Animal Planet - F@#$%ing Morons!

Here we go again.

All over the Globe, we are finally, and thankfully witnessing a tenuous consensus that the Ocean's Apex Predators are not just some superfluous vermin, but essential and fragile cornerstones of the Marine Ecosystem that need to be protected.
And yet, in this day-and-age, the morons at Animal Planet see it fit to publish the following description of Bull Sharks, yet again a threatened species (read the link - very nice!).

“What is it that turns these fish into vicious, murderous killers? That is what I want to find out,” says Wade. “

No fish inspires the same terror as the shark, a creature with an insatiable hunger for brutal violence. But at least these killers are confined to the oceans. Or are they? Expert angler Jeremy Wade investigates the deadly bull shark.

A Freshwater Nightmare: The bull shark is a river monster of nightmares — it is a sea creature that can tolerate fresh water, allowing it to travel far up rivers and close to contact with humans. Its tendency to dwell in shallow coastal waters and rivers ranging from the Atlantic to the Indian to the Pacific Ocean, coupled with its unpredictable and aggressive behavior, lead many scientists to label it as the species responsible for the majority of shark attacks on humans.

Bad to the Bone: The bull shark gets its name from its stocky build, its broad snout and its aggressive nature. It is known to make sharp, unpredictable bursts of speed and often utilizes the "bump and bite" technique to capture prey, during which it first head-butts prey before attacking. Bull sharks have been known to attack large animals, including one account of an attack on a racehorse in Queensland, Australia. They regularly prey on dolphins, other sharks, and have proven themselves more than willing to attack humans — sometimes simply out of curiosity. Their speed, strength and agility — not to mention sharp, heavily serrated teeth — make such attacks potentially deadly.

To demonize an animal like they have done, is Evil.

Sadly, I'm not surprised.
Like their idiotic brethren at Discovery, they have obviously thrown overboard any resemblance of being ecologically minded in favor of pandering to the basest of emotions.

Enough said.

About the Situation in Fiji

The following is obviously knee-jerk.

Today, this address by the President of Fiji has exploded on the news tickers.
It's pretty much self-explanatory.

I expect a quick and harsh reaction by many of the neighboring countries, the USA and the local and international Agencies, like the South Pacific Forum, the Commonwealth, the EU and the UN. I also expect that some countries may choose to re-formulate their travel advisories.

As a result, the Tourism Industry which is already reeling from the effects of the global recession may well take yet another hit.
But is that justified?

Fiji has not changed by any stretch of the imagination.
It is as beautiful and pristine as ever. And contrary to what the travel advisories may suggest, safety may have even improved due to the enhanced presence of the Police and the Military on the streets. Plus, keep in mind that everybody in Fiji is aware that Tourism is the main income earner and consequently, no Tourist has ever been injured during any of the past coups and political upheavals. And yes there will be a short political vacuum until the necessary appointments have been made - but the Institutions are in place and will continue to perform and life will take its course as always.
Should you shun Suva in case that there should be demonstrations? Obviously, after all one has to be smart and not go looking for unnecessary trouble! Not only in Fiji!

What has also not changed is the legendary genuine friendliness and hospitality of the Fijian people which is cited time after time by visitors as the single most memorable experience of their visit to the country, as witnessed by the many according comments in our guest book.
Our incomparable staff are looking forward to welcoming you!

Obviously, one may choose to stay away for political reasons.
If so, you are certainly entitled to your ethical and political imperatives.
But like the sanctions that are already being imposed, this will impact the welfare of the ordinary citizens and change nothing on the political front. Already, occupancy rates are extremely low and many employees in the hospitality sector are faced with reduced working hours and outright redundancies.

Luckily, so far, not us: as a niche player in the Adventure Travel sector we're doing reasonably well and are even continuing to expand our services. And the Sharks couldn't care less and continue to turn up in ever increasing numbers!
Fingers crossed!

You may argue that being directly involved, I must be biased.
But consider this: I am moving back to Fiji from Tonga and the present developments will change nothing to my decision. On the contrary, I'm planning to transfer some funds to Fiji in order to make a personal contribution to helping the country move forward.

As I said, this is all knee-jerk.
But I'm sure that tomorrow, I would say the exact same thing.

Five Years of BADness!

From an old document

April 8, 2004: formal meeting between the joint representatives of the two villages with representatives of the Ministry of Fisheries under Mr. A. Batibasaga, at which it is formally decided to establish a Marine Reserve at Shark Reef. The villages assign the exclusive rights to operate the Shark Dive and collect the Shark Levy to the newly established dive operation, Beqa Adventure Divers (BAD).

Quite frankly, I had totally forgotten until alerted by a message from Nani!
It sure has been a ride!

Well, for lack of better, here's to us: James, Andrew, Rusi, Tuma, Nani, Tevita, Petero, Eliki, Wati, Tubi, Lo, Sivo, Silio, Vili and Eroni! You are the best!
And to me!

And then, to Juerg, Gary and Brenda and Ron and Valerie who have been so instrumental since the inception of this Project!
And to Stan, Doug, Chip and Susan and Bob and Dinah who gave valuable advice when we first came up with the idea!
And to the Shark Foundation!
And to the scores of friends who have joined us on the way!

Swimming Lessons!

Apart from being the Subtitle of my favorite Shark Blog, "Swimming with Sharks" is also the title of this refreshingly unbiased article in the UK Telegraph.

What I found particularly rewarding was the fact that the majority of the Comments were well-informed and most importantly, very much pro-Shark. They even managed to largely ignore the token parasitic wanker and his usual garbage!
Just Great and maybe an indication that perceptions are starting to change!

And then, there's "How to swim with Sharks -- Voltaire Cousteau (Paris 1812)"
Highly informative! Or did you know that one of the principal rules is

DO NOT BLEED.
It is a cardinal principle that if you are injured either by accident or by intent you must not bleed. Experience shows that bleeding prompts an even more aggressive attack and will often provoke the participation of Sharks which are uninvolved or, as noted above, are usually docile. Admittedly, it is difficult not to bleed when injured. Indeed, at first this may seem impossible. Diligent practice, however, will permit the experienced swimmer to sustain a serious laceration without bleeding and without even exhibiting any loss of composure. The hemostatic reflex can in part be conditioned, but there may be constitutional aspects as well. Those who cannot learn to control their bleeding should not attempt to swim with Sharks, for the peril is too great.

There you have it!
May this be at the origin of the (self-debunked - and I'll leave it at that) myth of controlling one's heartbeat?

I've found this somewhere here and having surfed around quite a bit, I still completely ignore what this is all about!
In the process, I've managed to discover the name of the author, miserably failed an intelligence test, polished up my knowledge of American history (it's not Genocide if there are no survivors), finally managed to understand the AIG debacle (Your two cows are now worth $2 each to guys who want to make dog food) and the Stimulus Package,(Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of China ? A. How's the weather up your way?), learned to argue effectively (Compare your opponent to Adolf Hitler), solved the chicken-or-egg riddle (there is not now, never has been, and never will be such a thing as a chicken or a chicken egg), learned to cook (When the chicken's ass blows the oven door open and the chicken flies across the room, it is done) and got reborn as the Village Ox.

Want to learn some more?
Start anywhere! And: Enjoy!

Conservation - Filipino Style!

Pic from http://www.marketmanila.com

From a Filipino Cooking Blog.

KINUNOT RECIPE

1 kilo of Shark or Manta Ray
3 Coconuts (grated from the market)10 Lemons (kalamansi)
3 Cups Malunggay Leaves
10 pcs chili peppers (Labuyo)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tbsp. coconut oil
1 cup chopped onions

DIRECTIONS: Prepare a large pot by placing the shark or manta ray with just enough of water to cover the fish. Bring to a boil and take out the fish and dispose the foul hot water. Let the fish to cool off, meanwhile, cut and press all the kalamaPnsi in a bowl. Flake the fish from its bones and set aside. Prepare the grated coconut by mixing a cup of lukewarm water and pressing it with both hands, pouring the cream to the prepared bowl, then set aside. In a hot pan, put 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, then saute the garlic and onions until golden brown. Place the flaked fish and the lemon juice (kalamansi), then let it cook for another 10 minutes. Add the pressed grated coconut cream, the malunggay leaves and the chilies and let it simmer for another 10 minutes until the dish is almost dry. Serve it hot on a dish with steamed rice.

And then, this

Sad to say that sharks are included in the list for extinction nowadays as shark fins were needed much for the soup delicacy in all of Asia by Chinese restaurants. As an environmentalist, I do not recommend to cook shark for Kinunot. We only cook the Manta Ray which is still very sufficient in numbers in the oceans.

Sad indeed!
Especially, when the Shark in question is the 41st ever seen Megamouth Shark! Caught near Donsol, Philippines, and then quickly turned into a Bicol style feast. Right under the nose of the local WWF representative who pleaded with them not to do it!

That sure sucks!
But should we all gnash our teeth and proceed with indiscriminate finger pointing and condemnation, like the majority of the media and the bloggers have chosen to do?
Frankly, I'm on the fence on this one.

From what I understand, "fishermen trawling for mackerel" accidentally caught the Shark that died in their net. They then brought it back to shore for an "assessment" that was effected by the WWF.
Did you spot anything improper so far?

What I miss, is some explanation as to what the WWF wanted to do next.
Schlepp the 1,000-pund, 13-foot carcass to some scientific institution? For what: DNA and tissue analysis, for which they could have taken a sample in situ? Or oblige them to follow Fisheries Administrative Order 208 that "provides that after documentation, the carcass of all endangered marine animals should promptly be buried"?
And, did they offer some compensation for foregoing a welcome and serendipitous meal of 500 kilos of protein? That's a lot of Kinunot feeding a lot of people!

Why I'm playing advocatus diaboli, is that this touches on several topics that defy the black-or-white judgments we all-to-often apply. When it comes to Conservation, here's what I believe.

• The root cause of all our problems is that there is too many people striving for ever more Lebensraum and quality of life. Alas, that's a fact of life and whilst preserving our idealism, we must propose solutions and not just engage in vocal condemnation. Also, the solutions we offer need to be pragmatic and based on our willingness to compromise.
• Conservation must ultimately address the issue of poverty. Meaning that when dealing with poor, Third World countries, it's just not good enough to issue regulations ex cathedra. There is a need to provide for compensation or for showing viable alternatives.
• Assuming that it is OK to eat animals, the alternative to harvesting wildlife is to breed domesticates. Typically, that implies clearing native land for pastures and in order to grow animal feed. Ultimately, that may well entail far worse consequences for the Environment.
• People of different Cultures may eat whatever they please. If that implies the killing of animals and especially, the harvesting of wildlife, it must however happen in a sustainable, and ethical way.
• Ethically speaking, all Life has the same value. If it's OK to kill and eat Pigs, Chicken and Tuna, it's equally OK to eat Dogs, Cats - and Sharks! And Whales, too! Once again, to me, the only discriminating factor here is sustainability. Rat stew anybody?

Yes, it's complicated!

With that in mind, was cooking an accidentally caught, rare Shark really such a crime?

Great Entertainment - for less than 5 Bucks!

http://community.livejournal.com/uw_photo/tag/white+sea

I just finished reading this book.

No, don't go reading the synopsis but instead, delve right in and let it continue to entertain and to surprise you!
It talks about the Ocean, whale watching, Hammerhead Sharks, eyeless crabs, deep-water subs and ROVs, killer algae, alien intelligence, methane deposits, bristle worms, Marine Conservation, Inuit culture and the Yrr (?) - among many many many other topics. It also features an array of heroes and villains, hand-to-hand combat, tragedy, love and the Apocalypse.
It is packed with enough scientific detail and noteworthy trivia (I did only find one single factual error - can you spot it?) to make your head spin.
Blockbuster material!

It's 900 pages long and I managed to gobble it down in three sleepless nights - and I will start re-reading it tonight!

Give it a try, you won't regret it!

Sasha: Thank You and Well Done!

Sasha has just named me "one of the top experts on the Sharks in the world".

Very kind of you my friend - but also, way off the mark!
First, because I'm much too emotionally attached to the animals and thus fatally biased. The little I "know" about Sharks is a reflection of the insights "serious" people like Juerg and others have garnered over the recent years - often very much by dispelling a lot of the hopelessly anthropomorphic conjectures we Shark divers come up with!
And second, because I'm not at all interested in the "job": all yours, George, bullshit and all!

But back to Sasha.
Turns out he's been busy busy busy collecting trophies!
Check out the picture above and then, check out this:



Crazy!
Not in a million years would I ever go solo diving, in the open Ocean and amid packs of hungry predators! But Sasha has obviously no such qualms and the results can be admired in his portfolio "Bait Ball Symphony".

Plus, it was obviously well worth it!
The Sailfish & Blacktip pic has been showcased in the "Golden Turtle" Exhibition, the following amazing pic of a diving Cape Gannet (click to admire the detail! This is the cropped version, you can see the whole pic here) earned him prizes in a whopping three prestigious UW photo competitions around the world and yet another pic has been used by the BBC to announce the above program.


All very admirable!
And yet...... I have a complaint: not a single picture from Fiji!
This is undoubtely going to change as Alex has announced his imminent visit to our shores. With Shark Reef at its historical best, there's no doubt that we shall be graced with yet another stunning portfolio!

As always, watch this space!

Warriors!

Think Fiji is like this?

Think again!
The Cannibal Islanders have gone urban and the sound of the Lali is being replaced by other beats.



And yet, the South Pacific Warriors live on and continue to strike fear among their Kaivalangi opponents.



That is, unless they are Scotsmen!
Drew, this 1's 4u!

Hungry Oceans!

Quick-quick whilst I'm waiting for this and before the lights go out!

Do I hear a chuckle from Florida?
Yup it's only a Cat1, but here in the Friendly Islands, every power pole and inch of wiring has to be imported, so all according damages become public catastrophes.

And lengthy ones too: never forget the infamous Tonga Time!

But back to the actual topic.
Turns out that we're not only directly obliterating the Ocean's Apex Predators, we're starving them, too!
Read the following and download the Report!
No more Pizza Napoli!

New Oceana Report Shows Depletion of Prey Fish may be Starving the Oceans
03 March 2009

Rome - Scientists are finding evidence of widespread malnutrition in commercial and recreational fish, marine mammals, and seabirds because of the global depletion of the small fish they need to survive, according to Oceana's new report, "Hungry Oceans: What Happens When the Prey is Gone?" These "prey fish" underpin marine food webs and are being steadily exhausted by heavy fishing, increasing demand for aquaculture feed, and climate change.

"We have caught all the big fish and now we are going after their food," said Margot Stiles, marine scientist at Oceana. "Until recently it has been widely believed that prey fish are impossible to overexploit because their populations grow so quickly. We are now proving that untrue as the demands of commercial fisheries and aquaculture outpace the ocean's ability to provide food for us and itself."

Hungry Oceans finds that 7 of the top 10 fisheries in the world target prey fish.
These fisheries have emerged as populations of bigger fish have become overexploited and depleted. The report concludes that the impacts of fishing activity over the past decades has been so great that the nearly all prey fisheries now cannot withstand increased fishing pressure. Hungry Oceans also finds that aquaculture is increasingly the driver behind overfishing of prey fish, as salmon, tuna and other carnivorous farmed fish become the fastest growing seafood products in the world. Changing ocean temperatures and currents caused by climate change also make prey fish populations more vulnerable.

Hungry Oceans coincides with the release today of the biennial State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture report by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FAO concludes that 80% of all marine fish stocks are currently fully exploited, overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion; including stocks of the 7 largest prey fisheries. Very few marine fish populations remain with the potential to sustain production increases, and more have now reached their limit than ever before.

Impacts

The future of valuable commercial and recreational fisheries is threatened by the loss of prey fish, especially those that are currently rebuilding from historic depletion. Hungry Oceans identifies bluefin tuna, striped bass, Pacific salmon, and Pacific halibut as key species dependent on prey fish.

"We're constantly making life difficult for endangered species from seabirds to whales, and going hungry is not going to help. Valuable fish like bluefin tuna are struggling, and we can't expect the fishery to recover when we are stealing their food supply. By taking food from the tuna we could end up hungry ourselves" said Stiles.

Marine mammals and seabirds also depend on access to prey fish for their daily survival and for their young, including blue whales, humpback whales, penguins, and terns. Even species protected under national and international laws are experiencing food shortages.

Solutions

More responsible management is needed to prevent predators from going hungry.
Hungry Oceans proposes a series of measures including a moratorium on new fisheries targeting prey species, conservative catch limits for existing fisheries, first priority for the needs of ocean predators, and stopping fishing for prey in predator breeding hotspots.

"Fisheries managers simply take prey for granted despite their critical role in the ecosystem," said Stiles. "We need to act responsibly when taking prey from natural predators, with our eyes open to the consequences for the ocean and for our own supply of seafood."

Swamped!

Impressive, huh?

Actually, this is the very moment when our Bull Sharks are at their most harmless!
This Shark has just taken the bait and is swinging out from the pit whilst munching on a Tuna head - a funny thing actually, as some individual Sharks just swallow the heads whilst others, like Crook, Bumphead and Chopper always engage in this particular behavior. Anyway, with their mouths filled to capacity, they could not be less interested in the (happy) photographer!
As I said, Lill's portfolio will be impossible to beat!

Thing is, we're being swamped!
Whereas only a couple of years ago, a dozen Bull Sharks would have been a great dive, now we're talking 25-30 and on exceptional days, more than 40!
Not counting the Tigers, Silvertips and Lemons who can swing by anytime!

This of course has yet again led to an overhaul of our safety procedures.
Not concerning the customers who continue to be completely separated from, but still very close to the animals - but concerning the feeders! Keeping track of what's going on whilst concentrating on feeding has become next to impossible and we've had to second two bodyguards who are positioned next to the bin and ensure that everybody continues to behave!

All very exciting and loads of fun!

Are You Man Enough?

That is the question!

A friend asked me to write a post about this abomination, so there.

Really, there's not much to say, is there.
Shark Monster Tournaments are for wankers - short, ugly, fat, beer-guzzling loudmouthed idiots who are not getting any. Oh, and did I mention the small dicks?

Real Men don't kill for wanton sport - especially when it's not even a challenge, as in Shark Fishing.
Wanna be Da Man? Try catching a big Marlin - and then release it!

So: are you Man enough?

Go Fiji Go!!!

Yes, after 10 years, Fiji have just won the Hong Kong Sevens!
Let the Party begin!
 

Global Warming

Brilliant!

One Thousand!

That's a lot of blog posts!

Patric of Underwater Thrills has just reached this milestone and we feel compelled to shout a big Kudos and Congratulations!
I've said it before, the blog by Shark Diver is as good as it gets: always up-to-date, always interesting, sometimes funny, often brilliant and visionary. And thankfully, often controversial, scathing and unflinching - the way a Shark Diving and Conservation blog should be!

Shark Conservation has recently made very satisfying inroads and we should be thankful for that - and persevere and redouble our efforts!

Sharks continue to be brutally slaughtered by the tens of millions - not only by the industrial Shark finning mafia but also, by the members of the oh-so-noble IGFA.
And they continue to be demonized by the mainstream media - and alas, also by Shark-related media like Discovery's Shark Week who I hear will insist on producing this season's idiotic anchor show "Deadly Beaches" in spite of the outrage by the Shark Conservation Community. Have we managed to keep them out of Fiji or are they trying to sneak in under the radar? Keep watching this space!
And there remains a sad and increasingly lonely group of yesteryear's Shark Diving Operators who insist on tarnishing the reputation of the whole Industry with their reckless cowboy antics and still treat Sharks as mere ATM machines. Which begs the question, who will facilitate Deadly Beaches in the Bahamas?
And whilst this is going on, the relevant Authorities continue to dither and precious resources keep being squandered on frivolous science.

All very dire.
Much to do for people who care. Like Patric.
Buddy, very well done and may you continue to entertain, amaze and inspire us for many years to come!

Back to Sharky Matters!

Cocos rocks!

I used to go there in the 80ies, way before the Hunters and the like (anybody remember Mary Crowley and her Ocean Voyages? The Victoria af Carlstadt? Epic!) and continue to be drawn back by its unique charm and profusion of Sharks and Fish.
That's where I saw my very first Whale Shark, my first big green Mobula (which I mistook for a green Manta Ray) and just recently, a rarely seen male Silvertip.

Alas, the huge schools of Hammerheads are probably gone forever - but it still remains one of the must-see destinations for any serious Shark aficionado.

Case in point, this spectacular video.

Notice anything? No, not the comment which is unfortunate - the images!
See the claspers? That's an elusive male Tiger Shark, and a very good sized one on top of that!
What a great find!

Tigers are not really new to Cocos.
If memory serves me right, I remember reading that Hans Hass saw them on his 1953 Xarifa expedition - but then, apparently, they disappeared. Same-same for the Silvertips that were abundant (and quite a nuisance) in the 80ies and have vanished since, only to stage a tenuous comeback in recent years.

Time for me to go back there!

Where is the Money?

Nothing to do with Sharks.

But as an ex Investment Banker, I was impressed with Eliot Spitzer's analysis of the Wall Street debacle on today's Fareed Zakaria GPS. Lemme tell you, this is Exactly what happened and you would be well served in hearing, or reading it yourself!
Especially this:

SPITZER: ....When AIG initially received $80 billion, a decision that was a consequence of a very brief meeting of the New York Fed, the president of the New York Fed, the secretary of the treasury, perhaps Chairman Bernanke, and arguably, some reports say, the chairman of Goldman Sachs, $80 billion, virtually all of it flowed out to counterparties, $12.9 billion to Goldman Sachs.

Why did that happen? What questions were asked? Why did we need to pay 100 cents on the dollar on those transactions if we had to pay anything?

What would have happened to the financial system had it not been paid?

These are the questions that should be pursued. Bonus is a real issue, it touches us viscerally, the real money, and the real structural issue is the dynamic between AIG and the counterparties.

ZAKARIA: Because those payments are in the tens of billions of dollars, the bonuses are a few hundred million.

SPITZER: The bonuses, we think, are $164 million, give or take, huge money, I mean, nobody should diminish that, but these counterparty payments, tens and tens of billions of dollars.

ZAKARIA: And it -- to your mind it seems as though that this taxpayer may have been recklessly and unwisely paid out?

SPITZER: Maybe the case could be made that it should have been paid. But at a moment in our nation's history, when everybody is being asked to bear a piece of the burden, everybody, people are being told, work four days a week, not five, sales taxes are going to go up, contracts are being broken and renegotiated for workers across America, our 401(k)s and our savings have been depleted by the recklessness of Wall Street.

For Goldman and the other counterparties not to be able to say, we can make do with only 50 cents on the dollar, 30 cents on the dollar, after we've already given Goldman a $25 billion cash infusion, they are sitting on vast amounts of cash on the sidelines -- which is their right, but they're going to invest it in due course based upon their judgment.

For them, on top of all of that, to get another $12.9 billion in the dark without questions after a meeting of this sort is fundamentally wrong. And that is the nature of the inquiry that should be raised.

More videos of the interview here - required watching!

To Zakaria, kudos for a brilliant and intelligent piece of journalism - to Spitzer, compliments for being truthful, unflinching and yet nuanced.

OK, back to the Sharks.

Fingers Crossed!

Great News!

The Fishing Lobby is fuming about the appointment of Jane Lubchenco as the new Head of NOAA. Well all I can say is that I don't really give a rat's ass about whether her policy paper has been "discredited" or not: anything the Fishermen don't like can only be good for the Fish, full stop!

Wanna know what I'm talking about - and you should?
You can find the Executive Summary here or download the Full Report.
Read them, they are just great! Kudos, and Thank You to the Pew Ocean Commission for a Job very well done - propaganda or no propaganda!

Will some of the past mistakes be avoided this time?
I sure hope so - fingers crossed!

Asking for it

Well, they're at it again.
The people, not the Sharks!

A woman went wading in murky water at 5:30 pm and got bitten by a Shark - and Sharky can finally start the 2009 tally.

Where? You guessed it, Volusia County.
In Florida, the very State that banned Shark feeding as too many people were being nipped - and has become the Shark Bite Capital of the World ever since!
Yes, I'm repeating myself and will never cease to do so!

So what have the good people of Volusia, in their wisdom, undertaken in order to minimize the risk of further accidents?
Look no further than April 1-5 and the Landshark Spring Surfari Pro Tournament! Great choice of activity and above all, great choice of name! The Beach Patrol shrug their shoulders and brace themselves for the inevitable.

Sharky must be happy - and I'm reminded of Einstein.

Lill!

Photo pros, beware of this lady!

Lill Haugen is a Norwegian UW photo pro and Dive Journo who is on a one-year stint in the South Pacific. After she became a regular fixture on our boats, we asked her whether she would be willing to help us establish an image inventory of our 70 named Sharks (the one above is "Bumphead") and she graciously accepted.

She is now allowed to sit in the infamous and much-coveted "pit", a special high-traffic area where selected (and very experienced) Industry Professionals have the chance of capturing those "killer images" that end up populating the dive mags.
Having seen the first results, I fully expect Lill to quickly accumulate a Shark portfolio that will be very hard to match and impossible to beat!

And what about our camera-toting clients?
Well, if you were planning to turn up with your super-duper-ultra wideangle lens in the hopes of pushing it into the face of a large macro predator, you will be disappointed. We just don't do that and "those" pics will always elude the discerning amateur visitor to Shark Reef.

No need for that anyway, just go a little tighter and we can practically guarantee that you will have the opportunity of going home with some world-class images!

Case in point: the following image that Terry Goss (or here) took from the client viewing area.
It's my favorite picture of Scarface and probably one of the best Human-Shark pics ever! Yes I know I'm biased but that's what I believe! Terry has kindly given us a good hi-res edit and I invite you to click on the image in order to explore the amazing detail.
Terry has entered the Dream Assignment Competition and I invite you to go vote for him - great initiative!

Enjoy!

Stupid!

Remember Hanlon's Razor?

That's what came to mind when I first viewed the latest Shark Diving Industry fiasco on Underwater Thrills (kudos for their post, well thought and well said!).

No I'm not talking about the operator Dolphin Dream, facilitators of underwater Kung Fu and other reckless and disrespectful Shark-related stupidities. They obviously don't give a rat's ass about safety protocols and the reputation of the Industry as long as they can make a quick buck. What has happened is not sustainable and it was their call, and obligation to put an end to the shenanigans. Shame on them.
But I'm repeating myself - and obviously, to no avail.

I'm talking about Eli.
Brother, what were you thinking?

Yes, Sharks are way cool and yes, cageless diving with macro Sharks is certainly possible and yes, one can feed them, too - that's precisely what we do here in Fiji.
But not like this!



Our procedures in Fiji are aimed at preventing any direct interactions between our clients and the Sharks. We believe that to be a prerequisite for any encounter with predatory macro Sharks.

But whenever I dare making a comment about the procedures at Tiger Beach, I'm being told that the difference to Fiji is that the Sharks never get excited as they are merely baited in with crates but never fed. Fair enough - never having been there, I have to trust the opinion of the local experts (tho after the Groh accident, I'm not convinced).

Anyway, let's assume that interaction is OK as long as the animals are not being fed: so why do I see somebody feeding a Tiger Shark out of the bait crate: is that you?
And if so, in what function? And where is the operator?

Yes, feeding Tiger Sharks is possible and cool, too: but don't you think that if one changes one side of the equation, one must change the other side as well?
As in making absolutely certain that the excited animals cannot freely circulate among the clients? Some of which are obviously absolute Shark Diving beginners?

Was this one-upmanship ("The Great Slide") even necessary from a commercial point of view?
Because this is what we're talking about: Commercial Shark Diving, not some private gratification and adrenaline rush!
On a commercial dive, customers have the right to expect that the operator -and the facilitator- will not subject them to unnecessary risks and observe the most stringent safety protocols. Fun certainly yes - but safety first and clearly, that requirement has not been met.

Do I hear: Extreme Shark Diving? As in what: Pushing the Envelope? Dangerous? Adrenaline? Macro?
Sure, that's something most of us in the Industry do, often in order to test and perfect our procedures and often for fun, too - but in private, with our closest and equally experienced friends, on our own money and from our own boat!
Never, ever with paying customers and newbies!

And: why in front of the mainstream media?
Maybe in order to change perceptions? If so, why didn't you stage a mellow and slow-paced encounter by observing the normal procedures? A dive that would have convinced the host that contrary to their reputation, Sharks are friendly and even timid, and that they deserve the very same respect and protection that is now being extended to the terrestrial Apex Predators?

Instead, the anchorman was scared to death and millions of viewers have been re-enforced in their opinion that Sharks are nothing but man-eating machines and that we're nothing but a bunch of reckless death-defying lunatics and adrenaline junkies.
Real bad news for people like us trying to conduct responsible Shark Ecotourism.

Granted, the mainstream media are overwhelmingly anti-Shark.
But we know that, don't we - so let's start being smart and let's make sure that we use them, and not they us, like unfortunately in this case.
You've been had, Eli, and that's particularly unfortunate as I know that your heart is in the right place and that you really do care about the animals.
A great shame.

As to Dolphin Dream, lemme state this clearly: Divers, don't go there.
It will all end in tears and you don't want to be anywhere near it when it does.

PS: RTSea's comments here, Wolfgang's here.