I just got back from a trip on the Nautilus Explorer. All I can say is look at the photos. It is a wonderful experience to see these majestic animals up close. The rules have recently changed and chumming the water with animal blood or fish oil has been outlawed. Wrangling the sharks to come close to the cages has similarly been banned. The only attractant allowed is to use a couple pieces of tuna on ropes. In the three days I was there, I never once saw the shark take the tuna (although others did), but the GWS still seemed interested in us. It is possible that they have been conditioned to be attracted by the sound of the boats, or it could be because another ship in the area was flagrantly ignoring the new regulations. Here are a few images. Click on them for more details.
Here is one in B&W
and here is one showing the baitfish scattering before the GWS
Yes these are magnificent animals. I was fortunate enough to be there the week before they stopped the chumming etc. I'm glad to see they are still coming close enough for some good images.
Awesome. Truly awesome!
(I wouldn't normally use that word, but it is entirely appropriate here.)
Nice shots. We went several yrs ago on the Horizon and I am thinking about going again. Now that they are not chumming I am wondering how often the sharks were around?
When we went I was fortunate enough to be able to say in a cage almost all day for 3 days. I would say we had shark/sharks around the cages 5 out of 8hrs per day. Most would pass within 3-5ft of the cage.
Fantastic pics-it is interesting that the sharks were still around despite the lack of chumming.
Thanks for sharing them
Adam
Hi Steve,
If you get a moment could you add a comment in this thread - as it would be good to get another view on the changing situation at Guadalupe:
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