San Diego Shark Diving - Great Whites

I live in Chicago and recently signed up for a great white trip to
Guadalupe Island. Has anyone made this trip? How often do they see
sharks and what kind of camera should I bring? Any info will be
helpful thanks

garygigfy@aol.com (Gary) wrote in message news:<e954d5a8.0409161304.3145eb74@posting.google. com>...
> I live in Chicago and recently signed up for a great white trip to
> Guadalupe Island. Has anyone made this trip? How often do they see
> sharks

Who are you signed up with?

> and what kind of camera should I bring?

An underwater camera : ) If it's the type of dive trip that requires a
plane ride it's not the type of dive trip you want to be experimenting
and practicing with a new camera (or any other fancy gear). What
camera have you been using so far? Take that one.

> Any info will be helpful thanks

The vis is great and the water warm right now. Both in the 70's.

-lance smith

garygigfy@aol.com (Gary) wrote in message news:<e954d5a8.0409161304.3145eb74@posting.google. com>...
> I live in Chicago and recently signed up for a great white trip to
> Guadalupe Island. Has anyone made this trip? How often do they see
> sharks and what kind of camera should I bring? Any info will be
> helpful thanks.

I signed up with Underseas Scuba in Addison, IL.

garygigfy@aol.com (Gary) wrote in message news:<e954d5a8.0409180626.45f881a9@posting.google. com>...
> garygigfy@aol.com (Gary) wrote in message news:<e954d5a8.0409161304.3145eb74@posting.google. com>...
> > I live in Chicago and recently signed up for a great white trip to
> > Guadalupe Island. Has anyone made this trip? How often do they see
> > sharks and what kind of camera should I bring? Any info will be
> > helpful thanks.
>
> I signed up with Underseas Scuba in Addison, IL.

Small world! I was on board with Sandy H. in Belize a couple of years
ago! Do you know which operator they will be diving with? I am
assuming you are departing out of San Diego with Horizon Charters?

I'm 95% sure you will be with Horizon, be sure to reserve your bunk
ahead of time if possible. The Horizon has nice bunks, but the 'rooms'
are much nicer and offer more privacy. If you have to get a bunk get
the middle or the top bunk, they're stacked 3-up. Their skippers,
you'll get Ron or Greg, they're both good and run a tight ship. The
food is decent, remember to get the Mango Madness after your dives are
done for the day!

Other info: you can wear wet-wet suits in the galley. I suggest bring
some water bottles, etc on board. You can buy them from the boat of
course (i'm assuming they are not included in the price- they're not
for 1-2 day trips). Bring a pillow too. I usually bring a 30F sleeping
bag for the Horizon.

Here's some recent info from the Horizon crew:
http://www.horizoncharters.com/log.html

As for the camera keep using what you're using. If you haven't been
diving with one get something cheap. Cannon A75 or something with the
scuba housing.

-lance smith

outside@ziggyworks.com (lance smith) wrote in message news:<36f85e46.0409181413.45c05fc@posting.google.c om>...
> garygigfy@aol.com (Gary) wrote in message news:<e954d5a8.0409180626.45f881a9@posting.google. com>...
> > garygigfy@aol.com (Gary) wrote in message news:<e954d5a8.0409161304.3145eb74@posting.google. com>...
> > > I live in Chicago and recently signed up for a great white trip to
> > > Guadalupe Island. Has anyone made this trip? How often do they see
> > > sharks and what kind of camera should I bring? Any info will be
> > > helpful thanks.
> >
> > I signed up with Underseas Scuba in Addison, IL.
>
> Small world! I was on board with Sandy H. in Belize a couple of years
> ago! Do you know which operator they will be diving with? I am
> assuming you are departing out of San Diego with Horizon Charters?
>
> I'm 95% sure you will be with Horizon, be sure to reserve your bunk
> ahead of time if possible. The Horizon has nice bunks, but the 'rooms'
> are much nicer and offer more privacy. If you have to get a bunk get
> the middle or the top bunk, they're stacked 3-up. Their skippers,
> you'll get Ron or Greg, they're both good and run a tight ship. The
> food is decent, remember to get the Mango Madness after your dives are
> done for the day!
>
> Other info: you can wear wet-wet suits in the galley. I suggest bring
> some water bottles, etc on board. You can buy them from the boat of
> course (i'm assuming they are not included in the price- they're not
> for 1-2 day trips). Bring a pillow too. I usually bring a 30F sleeping
> bag for the Horizon.
>
> Here's some recent info from the Horizon crew:
> http://www.horizoncharters.com/log.html
>
> As for the camera keep using what you're using. If you haven't been
> diving with one get something cheap. Cannon A75 or something with the
> scuba housing.
>
> -lance smith

Yep...the chater operator is Horizon. Bruce made the trip last year
and they saw at least 1 shark EACH time they had divers in the water.
He has video of one time there were 5 great whites circling the cages!
Thanks for the tips about the boat and crew. My concern with the
camera was whether my 20mm lens was wide angle enough. I've had
little experience tying to photo animals 15 feet long.

garygigfy@aol.com (Gary) wrote in message news:<e954d5a8.0409200726.2459986f@posting.google. com>...

> Yep...the chater operator is Horizon. Bruce made the trip last year
> and they saw at least 1 shark EACH time they had divers in the water.
> He has video of one time there were 5 great whites circling the cages!
> Thanks for the tips about the boat and crew. My concern with the
> camera was whether my 20mm lens was wide angle enough. I've had
> little experience tying to photo animals 15 feet long.

Hmmm... I'm not sure what's best for your lens situation. But you
won't have a problem if they're headed straight for you : )

-lance smith

"lance smith" <outside@ziggyworks.com> wrote in message
news:36f85e46.0409201401.27914790@posting.google.c om...
> garygigfy@aol.com (Gary) wrote in message
news:<e954d5a8.0409200726.2459986f@posting.google. com>...
>
> > Yep...the chater operator is Horizon. Bruce made the trip last year
> > and they saw at least 1 shark EACH time they had divers in the water.
> > He has video of one time there were 5 great whites circling the cages!
> > Thanks for the tips about the boat and crew. My concern with the
> > camera was whether my 20mm lens was wide angle enough. I've had
> > little experience tying to photo animals 15 feet long.
>
> Hmmm... I'm not sure what's best for your lens situation. But you
> won't have a problem if they're headed straight for you : )
>
> -lance smith


I made that trip with Doc last October. We had multiple sharks everyday,
from the moment the cages were dropped until the moment they were hoisted.
We had sharks from 8 feet to 20 feet, though most of them were 12 to 14
feet.

On Horizon, the way Doc works it, you can have a number of camera setups
ready to go. You label each rig with "Gary 15" or "Gary 20" or "Gary 20-35"
and whenever you want to change you poke your head out of the cage, yell out
"Gary whatever" and they will retrieve the rig you desire. Having said that
though, I think a 20 is a better overall choice than the 15 **if you will
only have one camera setup** and the 20-35 is even better than that. I
wouldn't shoot any prime lens with a smaller perspective than 20mm though.
The sharks get close, we had a couple that were rather insistent on bumping
the cages, but most stayed 2 to 3 feet away on their close passes.

From the outside corner spots on the cages you can capture the whole animal
(plus sufficient background) as it approaches the bait lines with a 20. Also
when they come right up to the cage a 20 or 15 will work nicely. As they
swim under, around, away and whatever, you are still talking at least 20
before the water column deteriorates the image anyway.

It's a great trip, I hope to return again some day. Food onboard was
excellent, I mean really quite good. I'm not a drinker but was told the
concoctions were delicious. Accomodations are really bunkboat rather than
liveaboard, but for a 5 day cruise it hardly matters. There's lot's of
fishing to do in between your cage turns and the weather down there at that
time of year is really nice.

The sole downside to the trip was the crossing back to SD. Ours was as rough
as anything I have ever been on, far worse than my worse Coco crossing, and
lasted for a good 18 hours before the seas settled. Even if you don't get
sick you still cannot find anything to do to pass the time in the rollin'
rockin' Horizon....reading, chess, cards, they are all out of the question
because that little boat is pretty active in a heavy sea. So be prepared to
weather that crossing if indeed the seas do not cooperate on your tour.

I started the "dives" in a 5 mil with hooded 2 mil vest and eventually ended
up "diving" with just the 5 mil. The water is somewhat cold, but I
acclimated quickly and found more comfort in less neoprene. Some folks dove
dry, but I had been advised it wasn't necessary and found that to be true.

You probably will anyway, but just as a point of unsolicited advice: Pay
attention to their system for entering and exiting the cages, it works
nicely, is safe, and is the fastest way for the exchange from one group to
the next. We had one guy who thought he would do it his way and came *that*
close to losing his balance and falling off the cage into the water with 3
Great White just a few feet away. A 20 would have worked nicely for that
photo op as well! :^)

Have a great time. I am decidedly envious!

On Tue, 21 Sep 2004 11:50:10 -0600, "Ramone Cila" <dontw@nt.spam>
wrote:


>You probably will anyway, but just as a point of unsolicited advice: Pay
>attention to their system for entering and exiting the cages, it works
>nicely, is safe, and is the fastest way for the exchange from one group to
>the next. We had one guy who thought he would do it his way and came *that*
>close to losing his balance and falling off the cage into the water with 3
>Great White just a few feet away. A 20 would have worked nicely for that
>photo op as well! :^)

What color filter works best for red water?

>
>Have a great time. I am decidedly envious!
>
>
>
>

--
dillon

When I was a kid, I thought the angel's name was Hark
and the horse's name was Bob.

"Ramone Cila" <dontw@nt.spam> wrote in message news:<mRZ3d.5$8H.3440@news.uswest.net>...
> "lance smith" <outside@ziggyworks.com> wrote in message
> news:36f85e46.0409201401.27914790@posting.google.c om...
> > garygigfy@aol.com (Gary) wrote in message
> news:<e954d5a8.0409200726.2459986f@posting.google. com>...
> >
> > > Yep...the chater operator is Horizon. Bruce made the trip last year
> > > and they saw at least 1 shark EACH time they had divers in the water.
> > > He has video of one time there were 5 great whites circling the cages!
> > > Thanks for the tips about the boat and crew. My concern with the
> > > camera was whether my 20mm lens was wide angle enough. I've had
> > > little experience tying to photo animals 15 feet long.
> >
> > Hmmm... I'm not sure what's best for your lens situation. But you
> > won't have a problem if they're headed straight for you : )
> >
> > -lance smith
>
>
> I made that trip with Doc last October. We had multiple sharks everyday,
> from the moment the cages were dropped until the moment they were hoisted.
> We had sharks from 8 feet to 20 feet, though most of them were 12 to 14
> feet.
>
> On Horizon, the way Doc works it, you can have a number of camera setups
> ready to go. You label each rig with "Gary 15" or "Gary 20" or "Gary 20-35"
> and whenever you want to change you poke your head out of the cage, yell out
> "Gary whatever" and they will retrieve the rig you desire. Having said that
> though, I think a 20 is a better overall choice than the 15 **if you will
> only have one camera setup** and the 20-35 is even better than that. I
> wouldn't shoot any prime lens with a smaller perspective than 20mm though.
> The sharks get close, we had a couple that were rather insistent on bumping
> the cages, but most stayed 2 to 3 feet away on their close passes.
>
> From the outside corner spots on the cages you can capture the whole animal
> (plus sufficient background) as it approaches the bait lines with a 20. Also
> when they come right up to the cage a 20 or 15 will work nicely. As they
> swim under, around, away and whatever, you are still talking at least 20
> before the water column deteriorates the image anyway.
>
> It's a great trip, I hope to return again some day. Food onboard was
> excellent, I mean really quite good. I'm not a drinker but was told the
> concoctions were delicious. Accomodations are really bunkboat rather than
> liveaboard, but for a 5 day cruise it hardly matters. There's lot's of
> fishing to do in between your cage turns and the weather down there at that
> time of year is really nice.
>
> The sole downside to the trip was the crossing back to SD. Ours was as rough
> as anything I have ever been on, far worse than my worse Coco crossing, and
> lasted for a good 18 hours before the seas settled. Even if you don't get
> sick you still cannot find anything to do to pass the time in the rollin'
> rockin' Horizon....reading, chess, cards, they are all out of the question
> because that little boat is pretty active in a heavy sea. So be prepared to
> weather that crossing if indeed the seas do not cooperate on your tour.
>
> I started the "dives" in a 5 mil with hooded 2 mil vest and eventually ended
> up "diving" with just the 5 mil. The water is somewhat cold, but I
> acclimated quickly and found more comfort in less neoprene. Some folks dove
> dry, but I had been advised it wasn't necessary and found that to be true.
>
> You probably will anyway, but just as a point of unsolicited advice: Pay
> attention to their system for entering and exiting the cages, it works
> nicely, is safe, and is the fastest way for the exchange from one group to
> the next. We had one guy who thought he would do it his way and came *that*
> close to losing his balance and falling off the cage into the water with 3
> Great White just a few feet away. A 20 would have worked nicely for that
> photo op as well! :^)
>
> Have a great time. I am decidedly envious!

Thanks for the great advice!. I am now much more comfortable with just
my 20. I too have heard that the sharks get very close and can damage
photo equipment if your not careful.

I've made plenty of rough crossings in bunks, so I know i'll be
uncomfortable. But I'm sure it'll be worth it if the "big boys" are
around. Nice to hear that the food will be good!

If you're truely envious sign up for the trip. Bruce says he has 2 or
three openings and the remai,ing trips are all sold out ( i guess word
is spreading about this trip). Maybe I'll see you on board.

"Gary" <garygigfy@aol.com> wrote in message
news:e954d5a8.0409231620.6c061ec7@posting.google.c om...

> Thanks for the great advice!. I am now much more comfortable with just
> my 20. I too have heard that the sharks get very close and can damage
> photo equipment if your not careful.

You're welcome for whatever help my advice brings. As far as sharks getting
close you have to know this: to make good images, given the cages and
proximity of other photogs, you HAVE to lean well outside the cage.....head,
arms, cameras, strobes and shoulders....to repeatedly get shots without
someones elses strobes and arms in your shot. And if the guy next to you
leans out you have to lean out farther. I was hesitant at first to lean to
far out, but quickly realized that without doing so my shots were going to
be ruined by the inclusion of my neighbor's gear. It's unfortunate but
shooting wide angle in a tight space is the perfect recipe for all kinds of
things ending up in your shot. By my third turn in the cage I was out of
the cage up to my chest trying to get clean shots. I did :^)

> I've made plenty of rough crossings in bunks, so I know I'll be
> uncomfortable. But I'm sure it'll be worth it if the "big boys" are
> around.

I have as well, but this crossing heading back to SD is a trip, and the boat
while sound is the lest comfortable craft I have ever made a crossing in. It
bobs, rolls, rocks and dips. But it gets you to an amazing experience.

> Nice to hear that the food will be good!

It was no small surprise to me, but apparently the cook has a great
reputation amongst California divers and fishermen. Well earned I might add.
He doesn't have a state of the art galley to work from either. You know, I
cannot remember his name...maybe Greg. Anyone here that can help with his
name?

> If you're truely envious sign up for the trip. Bruce says he has 2 or
> three openings and the remai,ing trips are all sold out ( i guess word
> is spreading about this trip). Maybe I'll see you on board.

Not this time. I have Lembah Strait, Wakatobi and Galapagos coming up
between now and April. My wife would kill me if I popped up with another
trip Ha ha haaa! But yeah, I am envious. Guadalupe is an extraordinary way
to visit with Great Whites. Far better than any other Great White trip I
have done in other parts of the world. The viz, the number of animals and
the reliability of sightings. It's unlike any place else on earth that
divers know about right now. Sometimes the viz is too good, leaving a
mottled look on the shark's back from the sun. And man, if that's the
complaint you know it's a good experience :^)