Sardine Run 2007 the Unofficial Wetpixel Group

Just when you think you're out... they pull you right back in!

The sardines that is.

Got a report on serious activity with sardine baitballs and am headed down there today again. It continues!

Great News Drew,

You lucky git...Need a tea/coffee maker...

Dive safe

DeanB

You lucky bugger Drew!

An honorary boffin!

Keep us posted won't you?

I thought it would be fun to share an exhilarating encounter on the last day of our Sardine Run trip with Drew this year.

We were in pretty rough seas hoping for a last chance at some baitball action when we came across a some bottlenose dolphins. We decided to give it a try and see if they were interested in playing with us while we snorkeled. Unfortunately with my weightbelt and FX1 Bluefin housing in tow, I was no match for the speed of the dolphins and more importantly some of the other Wetpixel crew members As such, I quickly tired of the chase and resolved to float alone in the tossing seas by myself.

Soon a few curious dolphins approached me and began whirling around me. They were quickly joined by the entire pod and I was surrounded by dozens of playful dolphins. Then things took an unexpected turn...you will have to watch the video to find out

Couple of video notes (well excuses ):

-Overcast day

-Rough seas

-Sequence is cut exactly as experienced with no fancy edits or change of time order

-Fixed focus at .3meters

-Auto exposure

-No CC filter

and...all wildlife approached me and in some instances I did my best to create distance to avoid injury

Wow amazing footage.

How big was the humpback ?

I would guess 9 meters but it was hard to judge under the circumstances

Ah, ya had to rub it in eh Shawn... Awesome footage!

Shawn that was way cool.

Hows the Whale...so careful not to wack you.

I bet that made your hairs on your neck stand up.

Can't watch it...

Just get a broken Q picture...

Sounds good though

Dive safe

DeanB

Do humpbacks normally swim upside down (?), because it sure looked like he was playing with ya!

Nice footage Shawn. Those encouters that come along when you've pretty much wriiten off a dive are always the best! Thanks for posting.

Cheers, Simon

Wow, that's amazing! I love the way he/she does the same pass behavior each time, upside down, then right at you, then just missing you w/ the pect and the tail!

James

Having focused mostly on sharks in the past years, I have very little experience with whales. This encounter really got me excited to spend more time with these amazing creatures. I am certain the whale was fully aware of my presence, and moreover was seeking a playful encounter with me, a stranged four appendaged creature awkwardly bobbing on the surface. I was probably a welcome break from the couple dozen bottlenose dolphins that were harrassing it!

The whale was curious and gentle. That being said, the shear size of the creature made the encounter hair-rasing. On several of the passes I had to fin hard to avoid being bowled over and hit by the pectoral fin and tail. These appendages are hard and barnacle encrusted. When you consider they can generate enough force to launch this many ton creature clear out of the water, one swipe could snap my bones or knock me out.

Who would of thought that after diving with all kinds of large "predatory sharks" that a whale encounter would be more scary

reminds me of this article from earlier this year...

Whale Tale: Man Survives Giant Animal's Smack

http://abcnews.go.com/US/Science/story?id=2942052&page=1

"The mother flipped and threw the group every which way but loose."

The force was so intense, a videotape recording of the accident shows the actual impact and snapping of Thornton's femur, or thigh bone. You can hear a loud pop when his leg is broken.

"It was like getting hit by a train," Thornton said. "You know, it was so hard, it felt like getting hit by car."

Another diver, Janet Blackwelder, suffered broken ribs and was knocked unconscious

Yeah, I read about that prior to the trip. Kept going through my head when I was with the giant. Probably kept me safe

Well last day was Saturday and true to form the baitball and viz cleared up. Since there were others in the water, we waited for our turn on the action. Meanwhile we saw a black marlin hit the baitball from the surface. Still ettiquette requires we wait for the others to finish so we got just plain ol' bonito tuna hitting the remnants of the baitball. Then I was in the water today and saw a whaleshark, 2 humpback dolphins, 8 humpback whales and to top it off... 2 rhinopia frondosa. Not bad.

Rhinopias ............

Drew , You need to wear a hat when your in the sun.

"I had to fin hard to avoid being bowled over" I think I would have had to take the wetsuit off before climbing back onboard. Wow, incredible interaction.

Rhinopias ............

 

Drew , You need to wear a hat when your in the sun.

Ah Mr Mooney... funnier things have happened.... like you falling off a bench

Drew,

Sounds like a great wrap up to the trip. I am looking forward to the video and images...if you stay home long enough to edit them.

safe travels.

Shawn

Here's a shot from this year's run topside:

We had a lot of breaching including double breaches this year ... this is a sampler.