"Hello, my name is Bruce!" - Guadalupe Trip 2 report

One night in after our first trip and already we are turning the boat around and heading out to Guadalupe Island to do it all again! It sometimes feels like a lot of effort and time to center trips around this location but as ever, once we arrive, it is always well worth the wait........

We started diving at 8.30 on the first morning and had our first shark sighting at 8.47. Although it was not long to wait, what we often see on the first morning is that the sharks are down very deep (not a problem at this location as the incredible visibility means you can see the animals as they cruise up from the depths to the surface.) Once the sharks gain a little confidence (or become a little more hungry) then the action starts to take place right in front of our divers!

Midday came and although we where having sharks, they where being a little shy and keeping their distance from the cages.................then one of Guadalupe islands legends turned up.....with no introduction necessary.........”Bruce” had arrived!! Bruce has been seen at Guadalupe since diving began here and this sighting is his 11th year running! For me, he is the ultimate Great White shark - 16ft in size (which is large for a male here), very stocky, well proportioned and has a huge grinning smile! On top of this he has the personality to go with it! He comes right in for our baits making pass after pass in front of the cages and putting on a real show for our guests! He spent over two hours putting on this show and left our divers with all the photos they could ever want and dizzy from the amount of action taking place.

The rest of the day was steady for sharks and overall we identified 5 different animals and a duck who decided to take residence in one of our surface cages! One thing we must report was a natural breach that took place on the port side of the boat - a 12ft shark was seen by some of our lucky guests as it jumped clear of the water and actually hit the side of the boat! The whole boat shook and those guests where left speechless! When the first day came to an end, as ever Guadalupe had not disappointed.

Day 2 of course was hard to match the previous however we did see 4 different sharks and those of our guests who took a ride in our submersible cage had a great showing of 3 sharks at a time and on one particular dive we shared the cage with a Guadalupe seal as he took cover from the sharks! - a pretty funny experience sharing a cage with one of these beautiful, agile and placid species. 

Our final day at the island was a classic! sharks from the moment we got in the water, some exhilarating submersible cage experiences and fantastic surface action on the baits in particular from a brand new tagged shark we have nicknamed “chappy.” After an intense last day we started too make our way back home to San Diego via Ensenada and where treated to some great sea conditions making our journey home very comfortable for our guests as they traded photos and videos of there adventure over the last 5 days. Whilst many of the sharks had given the guests some spectacular footage, I feel that there is going to be a few more photos on Facebook and a few more videos on Youtube of one shark in particular and his name is “Bruce”!

2 trips down and still way more to come folks......................

Guadalupe season kicks off in style!

After spending the last 3 months shark diving in South africa with False bays’ magnificent White sharks, SDX where looking forward to our Guadalupe season with both great excitement and intrigue............we are glad to report that our first trip of the season did not disappoint!

After an evening boarding followed by a quick stop through Mexican immigration before embarking on a 23 hours boat ride 220 miles off San diego, there cant be a shark dive with such a long build up before even getting in the water! By the time we arrive at the Island our guests are frothing to see our finned friends!

As ever, the conditions at the island where fantastic and once the cages got in the water, our guests where soon enjoying 100ft visibility. Now all we needed was some sharks and boy did we get an entrance!..................after a short while our guests where treated to a natural breach just meters off our port side from a 14ft male Great White! - welcome to Guadalupe! 

Viewing of sharks slowly got better and better as the day went on, totaling 9 different animals. Most off these animals where males (which is typical of this time of the season) and many of them where tagged individuals by the islands resident shark researcher Mauricio Hoyas. Mauricio spends most of the year chasing sharks around the island after setting up underwater receivers to find out a further insight into why such huge numbers of sharks find these waters some appealing. Before our first day was out, those guests lucky enough to be looking in the right direction, and at the right time, witnessed two more natural breaches putting to bed the question “Great whites don't breach at Guadalupe do they?”

Day two and our guests had no idea what an incredible day it was going to turn out to be! after a quick change in anchor spot, there where sharks under the boat before the divers got in the cages and it didn't slow down. Guest where enjoying a show of 4 different animals at the same time and wouldn't you have just guessed it........another spectacular natural breach, this time right off the stern with everyone looking at the right time to see a 12ft female completely clear the water showing us here white belly! - incredible!

When lunchtime came round, the action was red hot and we started deploying our submersible cage. Andy, our first guest to go down in it had the most amazing show - 6 different sharks in view at the same time and personally, one of the greatest drop down cages dives SDX have ever done. People say sometimes diving can be like diving an aquarium full of fish, this dive was like being in an aquarium full of Great White sharks!!!

At this point after such an incredible second day everything else for our guests was simply a bonus. The consistency of sharks didn't slow down and during the last day at the island we started to see a few “player” sharks who where very active on the baits and put on a fantastic show, keeping out bait handlers on their toes and coming close enough for those in the cages to see the dark blue pupils in the animals eyes. 

With the new crew members joining the islander boat this year and a phenomenal new cook it looks on this first showing like it is going to be one of the best seasons yet! One thing is for sure, it is certainly going to be hard to top the standard that has been set after this trip! 

However.................we still have many of out favorite sharks to see yet and as ever, when working with White sharks, nothing surprises you! Long may the season continue.........we will keep you posted along the way.

SDX