which leads through several villages and settlements with plenty of ramshackle dwellings, and then through the suburb of Lami and finally, Suva proper. I was expecting to see some signs of the devastation but… nothing! 
Everything is clean and tidy, and all I could discern were a total of three missing roofs where repairs were already well underway.
Like I said, just amazing!
But in the North and in the islands, things are completely different.
This is yesterday’s local News bulletin.



These poor people need urgent help.
Should you want to contribute, please re-read this  – and should you want to use other channels, you may want to first ascertain whether the funds will be ultimately disbursed to the National Disaster Management Office  and then, the District Disaster Management Committee (DISMAC) that are coordinating the efforts, and what portion of your funds will be wasted on overheads as is too often the case. Like the PM said, this is really not the moment for waste, duplication let alone obstruction!
Thank you very much!

If you would like to help out, Mike is recommending the following ways.
The Prime Minister’s disaster relief fund  http://www.fiji.gov.fj/Media-Center/Press-Releases/FIJIAN-GOVERNMENT-ESTABLISHES-DISASTER-RELIEF-FUND.aspx

The Fiji Red Cross: http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=342687

I’m glad that our friends have made it through the Cyclone OK and I urge you to help the less fortunate one in Fiji via one of the above means.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

Update from our friends in Fiji

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This is a reblog from Mike in Fiji. http://fijisharkdiving.blogspot.com/2016/02/cyclone-winston-images.html

It looks like they made it through the Cyclone OK, but that can’t be said for other parts of Fiji.

Just amazing.
I’ve just come back from Suva.
Insiders know the route which leads through several villages and settlements with plenty of ramshackle dwellings, and then through the suburb of Lami and finally, Suva proper. I was expecting to see some signs of the devastation but… nothing! 
Everything is clean and tidy, and all I could discern were a total of three missing roofs where repairs were already well underway.
Like I said, just amazing!
But in the North and in the islands, things are completely different.
This is yesterday’s local News bulletin.



These poor people need urgent help.
Should you want to contribute, please re-read this  – and should you want to use other channels, you may want to first ascertain whether the funds will be ultimately disbursed to the National Disaster Management Office  and then, the District Disaster Management Committee (DISMAC) that are coordinating the efforts, and what portion of your funds will be wasted on overheads as is too often the case. Like the PM said, this is really not the moment for waste, duplication let alone obstruction!
Thank you very much!

If you would like to help out, Mike is recommending the following ways.
The Prime Minister’s disaster relief fund  http://www.fiji.gov.fj/Media-Center/Press-Releases/FIJIAN-GOVERNMENT-ESTABLISHES-DISASTER-RELIEF-FUND.aspx

The Fiji Red Cross: http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=342687

I’m glad that our friends have made it through the Cyclone OK and I urge you to help the less fortunate one in Fiji via one of the above means.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

Is “BAD” really GOOD?

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The shark dive at the Shark Reef Marine Reserve in Fiji has been dubbed “The best shark dive in the world” by none other than shark diving pioneers Ron and Valerie Taylor.

Now Beqa Adventure Divers, the “Conservation project masquerading as a dive shop” that was instrumental in the creation of the reserve has received another great award. They were honored with the ANZ Excellence in Tourism award for Tourism Sustainability! This is a very prestigious award, being recognize as the best of the thousands of tourism businesses in Fiji! 

Congratulations to all the guys and gals at “BAD You are truly awesome!

Read more about the ANZ awards here http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=342289

On a different note, I hope you guys are staying safe with Cyclone “Winston” heading your way. I’m looking forward to diving with you again in a couple of months.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver
 
About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

What is sustainable shark diving?

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We in the shark conservation field have been saying for years that a shark is worth more alive than dead. We have been citing various examples of how a live shark can bring a lot more money to an area through tourism than it would being sold one time for it’s meat or fins.

There are a lot of conservationists who are advocating activities like shark diving to accomplish that goal, while others are pointing to the problems those operations can create. The problem is, how do we know if the outfit we plan on going with is taking conservation serious? How do we know who to go with?

Diving safely, inside a cage at Guadalupe Island

Well, now there is a way, or to be more precise, there will be a way. Rick McPherson, a well respected conservationist is creating a website sustainablesharkdiving.com that is going to be sort of  a trip advisor for shark diving.

This is how Rick describes it himselfSustainableSharkDiving.com  was created as a free, online tool for the rapidly growing shark dive tourism community to make more informed choices about the businesses shark divers choose to support, recognize those businesses employing sustainable best practices, and encourage businesses that may need to improve their environmental performance to ensure the safety of both their clients and sharks. This is an experiment to see if consumer voices can help build a stronger, safer, more sustainable industry.

This website will give the customers the ability to rate the dive operations, not just on their service, but also on their practices. Categories for the ratings include: are they following good practices in their interactions with the sharks, are they educating their customers, are they supporting the local community etc.?

Rick still need some funds to complete the website. He has a gofund me page, where you can support his efforts. Please send him a few dollars. He is not asking for much and the website can really make a difference and be a valuable tool for those divers interested in supporting sustainable shark diving.

Please click on the following link to make a donation: https://www.gofundme.com/sharkdiving

Let’s go shark diving!

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

Wanna dive with Bull Sharks?

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Bull Shark Diving Fiji

Bull Sharks in Fiji are calling you in May of 2016.

Experience what many call the world’s best shark dive. We are diving with big, really big bull sharks. The sharks at the Shark Reef Marine Reserve are up to 12 ft. long.

Beqa Adventure Divers will take us out to shark reef, where we will be diving with as many as 70 bull sharks at a time, with the occasional tiger shark showing up for a visit. If that is not enough, during our safety stop we will be surrounded by scores of black- and white-tip reef-sharks, making for the perfect end to an unforgettable dive. On our non shark diving days, we’ll go out and explore the soft corals and wrecks of Beqa Lagoon. Discover what over a decade of conservation efforts have resulted in!

This May, Shark Diver‘s CEO Martin Graf is personally going to lead you on this shark lover’s dream vacation!

We will be staying at the luxurious Pearl South Pacific Resort in Pacific Harbor,  where we’ll feast on a delicious breakfast buffet each day, to prepare us for the exciting shark diving that lies ahead.

Price: $1800 per person/ double occupancy

Price includes:

  • 7 nights in a brand new Garden View room at The Pearl South Pacific Resort (double occupancy)
  • Breakfast buffet daily
  • 4 days of 2-tank Bull Shark Diving
  • 1 day of 2-tank Soft Coral Diving
  • Round-trip transfers from Nadi Airport to The Pearl South Pacific Resort
  • All taxes (tip for dive crew and hotel staff not included)

Our dates are: 

May 2016, 6-15, 13-22, 20-29, 27- June 6 and June 3-12 (sold out) The trip dates are from the US. We are crossing the date line on our way to Fiji. When we leave on Friday night, we arrive in Fiji on Sunday morning. On our way back, we leave Fiji on Sunday night and arrive in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon.

Above dates don’t work for you? Call us and we can customize a trip for you.


Come join us on this incredible adventure!

Call 619.887.4275 or email staff@sharkdiver.com to book or get more information.

Let’s go Shark Diving.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

Breaching great white sharks at Guadalupe Island

Grind TV has a nice article about our breaching great white sharks at Guadalupe Island.
It’s nice to see that the media has caught on to the fact that great white sharks are not only breaching in South Africa. Thank you Pete Thomas for a nice article and for mentioning Shark Diver.

Pete Thomas writes:Gerardo del Villar posted video clip to Facebook and YouTube this past week, and linked to a Spanish-language blog post about the island’s white sharks, which rarely breach, and for reasons that are unclear.

Del Villar suggested that Guadalupe’s breaching sharks could be trying to establish dominance in the presence of other sharks, or to remove parasites.

However, Shark Diver’s Martin Graf, whose company pioneered shark diving at Guadalupe Island, said that often it’s the smaller sharks that breach. The larger sharks are the dominant predators.
Said Graf: “There’s no rhyme or reason to it. Usually they breach without any chum or hang-baits in the water. Early morning and dusk seem to be their preferred times, but it can happen anytime.”

Read the entire article at http://www.grindtv.com/wildlife/rare-great-white-shark-breach-videotaped-at-guadalupe-island/#hofozHm4i3bbfwm6.99

You can join us and dive with these amazing sharks. We only have a few spaces left for this season, but are already booking for 2017

Call us at 619.887.4275 or email staff@sharkdiver.com for more info.

Let’s go shark diving!

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

How not to dive with sharks!

We at Shark Diver believe in “Safe and Sane” shark diving. The example in the video below is how NOT to dive with sharks.


Ataque provocado de un tiburón. OJO IMÁGENES FUERTES que pueden herir la sensibilidad del espectador.El ser humano es lo más estúpido que he descubierto en mi vida.
Posted by Buceo Recreativo on Tuesday, January 26, 2016

For years we have warned about how stupid and dangerous it is to ride, hug and harass sharks in the Ocean. So here you see first hand what can happen, when you don’t respect the sharks. They are not mindless killers, but neither are they pets that just want to be hugged. If you love sharks like I do, you respect them for what they are and are not trying to make them into something they are not.

Diving with Great Whites from the safety of a cage.

We at Shark Diver offer “Safe and Sane” diving expeditions, where you get to see sharks up close and personal, without any touching or harassing of the sharks.

Up close and personal. No touching needed.

I always say “I absolutely love sharks, but it is not a mutual feeling”. The sharks don’t love me, it’s not in their nature and that is absolutely fine with me.

Let’s go shark diving and see what these magnificent creatures are all about. No touching, no hugging, just enjoying the awesome feeling of being in their presence.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver
About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.