With nine years of operations at the Farallon Islands and six years of operations at Guadalupe we have more experience with White Sharks than
any other U.S. operator. Operating at two locations gives us the opportunity to gain a wealth of knowledge about White Shark behavior. It also
allows us to contribute to science and research of the White Shark.
When working with wild animals in their natural environment, it is impossible to guarantee either favorable weather conditions or indeed the
desired animal encounters. Shark Diving International is confident enough in our skill, experience and success history to take this expedition
to market - BUT success is by no means assured or implied.
Shark Diving International was the first company to begin making expeditions to Guadalupe island. Our fist expedition was in September 2001. Over
the last five years we have encountered over 100 individual White Sharks at Guadalupe (honestly we stopped counting at 100). We have seen some
sharks repeatedly over time and have grown very familiar with them. Some White Sharks are easily identified by scars and markings on their bodies.
We do have many favorite sharks that show up on almost every trip. PSYCHO and TOP NOTCH were the stars of our last season. We have named many
of the Guadalupe white sharks by simply using obvious markings or behavior characteristics to recognize them.
Psycho is a very aggressive male shark that is known for biting the boat and cages and other Sharks! This 14 foot male showed up on several
expeditions. Top Notch is aptly named because she has a notch on the top of his dorsal fin. Top Notch was very cooperative throughout the
season. She put on quite the show taking baits from the crane, She liked lifting most of her body out of the water to eat the large yellow fin
tuna we hung from the crane. We learned much more about white shark behavior and communication ability during the season. We do know that
combat is common between white sharks for several reasons such as territorial claims, competition over prey and of course mating rights.
We know that White Sharks are intelligent and sentient beings that communicate and cooperate with one another. Our observations and research
will continue in 2007. Patches was seen again on most of our 25 expeditions to Guadalupe in 2006. "Patches" is a young male white shark
and was only 6 feet long when we first met him, now Patches is over 9 feet long and appearing with the larger sharks. Patches made
an appearances on 8 of the 10 trips in 2003. Patches has a very prominent patch of dark skin on his right side. This darker
pigmentation could be just natural or an old scar. Our clients were very impressed with the different personalities and dispositions
of each individual shark. It is amazing to share space with these wonderful creatures and actually see that they are so very unique
in both looks and character. Spending a great deal of time at Guadalupe and diving many days with these incredible animals has been
an incredible experience. Our passion for these animals is surpassed only by our respect for them.
Our passion for sharks continues to grow with every passing year. While white sharks being the focus in our early days, during our off-season we
traveled around the world to view the destinations we now offer, all the while forging new friendships with others who have the same passion and
respect for sharks of the world. Personally experiencing each location, diving these very waters, getting to know the locals and the hotspots we
have become an authority of when the best time of year is to go and where to stay. We assure you that when you speak with us, we have been there
and we stand behind the fact that all of our adventures we bring to you are of the highest quality, during the height of season, with finest
accommodations and a team of professional local guides supporting us to lead your adventure.
Experience Counts!
