Stefanie and Tiger Sharks!

Click for detail!

This is really a marriage made in heaven.

No don't get me wrong, they are not a couple - but it doesn't get much better than having Stefanie Brendl and the unequaled Doug Perrine co-operate on a project!

The result: this epic spread in the Mail.
How awesome is that - huge Kudos!

Awesome!

And, there are videos!
Patric has already commented on the original cut, and here is the new edit. I have a visceral aversion against scenes depicting people abusing Sharks as underwater scooters, and those scenes have been thankfully cut out. And I do like the warning at the end: nothing could be more correct!
Enjoy!

Human planet: Oceans!

Aboriginal artisanal Whale hunt in Lamalera - click for details.
They've done it again!
The BBC continues to show the world how to do epic nature programming, with stunning visuals, brilliant editing and great voice-overs - and always beholden to showing things as they are, as opposed to making things up like Discovery Channel.
Case in point: this trailer of Human Planet.
For me, this really is as good as it gets.

I went searching and found the following.
It is Episode 1: Oceans – Into the Blue, surely uploaded without permission - so lean back, relax and enjoy it whilst it lasts.
Wonderful, captivating stuff!

And here's one about catching Greenland Sharks.
Remember? Same topic - but what a difference to that horrible crap!

Still the Best!

When I first watched this video, I was moved to tears.

Since that time many years ago, there has been a veritable deluge of productions highlighting the magical underwater life of Cocos and the plight of Sharks - and yet, this remains the unequaled masterpiece.
Avi is one of the owners of the Undersea Hunter franchise and he has spent countless hours with his venerable Draeger waiting for the perfect moment - and it shows, as does the loving and meticulous editing by Nicola Ghersinich. These are the earlier days of the legendary Mario Arroyo, when we were only killing 15 million Sharks and when the schools of Hammerheads were already depleted but still incredibly impressive.
Much of it gone now, likely forever.

Be amazed and deeply moved.

Russian Heroes!

This is really as good as it gets! Click on all pics to enlarge

Bless Babelfish and its Russian to English translations!

Many people have described the Fiji Shark Dive – but our Russian friends sure always manage to add a special dimension of poetic heroism!
This is a completely different breed of underwater photographers who pair excellent technical skills with a degree of raw enthusiasm and passion we seem to have all but forgotten – very refreshing indeed, like in the old times!

Case in point:

As this is not paradoxical, but the terrible photographs of sharks with the opened wide mouths and by the [torchashchimi] are not in different directions teeth so terrible in their production.
The majorities of such photographs - result of specific [orkestratsii], in which the command of [dayverov] with the aid of the special features of underwater landscape feeds to shark sequential fish head directing it straight to the photographer. Is thus far in shark occupied mouth all its thoughts only about being removed home into the open water, and unimportantly how closely it will approach - and usually all this concludes " haircut" when either belly or fin catches the head of photographer - it is sufficiently small chances to the increased interest in the equipment and the body.

Another matter when shark in which mouth is not occupied with anything they suddenly manifest interest in the body or the equipment - here already we leave a little to another level of contact with these animals during which it is high the probability of the need of applying the physical interference - namely the defensive position with one of the flare rods of those advanced in the attempt to forward give to understand to animal that to eat here something.
Further usually follows the most powerful header the often bringing down photographer from the balance, and dissatisfied turn to 90-180 degrees that accompanied by the underwater wave of that caused by the motion of powerful tail which it squeezes into the wall from behind if it certainly is. At these moments you understand by what enormous force they possess these 3.5 meter [zverushki] you are penetrated to them by an even larger respect.

The large part of the problem consists in the fact that similar thrusts of curiosity they occur always suddenly - type swim- will swim to itself [akulka] peacefully and it is smooth - and then once - with lightning speed it is turned to 90 degrees to the towards dear camera - so- that ear it is necessary to hold always [vostro] - and if we are located not next to the wall, but on the free space what is 30- meter arena - to still have rather well a bodyguard from behind Zh)

In the photograph higher to me absolutely unexpectedly were fixed two bulls, but analyzing their trajectory and the expression of the snout of face I it understood that head-on collision to [udastsya] to avoid - and instead of the defensive counter made this sequence - 10.5 mm, [krop] [otsustvuet] - appear sufficiently peacefully if we forget about the fact that in the photograph two enormous monsters of occupying the second line in a quantity of murders people after oceanic [beloperykh] sharks….

Even having an experience of contact with the large predators including in [beyt]- Balls always it is required several seconds in order to restore respiration after each [razrulivaniya] of situation - and when this occurred with me it for the first time usually stored up air it volatilized for a few minutes plus to remove by the shaking hands already nothing it was obtained - but when this was! Zh)

This is by none other than our good friend Sasha, a Fiji veteran and master Shark photographer – and surely aimed at impressing the groupies!
And this would be he in “action” in the pit, photographed by his good friend Vitaly - talk about a close encounter!


And here’s the quid pro quo: Vitaly saying hello to Mrs. Jaws – photographed by Sasha!


Vitaly at least has the excuse of being a Bull Shark rookie.
Having been tested and found worthy, we took him to the Arena and positioned him right into the path of the feeding bulls, an experience he describes as follows.
I like it!

“JAWS” on the photo-site Photograph of [sdelann] in Pacific Ocean into Beqa of lagoon of shark of reef next to the Is. of Fiji.

Bull shark at the moment of swallowing fish head is depicted on the photograph.
The size of shark - is more than 3[kh] of meters, this is sufficiently large copy. Objective of 20[mm] - fixed price. Distance from me to the shark somewhere from one to one-and-a-half meters. In order to obtain the clean photograph (without [melteshashchey] around the small fry) in the spirit JAWS to photographer necessary at the moment of ingestion by the shark of the piece of the food/of output to prove to be on the path of motion of shark;) In this trajectory entire small fish, that so interferes during the photographing, in panic it usually throws in all directions. Camera I hold low- near the bottom, as to he serves as outstanding bait for other competitors (in the time of diving my technology it repeatedly underwent the attacks of predators)

In addition the hands (and other extremities, which you value) must be always in sight in the field of sight.
Therefore camera gunnery it is necessary to conduct at random, slightly [prifigev], being slanted back (in order to on the head not of reserve) It is here necessary to note that when to you rushes this torpedo with the opened mouth for some reason instead of panicky fear you feel this combat ardor as on the ring. I.e. terribly only so that to be completely assembled and ready for everything. It is considered that at the moment is thus far in shark occupied with the food of companies it is not dangerous.
…..

By the way fear is suppressed by two things - respiration (into the regulator necessary to breathe evenly) and… by camera;)
When you remove - you do not think about that which is here dangerous. Yes, it is dangerous, but completely to itself moderately. When the [ogromennyy] bull approaches up to the distance of the elongated hand panic in the form of hot wave in the back of the head at first rolls, but panic is considerably more dangerous than everything else and therefore control, respiration and… survey! :) Plus these monsters, besides the electrical and the biofields excellently feel fear. The more you fear, the more of them there are all around is assembled =))))

Well yes agreeably, under water all ended well, hand- feet were entire and unharmed, at the pocket lie two [akulikh] teeth (Mike's gift) and now (in any case before the following trip) with the sharks I to be met do not plan.

Quite – and all of which resulted in this stunning portrait of Maite - and yes, being one of our biggest, she is certainly at least 3m long!


Very well done guys - and I’m sure that the groupies agree!

Client Portfolios!

Sarah after seeing Scarface on her first dive as an Open Water Diver!

I am impressed!

Three of our clients have published their portfolios online and all I can say is, very well done indeed!

Jean-Marie and Pablo visited in March for a short three-day stop-over during their epic Shark trip for Shark Revolution, an artsy project aiming at furthering a better understanding of Sharks.
This is of course the best time for seeing heaps of Bulls but they were also particularly lucky in having Scarface pay us a visit.


Story here, portfolios here and here.


Robert is an avid Shark diver and a Shark conservationist who has been "everywhere" and knows "everybody", among which Ron and Val with whom he visited last month.
You can find his brilliant portfolio here - and no, he was not allowed to parade that cap on the Fiji Shark Dive!


And last but certainly not least, Hugh has been back and published a great Shark portfolio on top of his beloved Beqa critters.

Great job guys, and do come back!
And for the others out there: what are you waiting for?
Shoot us a message and come visit us on the Best Shark Dive in the World!

Diveme Magazine!

WOW!!!

I had NO idea!!!
Tourism Fiji has released its first-ever online dive magazine, Diveme Magazine, and our friend Lill has somehow managed to smuggle us into the first issue! This is a massive spread and you can check it out on page 11 and following.
Awesome!!!

Well what can I say.
Apart from us BAD boyz and girls, Lill is probably the one other person with the greatest experience of the Fiji Shark Dive, to the point that she may well be able to identify more individual Sharks than most of our feeders - and it clearly shows both in her stellar pics but above all, in her narrative.
Yes there's an embarrassing plethora of citations - but still, the girl just understands.

Kudos and Vinaka Lill - we owe you big time!
And a great compliment to Tourism Fiji and Diveme coordinator Thomas Valentine for this bold and innovative initiative!
Job very well done!

Sota Tale Lill!

Very sad!

Lill has just left for her native Norway after one year of diving with us.
Talk about culture-, and above all, climate shock!

It has been a real pleasure, and a privilege hosting her as she is a really nice person and a brilliant underwater photographer on top of that. As anticipated, it will be very hard to ever match her stunning Shark portfolio, the more as she earned herself the right to establish a quasi-permanent residence in the much coveted pit - actually much to the chagrin of your truly who found himself relegated to much less advantageous locations!
But as they say, pretty girls' privileges!

Take good care of yourself and come back soon - you're part of the team now!

Yum-Yum Yellow!

No, not Rusis world-famous hood!

But that's certainly what unites the two: a predilection for yellow dive gear and a profound love, understanding and respect of Sharks! I'm of course talking about my friend Douglas David Seifert, unrepentant Shark feeding green-washer (which in my book equates to being a good guy!) and according to many, one of the world's best Shark photographers.

Case in point: the picture on top!
Click on it, it's a feast for the eyes! I've seen literally hundreds of pics from Shark Reef , many of which excellent - but this one is really special! Talk about powerful!
And then, there's the words and yes, they're finally online!
Nobody has ever captured "that" moment like he has!

A man in all-black scuba gear - with the notable exception of a bright yellow hood - crouches next to a metal box placed at a depth of 20m on the slope of a rubble-strewn coral reef. The yellow hood is a deliberate choice, to separate this diver from all others in the perspective of the gathering sharks.
He is the Feeder.

With the grace of a matador, the Feeder - his name is Rusi - removes some bait from the metal box and presents a tuna head to a bull shark approaching from the depths.
Rusi watches the shark attentively but without fear; he has done this many, many times. The shark approaches, its yellow eyes locked on the bait. Rusi releases his grip and the tuna head tumbles forward, completing a few slow rotations in the water; he then withdraws his hand and arm, and the shark closes the distance to the tuna head. It opens its mouth wide and its jaws gape outwards to their maximum extension, finally exposing the big teeth in its upper and lower jaws. It inhales the tuna head and closes its mouth, the teeth hidden from view once again as it swallows the bait with a slight shudder and a pronounced gulp.

Douglas: thank you!
Not only for the kind words in the article - I know this has been a challenging assignment and you have earned my respect and my gratitude for having seen it through as gracefully and humbly as you have. And for having agreed to wearing a dark wetsuit! (:

The staff send their love - come back soon!

Tiger in Fiji!

Isn't she cute? Yes, it's Scarface - snuggling up to her friend Rusi!
And what a great pic: as anticipated, Lill is getting better and better!

From FiNS Magazine, July 3, 2009.

If you are lucky, you might find yourself diving with a pretty, large female tiger shark on the famous Shark Dive in Fiji, Beqa Lagoon.

She is named “Scarface”, and she has been a regular visitor on the Shark Dive for the last seven to eight years. Everyone is thrilled, both guests and staff, whenever she decides to drop by for a fishhead-snack, along with the 15-40 bull sharks that come in to feed on every dive.

Scarface left this dive site in November last year, heavily pregnant, to give birth somewhere else. She came back on April 27th, after a five-month “maternity leave”, and she’s been around since.

There is no need to be scared if you meet her! She is very sweet, slow and mellow, and she is only there to get her piece of free fish…and to say hello to her old friend, Rusi the Fijian shark feeder, whom she has been around for years.

Some of the other sharks you normally encounter on a day of shark diving include the friendly tawny nurse sharks at 30 meters, the fast-swimming grey reef sharks that come blasting in at ten meters, and finally the whitetip and blacktip reef sharks at around four meters. This last part of the first dive must be the best safety stop ever!

On the second dive of the day, big bulls and sometimes a tiger shark dominate at 16 meters. Occasionally you will also see silvertip sharks and sickle fin lemon sharks on this dive. If you want to experience diving with different types of sharks, this is definitely the place to be.

And then this.
View more pictures from a day of shark-diving in Fiji.

I've asked Lill whether this was really all from just one day she assures me it is.
Very impressive indeed!

Airing Right Now!

That would be "South Pacific" on BBC Two!

Yes, with some footage from The Best Shark Dive in the World!
Producer Jonathan Clay and cameraman Richard were with us last year and despite of some very foul weather, they were blessed with a visit by our VIP-enamored Scarface who turned up on both dives and presented Richard with a golden opportunity when she glided in and closely inspected his domeport.

Can't wait to see it!
Entirely filmed in Hi Def, it's once again a production by the BBC Natural History Unit and will undoubtedly contain some epic footage as always! I went on YouTube but so far, there's only this one teaser of a monster wave in slo-mo (and the BBC iPlayer only works in the UK) but judging from that, we're once again in for a real treat!



Apparently, the video versions are due shortly, with the US release renamed into Wild Pacific because of the musical. The funny hing being that after all the recent drama, it's due to air on Discovery! It obviously takes the Brits to show them how to do some decent pro-Nature programs! Isn't life just funny!
And there's another trailer here - featuring a Tiger Shark!
Is it her?

As I read somewhere, Jon is responsible for Part 5 and 6 and I sure hope that we feature in Fragile Paradise! But wherever we are, it's again quite a milestone for our small dive shop.

May many more such great productions follow!
(Oh they will they will!)

PS: "flesh-eating caterpillars"?