We often find our trip that runs through the last week of September and the first week of October is one to remember. The beginning of the season is fantastic for great weather and lots of sharks whereas the latter trips is when our big female sharks start to turn up..............due to the timing of this trip, we often get both!
With a great set of guests (including some personal friends), a few fresh crew members and a great weather forecast, all was looking good for trip 4. After arriving at Guadalupe once more and getting the baits in the water everyone was very excited to see their first shark. After a few hours of waiting and only a few glimpses of sharks down deep we where starting to wonder where all our friends had gone! Then, just before midday we witnessed one of the great entrances by a shark ever seen here and a classic “Jaws” moment...............
Jak, one of our bait handlers shouted “Shark on the surface” and pointed to a dorsal and tail fin cutting the surface 200ft off the stern. We watched the shark continue on its path until it turned, picking up the scent off the bait and made a direct course for us! As the shark came closer into view, the size became evident and we realized that this was unlike any shark we had seen so far this season.........this was one of the islands’ big females!! The atmosphere on the back deck was electric as we where treated to an incredible show, circling the boat, hitting the baits and coming close enough to touch from the surface cages!! She was accompanied by a lone pilot fish which is common to see on the sharks as they arrive back at the island after spending many months out in the open ocean during their annual migration and as she dwarfed many of the other sharks we have seen this year. We estimated her size to be between 15 - 16ft!
She stayed with us for most of the afternoon plus we where visited briefly by 4 different animals. The real star of the day however was our big female, later identified as “Bella” who has been seen at the island fairly consistently over the last few years. It is fair to say at the end of the first day our guests where ecstatic!
Day 2 and guess who was back.............. “Bella” made her appearance first thing in the morning plus 2 other sharks. Just when we thought we had it all another big female joined the party!! This time it was “Curley” who can be identified by her spot tag on her dorsal fin. What a line up we had going now and as we started to drop our submersible cage in the water for our guests the visibility turned over 100ft and those lucky enough to go down in it had an epic experience! After a busy days diving the sharks left us before the sun dropped behind the island and it was time for beers, an exceptional Indonesian cuisine by our chef and a questions and answers session with the islands head researcher Mauricio Hoyas. 
During our last day, the wind picked up slightly but the action didn't stop. Again “Bella” popped by to say hello along with “Curley” plus 3 other sharks we are yet to identify. What a trip! still many more guests and trips to go through plus...........................our old buddy “shredder” is yet to make his appearance!
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