Great White Heaven
Guadalupe, Mexico
To most shark enthusiasts, an encounter with a great white is the quintessential shark dive for it is nature’s most lethal weapon, the perfect predator. To actively seek out great white sharks and dive with them is incomprehensible to most people, even for a large number of divers. But it is through such encounters that we gain a greater understanding of these creatures and help dispel the myths that contribute to their demise.
In September of 2002, I traveled to the world’s newest great white shark hotspot, Isla de Guadalupe, Mexico. Guadalupe lies approximately two hundred miles southwest of San Diego, California. The island has long been known for its world-class sport fishing. It is also home to various species of seals and sea lions, making it ideal for great whites. Considering the abundance of marine life, one would think that Guadalupe has been on the lists of shark divers for years. Historically speaking though, there have been few underwater encounters with white sharks.
In the late 1990s the long-range fishing boats from San Diego began to report an increasing number of white shark encounters. Fisherman started telling tales of sharks bursting through the water at the side of their boats devouring the catch right off their fishing lines. Imagine the disbelief of the unsuspecting angler who had fought a tuna for 40 minutes or more, only to have it bit in half by a shark.
In the fall of 2000, shark divers went to investigate. Using bio-attractants, they were greeted by a substantial population of great whites. The first commercial cage-diving expeditions took place in the fall of 2001, with outstanding success.
The whites that frequent Guadalupe tend to be sub-adults in the 10-15 feet range, though there have been reports of larger sharks including an estimated 18-footer! The sharks are believed to arrive at the island in the summer and can be found through fall. Where they come from and where they go is still a mystery. There’s currently a tagging program underway to try and determine the migratory patterns of these creatures. With the initial success of the 2001 and 2002 cage diving seasons, Guadalupe is now considered to be one of the few places on the planet to encounter this increasingly rare species.
For my maiden voyage to Guadalupe, I joined Lawrence Groth of Golden Gate Expeditions aboard the long-range fishing and dive boat, Searcher, which departs from Fisherman’s Landing, San Diego, California. A typical journey takes around 22 hours one way.
I had high expectations as to what Guadalupe would bring, but of course, the question of not finding any sharks crept into my mind more than once during our journey to the island. Let’s face it – you do have awhile to think about it. Any fears I had of Mr. Whitey being a no-show were lost as soon as we anchored. Our first shark had been sighted! Before the chumming was started, before the cages were in the water, there was a shark. Soon there were two! I couldn’t have been happier. The sharks were waiting for us.
Upon entering the water the first thing I noticed was the incredible visibility, easily over 100 feet. I watched in amazement as sharks would emerge from the seemingly endless blue haze and swim directly at the cage, tracking my every move. My average cage rotation lasted about 45 minutes, but I had one dive that lasted for over two hours due to the non-stop action. Over the course of three days of diving this expedition encountered 11 different great white sharks. Unbelievable!
Some sharks only granted us a quick pass by, while others circled the boat for hours. The most memorable whites were two 10-feet males bearing satellite tags, a smaller male with a huge scar on the right side of his face, and another with the tip of the right pectoral fin missing. Some big battle-scarred females preferred attacking the hang baits using a vertical approach, usually resulting in minor breaching right in front of the cages. These beauties gave us some spectacular top side action too!
On our third and final day of diving, we encountered the largest and most curious shark of the trip, a huge male who was close to 16 feet long. Compared to the other sharks, this one looked like he had just eaten a seal. This guy had all the confidence in the world, and he let us know it. I can honestly say I now know exactly how the animals at the zoo feel.
Whitey stared long and hard as he slowly slid past the cages, scraping against the bars as he tried to get a closer look at each and every one of us. He even taste-tested the cage, a true spectator. For over eight hours this methodical stalker graced us with his presence. The others would come and go, but the big boy always returned. Being the last day of the trip, we had to head for home even though our friend was still circling the boat. I’m sure if we had stayed, he would have been with us into the night.
If you are considering making the trip to Guadalupe, Golden Gate Expeditions offers all-inclusive five-day, live-aboard excursions from August through November for $2,250 per person (all information as of September 2002). This includes cage diving, meals, beverages, unlimited fishing for world class tuna and accommodations aboard the Searcher. At 95 feet, this is a sturdy vessel for the grind to Guadalupe. The cabins are bunk-style, but with the limited load of 16 people, you are able to spread out a bit. Even better is the fact that you only need to bring a wetsuit, mask, hood, gloves and boots for the cage.
Isla de Guadalupe lived up to my wildest expectations, and then some. This is truly Great White Heaven! I know I will be returning again and again. Guadalupe is certainly a special place that should be experienced by serious shark divers everywhere.
For more information
Contact Lawrence Groth at Golden Gate Expeditions.
Golden Gate Expeditions also offers one-day great white shark cage diving trips to the Farallon Islands, San Francisco.
