August 19, 2017 Great White Sharks of Guadalupe Island
We arrived in Guadalupe Island north bay to start our white shark cage diving operations shortly after 9:00 AM as the ever present cloud wave poured over Punta Norte. This event is quite spectacular as the north end of the island acts much like the wing of an airplane, creating high pressure on one side and low on the other. As the prevailing westerly wind piles into the vertical west facing side of Guadalupe Island it rises to a height of over 3000 feet before cresting the top and falling into the low pressure zone of the islands leeward eastern facing side. In the process of rising and falling the air cools, condenses and forms a cloud which pours over Guadalupe’s summit, down the slope and then just short of the ocean disappears into thin air! Almost as amazing as what we witnessed in the ocean just astern of Horizon.
Sharks, Sharks, and Even More Sharks!
Today… well in short, “That’s what I’m talkin’ about!!” Wow…oh my…”You can hang a star on that one!”, over the top and finally one of the top 3 sharking days that we have had at Isla Guadalupe! Now consider that we started this whole thing 8 years ago, and have spent more time here than anyone. That is saying a bunch. Consider this, we witnessed AT LEAST 10 different great white sharks and had up to 6 sharks within view during portions of our day. We did not have a single cage rotation without at least 3 different sharks! The final rotation, of which I was party to, had 6 sharks circumnavigating Horizon and up to 4 within 40 feet of the cages!
After an hour I handed up my camera to the dive staff and sunk back to the bottom of the cage, sat in the lotus position and stared in awe as I observed multiple animals swimming in what appeared to be an organized formation. The water clarity, even at 6:00 PM, when the sun went behind the Guadalupe mountain, was well over 100 feet.
The weather was perfect, 85 degrees and just enough breeze to remain comfy…with 30 layers of sunscreen.
We can hope for more of the same tomorrow, but that would be way too much to ask. If we do not see another shark the entire trip we have already had an amazing adventure at Guadalupe Island!
Until tomorrow, America’s Shark Boat.
Adios,
Captain Spencer
