Wetpixel Oceanics Trip 2009

Looks like you guys had a great time out there in the high seas. Some really cool shots there. I really like your half in half out shot Marcus.

I hope your back sorts itself out Alex,

All the best, Stew

Once below the shark - those are my Scubapro split(!) fins below the pelvic fins of the shark.

Oh No Alex...........!!! Did you have to mention those, panty waisted split fins!

Thanks Marcus. I did not realize you had the 10-24, I would have liked to look at it. Glad to see it worked well underwater. Did you use it with a diopter? How close did it focus? I think your shots do show some 'thinning' of the shark close up. Probably a matter of preference, as to how one wants to depict the animal, or how someone sees them being best represented.

Hi Jeff. No I didn't use a diopter. It focusses closer than the 12-24 in air; 24cm vs 30cm. Yeah there is some barrel distortion but less than for the 10.5. Nothing that can't be corrected by software. Personally I think that the advantages of reducing the water column far outweigh the distortion.

While my pics pale in comparison to those of Jim, Alex, Marcus and Jeff, it was a great trip. As Jeff mentioned, blue water diving/photography is very different than at Tiger Beach. Being neutral is key, and because Jim is not shy about telling you the surface is a bad place to be, being slightly overweighted is natural. All in all, it was a fantastic week, notwithstanding the weather. We saw everything we came to see, and more. Jim was Jim. The crew was fantastic - I might have even gained weight due to Mike's cooking (no mean feat!). It is a long trip to/from the main dive sites, so anyone signing up for the trip must realise that 4 days are effectively "travel days", and while the crew does a great job of trying to break things up (pigs, iguanas, dolphins), these are non-shark days. I'd also say that I was very glad to have done Tiger Beach before and gotten somewhat acclimatised to large sharks. This particular trip would have been more nervewracking if I was a total shark newbie!

Thanks to Alex for leading the trip, and JASA for (another) trip of a lifetime!

Hey guys. I'm on Shear Water now waiting to leave on a private charter to the Bahamas (non-Wetpixel). There are remnants of the past guests everywhere -- stories, images, still-labeled cups.

We're doing something different this time. See if you can spot the differences.

An amazing warmth peeks out from underneath storm clouds.

An amazing warmth peeks out from underneath storm clouds.

Shearwater cook Mike Black makes creme brulee (!).

Shearwater cook Mike Black makes creme brulee (!).

Shearwater cook Mike Black makes creme brulee (!).

The M/V Shear Water ready to go, late at night

What's that on the back of the Shear Water? A FLYING BOAT!

Jim Abernethy processes Bahamas paperwork before taking a nap.

The difference is private charters get creme brulee for desert instead of m&m's?

Phil

Have to admit; we heard a few details, like the 'flying boat'.

I was signed up for the canceled June trip and have signed for the July trip. It is really useful to read about and see photos of the trip. It sounds great and the water should level out by late July.

It is amazing.

I was signed up for the canceled June trip and have signed for the July trip. It is really useful to read about and see photos of the trip. It sounds great and the water should level out by late July.

It is amazing.

Yes you are likely to have better weather, though not guaranteed of course. More importantly, the length of the crossing and travel distance for a summer trip for dolphins / Tiger Beach etc is much shorter. We essentially had two days on the out trip getting pounded. I used a Scopalamine patch for the first time, and was very glad I did. Others on the boat were not so lucky. Diving is different as well, as Martin said, the Oceanics being out in deep water

Ready to fly!

The lama is excited!!

Yeah, I don't know where the creme brulee came from, but I'm not complaining.

Good thing we never had that on the back last week or the Shear Water would have been a low flying vessel.

Looks Sweet!

Hope you get very stable air for flying.

Who's the pilot?

Yes you are likely to have better weather, though not guaranteed of course. More importantly, the length of the crossing and travel distance for a summer trip for dolphins / Tiger Beach etc is much shorter. We essentially had two days on the out trip getting pounded. I used a Scopalamine patch for the first time, and was very glad I did. Others on the boat were not so lucky. Diving is different as well, as Martin said, the Oceanics being out in deep water

What camera lens do you recommend for the shark expedition?

I have never done this trip and would appreciate any suggestions...

What camera lens do you recommend for the shark expedition?

I have never done this trip and would appreciate any suggestions...

Assuming you have a cropped sensor camera, if I had to choose one lens it would be the Tokina 10-17. Then a wide rectilinear of choice like the 12-24 or 17-35.

That ultralightrib looks so cool.

Have fun and look forward to the pics.

The Ultralight is Jim's - he flys it.

Paul C

Looks like Jim's a lucky guy to have his own personal aircraft carrier! :B):

great shots!

I'm a little late to this thread, but you guys got some beautiful shots of beautiful animals (the o.w.t.'s, not the pigs/divers! ;D ). Sounds like the rough water was well worth it in the end!

The Ultralight is Jim's - he flys it.

 

Paul C

Paul,

I took a look at your photos from the Bahamas shark 08 trip and they were great. I mean heart stopping. Have signed up for the July trip and was looking at the lens chosen by you and it was amazing. Did you do the night dive? Was that one tiger? shark face shot taken at night? It didn't seem like there were as many bull sharks as lemon and tiger.

I really enjoyed your gallery.

Jack