Pete Thomas Outdoors

Great white sharks videotaped from outside the cage

This website recently featured a sampling of Daniel Botelho's stunning great white shark images, captured during an out-of-cage diving expedition to remote Guadalupe Island, west of Baja California.  More recently, Botelho has released video footage from his experience, and it provides viewers with an even better idea of what it's like to swim with these amazing predators.
 

Botelho's objective, in part, was to dispel the myth that great whites are man-eaters that will attack anyone who enters their realm.

That certainly was not the case for Botelho, who logged an incredible 24 hours in the water without cage protection, during his nearly two-week stay aboard a live-aboard charter vessel. Or for the others who can be seen in the video, photographing adult white sharks.

This practice, however, is controversial. And this type of experience, understandably, is not for everyone.

Said Botelho, who served as a safety diver on this excursion: "The sharks are like dogs; you need to keep them calm. As [with] dogs, they can get excited with wrong moves and unstable attitudes, so the trick is to keep the right attitude, transmitting tranquility and peace to the animal, so it can come really close but not try to touch the diver."

Botelho's images have been shared thousands of times on his Facebook page.

Diver's out-of-cage great white shark encounter is photo opportunity of a lifetime

When one of Daniel Botelho's images last appeared on this website it was a spectacular depiction of a giant mola mola, captured while searching for blue whales off San Diego.

(Editor's note: This is a reprint of a Pete Thomas post on the GrindTv Outdoor blog. All images are protected by copyright laws.)

More recently the photographer traveled to a remote island off Mexico to photograph great white sharks without cage protection, and returned with a series of captivating images he hopes will help dispel perceptions of white sharks as blood-thirsty killers.

Botelho was on an assignment for Disney but also served as safety diver during an odyssey to Guadalupe Island, during which passengers--only one at a time--were allowed to venture out of submerged cages and swim freely with full-grown white sharks.

"White sharks are like the Lion King," the photographer states on his Facebook page. "Predators, yes, but not psychopathic man killers."

Asked to provide more details, Botelho messaged back to say that he has been diving with white sharks since 2006, but this was his first time in the gin-clear waters of Guadalupe Island, which is located 165 miles west of Baja California.

Of his role as safety diver he said: "The safety diver is the guy that takes care of everybody in the water, a bodyguard of the guests, and that doesn't mean to be brave; not at all, it is much more about keeping a relaxed and peaceful interaction with the animals."

Three divers were outside of the cage at a time. Botelho, the expedition leader, and one guest. Botelho said he logged nearly 24 hours outside the cage during a two-week trip. He experienced no close calls with predators that can weigh up to 5,000 pounds and bite an elephant seal in half.

"The sharks are like dogs; you need to keep them calm," he said. "As dogs, they can get excited with wrong moves and unstable attitudes, so the trick is to keep the right attitude, transmitting tranquility and peace to the animal, so it can come really close but not try to touch the diver.

"This is the definitive proof that great white sharks are not man-eaters; people can live and interact with great white sharks, as long as they have the understanding of how the animal reacts and how to build a positive interaction with this magnificent creature!"

White sharks are specialized feeders and do not regard humans as prey, and most attacks on humans occur at the surface and are believed to have been cases of mistaken identity.

Still, they're wild and extremely powerful creatures, which is reason for pause when considering an out-of-cage experience.

Botelho said the divers sometimes had as many as six great whites around them at a time, all making close approaches, as if curious about the intruders.

"It was one of the best dives of my life and the experience as safety diver out of the cage was incredible," Botelho said. "It is much more than just taking photos; I learned so much more about how to 'read' and interact with those apex predators."

He labeled the 24 hours he logged outside of the cage during the final seven days of this odyssey as his own personal "Shark Week" and from now on for the photographer, the TV version will never quite compare.

--Pete Thomas

'Sexually frustrated' dolphin puts the moves on scuba diver

Most people who have been around dogs have witnessed or experienced those embarrassing moments when the animal becomes overly excited about the presence of a human leg. It turns out that dolphins also can become sexually aroused in the presence of humans and, yes, the accompanying video contains footage which is somewhat graphic and might be offensive to some.

 

It involves a solitary Cayman Islands dolphin known as "Stinky." The footage was uploaded recently by Michael Maes, who jokingly states that Stinky "was expelled from his pod, maybe because of bad behavior."

But Stinky's behavior is not a laughing matter. The lonely cetacean, described by Maes as "a sexually frustrated young male dolphin," has become increasingly notorious for making advances toward divers. While this is rare behavior among marine mammals, it's not unheard of, and it can be dangerous because dolphins are powerful.

Maes, a videographer and veteran Cayman Islands diver, said his harrowing situation--which also briefly involved his dive partner--could have been worse had he been in deeper water when the dolphin pushed him downward.

He cautions divers to be aware of their surroundings and to exit the water as swiftly and carefully as possible if a large marine mammal starts to get overly frisky.

"So if you encounter a lonely Dolphin like "Stinky", do not get into the water," Maes states. "If you are in the water, leave as soon and safe as possible. If the dolphin prevents you from getting out of the water (or ascending as a diver) and you are with a group: stay close together, that will leave the dolphin less options."

Thankfully, this type of behavior has not caught on among any of the region's sharks.

Mako shark surprises diver on Bahamas expedition (video)

Jim Abernethy, on a recent Guy Harvey expedition to the Bahamas, thought it'd be a good idea to jump overboard to film a hooked blue marlin from underwater.

Little did he know a large mako shark, perhaps attracted by the struggling marlin, was lurking nearby and about to give him the thrill -- or scare? -- of a lifetime.

The accompanying video, uploaded Wednesday by Harvey, shows the shark after it had sped past Abernethy, from behind, and into the camera's view. After that comes lots of bubbles and Abernethy's vivid reaction.

The group was at Cat Island on a tagging expedition involving oceanic whitetip sharks. Harvey, a famous marine artist, had hooked a blue marlin, so Abernethy decided to jump in with his camera.

The scene looked so peaceful until the mako shark, estimated to measure 10 feet and weigh 600 pounds, came in to investigate.

Abernethy, who runs Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures in Florida, is considered a shark expert and he's accustomed to diving with the predators.

But even a shark expert cannot be expected to remain calm when surprised from behind, at such close range, by so large a specimen.

-- Pete Thomas

Divers off Australia entranced by minke whale dance (video)

It has long been known that whales can sing, but who knew they could dance?

The accompanying video reveals that dwarf minke whales, aside from being incredibly cute, are quite the performers.

The footage was captured during a recent week-long adventure to Ribbon Reefs near Cooktown, off Queensland, with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions.

With the group was Isabel Enders, a marine biology student at James Cook University, who is studying dwarf minke whale behavioral patterns. There were about 20 in the vicinty during the adventure.

"When you see them in real life, it's totally unpredictable because they're these big, beautiful animals that have something incredibly gentle about them," Enders told the Cairns Post. "Some of them became really interested and come up to you and then they stop, turn around and show their belly."

Dwarf minke whales reach lengths up to about 24 feet and are genetically distinct from the slightly larger Antarctic minke whale. They're found only in the southern hemisphere and have been documented off Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, New Caledonia and the eastern coast of South America.

The best time to see them off Ribbon Reefs is in June and July.

Video reveals another close call with tiger shark at Bahamas

Another video has surfaced showing a large tiger shark almost biting a scuba diver participating in a group feeding expedition in the Bahamas.

Fast-forward to the 2-minute mark and watch the diver scurry upward, in haste, to avoid an apex predator intent on chomping the bait the diver was holding near his midsection.

Now click on the following link to a video posted in early March, and watch as a different scuba diver yanks his foot from the jaws of a large tiger shark that for a moment seemed to regard the appendage as food.

Upon review, can anyone say with confidence that these types of out-of-the-cage feeding operations are safe for humans and good for sharks? Is an attack imminent in what appears to have become the Wild West of shark diving?

Granted, both videos help to illustrate that sharks are wary, specialized predators, because sharks involved in both close calls did not actually bite anyone.

But large sharks -- like large terrestrial wild animals -- are not friendly toward humans. They're powerful and unpredictable, and luring them in with the promise of food in this manner, and hand-feeding them, is asking for trouble.

Agree or disagree?

It's worth noting that the accompanying video, uploaded by a YouTube user named Robert Frixenhoff, might have been posted to illicit reaction from within the shark-diving community. The footage is from last August and watermarked into the video, on the lower right corner at the 11-second mark, is "Jim Abernethy's Scuba-Adventures.com."

Abernethy, whose dive company is in Florida, is no stranger to controversy. In 2008 one of his clients, Markus Groh, died after being bitten by a shark while diving outside a cage off Florida. In January of 2011, Abernethy was bitten on the arm by a lemon shark at the Bahamas, and air-lifted to a Florida hospital.

If the Bahamas is the Wild West of shark diving, here's hoping the next dramatic video showdown, likewise, does not involve the spilling of blood.

-- Pete Thomas

Hunting or fishing license required for bow-fishing?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: I have been trying to get into the sport of bow-fishing but two issues have my parents and I a little puzzled. My dad heard that if you are going to bow-fish, you need some kind of special reel on the bow (don’t know whether it was an open face reel or a crank reel). We are also unsure what license I should use. Do we need a hunting or a fishing license to bow-fish? (Nicholas M.)

Answer: No special reels or gear are required for bowfishing by the Department of Fish and Game but you will need sport fishing licenses since you will be taking fish and not game. Be sure to check with the governing law enforcement agency for the area where you intend to fish because not all areas of the state (including various federal, state and local parks) are open to bow-fishing. Some areas prohibit using this type of fishing gear because they consider it possibly a "deadly weapon." This has been the case primarily in incorporated city areas. If fishing in freshwater, please read section 2.25 in the Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations for the list of permitted species and any special water restrictions (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 2.25).

Q: My uncle has a ranch up in northeastern California and his property has become overrun with ground squirrels. He’s worried about his calves stepping in the holes and breaking their legs. Do we need hunting licenses to help him get rid of these varmints? How can we legally help my uncle control his ground squirrel invasion problem and not get in trouble with a game warden? (Anonymous)

Why are there shot shell limits in refuges and wildlife areas?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: During the four duck limit era, the 25 shot shell limit in refuges and wildlife areas made sense. However, now that the limit is seven ducks, and in some cases the goose count can be six, why aren’t we allowed to carry more shells into the field? Inevitably, that limitation leads to one of us doing the "walk of shame" back to the truck to retrieve another 25 shells for a full day of hunting in a blind. That is not the most fun task given some of the walks at refuges like Little Dry Creek can be more than a mile in one direction. (Russ L.)

Answer: This is a rule that applies to many National Wildlife Refuges and Wildlife Areas in the state. It was put into place to increase effective shooting by waterfowl hunters on public hunting areas, thus ensuring a more enjoyable hunting experience for all hunters on the area. By limiting the amount of ammo a hunter can carry into the field, the goal is to reduce possible unsportsmanlike behavior (e.g. excessive and/or less discriminating shooting) which will improve the hunting experience.

According to Department of Fish and Game Waterfowl Biologist Shaun Oldenburger, Los Banos Wildlife Area established the first shotgun waterfowl shell restrictions in 1977 with a limit of 50 shells per day. In 1978, this regulation was expanded to Kern NWR (25 shells) and in 1979 expanded to nearly all San Joaquin Valley National Wildlife Refuges and Wildlife Areas (25 shells). Grizzly Island was included in 1980. By 1985, shell restrictions expanded to all Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley National Wildlife Refuges and Wildlife Areas, and in 1986 San Jacinto was included.

In 1979, when the 25 shotgun shell restrictions were first established in the San Joaquin Valley, the waterfowl season length was 93 days with a seven bird bag. By 1988, waterfowl populations had declined and so the season was reduced to 59 days and four duck bag limits. Still, the primary purpose of the 25 shotgun shell restrictions is to increase both the hunting experience and improve overall shot selection by waterfowl hunters. Daily bag limits will not dictate these restrictions, since removing them may increase the unsportsmanlike behaviors that caused their introduction to begin with.

Fortunately, waterfowl populations in California are currently healthy and so a more liberal bag limit is now in place. Hopefully, with this combination of healthy waterfowl populations and the 25 shotgun shell restrictions in place within the National Wildlife Refuges and Wildlife Areas throughout the state, hunters are enjoying their hunting experiences now and will continue to do so well into the future!

Q: Is it legal to use SCUBA equipment to catch Dungeness crabs? (David B.)

Gray whale greets scuba divers off Laguna Beach (video)

 

Pacific gray whale sightings have begun to surge off Southern California, just in time for today's official start to the whale-watching season. But marine mammal enthusiasts are still excited about a sighting logged more than a week ago by scuba divers who captured rare underwater footage of a juvenile gray whale off Shaw's Cove in Laguna Beach, Calif. (The video, filmed by Rebecca Ziegler, is posted above).

If you look closely at the footage you can see barnacles and lice—the telltale markings of a gray whale—on the young whale's head.

About 20,000 Pacific gray whales migrate each fall and winter from Arctic feeding grounds to lagoons along Baja California, where calving and nursing occurs.

The whale in the video appeared to have been curious about the bubble-blowing divers. Juvenile gray whales often travel by themselves and can be more adventurous than adult male and pregnant females, who are trying simply to reach the lagoons as quicly as possible.

Alisa Schulman-Janiger, director of the ACS-LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project at Point Vicente on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, said this could be a record December in terms of gray whale sightings.

Proposed PETA ad after Florida shark attack sparks outrage

A proposed billboard ad by PETA in the aftermath of a shark attack on a 21-year-old Florida spearfisherman is not sitting well with the victim's mother, who described PETA's response to the attack as "over the top."

The ad (pictured at right) shows a bloody leg protruding from the mouth of a menacing shark and features the slogan, "PAYBACK IS HELL, Go Vegan."

C.J. Wickersham, who is believed to have been bitten by a bull shark last Saturday off Anna Maria Island, is in stable condition after having had 800 stitches placed in his left thigh.

PETA reportedly is still trying to find a home in Florida for the ad.

Ella Wickersham, C.J.'s mother, told FoxNews.com, "I'm not even going to dignify them with a response. They are over the top. If they don't want to eat meat and fish, good for them; you can do whatever you want, and I'll do what I want."

The same story quoted PETA spokeswoman Ashley Byrne as saying the animal rights group is still seeking suitable locations for the billboard. "With the shark attack in the news, we thought it'd be a good time to remind people that sharks are not the world's biggest predator -- we are."

Of the injured spearfisherman Byrne added, "We're glad that Mr. Wickersham is going to be OK [but] we hope that after this experience he considers the pain and terror that fish feel when they're impaled and suffocated to death."

Said shark angler Bill Goldschmitt on Florida's WWSB-TV: "If I see one of those billboards that they plan on putting up, I will burn it down."