Sharks are mostly very gentle creatures. I have had many experiences snorkelling among them on several different trips to Galapagos. I learned to lose my fear on my first trip out carrying my brand new waterproof Go Pro almost two years ago. My guide was so comfortable with the sharks that it was easy to copy his example and just roam among them.
I have now watched with horror "SHARKWATER", a movie partly filmed in Galapagos, that won 22 international awards for its presentation of the endangered shark population. The ocean covers over 70% of our world. When the ecosystem changes in the ocean it certainly affects we who live on the land.
In the movie, Sharkwater, Paul Watson, captain of the Sea Shepherd and a fellow Canadian, is shown as a protector of marine life in the ocean. His boat actively engages with fishing boats who are illegally longlining for fish all over the world.
The first clip is a combination of many clips filmed in Los Tuneles near Isabela Island. The pointed head sharks are the commonly seen very gentle reef sharks that are the only sharks to rest on the ocean floor. The blunt headed sharks in the video are the Galapagos shark. In the video one of these blunt headed sharks whizzed right by my knee. I kind of felt him whistle by. Mid video there is also a scene of several blunt headed sharks in a tidal pool with we snorkellers close at hand. I was just learning how to use the gopro and a boy from Germany took this still as he was trying to teach me how to use the camera.
I am also including several shots of Hammerheads. Some are mine and some are donated by others along the way. Enjoy views of these beautiful creatures.
Finally, I include my swim with the "precious" whale shark. I was out on a diving boat. My usual procedure on these boats is to snorkel above but always talk a diver into taking one of my two cameras below to film. I spotted the whale shark or ballena from the diving boat. We all jumped in and got in position to watch the whale shark as it thundered through, turned around and then came back to have a better look at us. Note the suckers getting a free ride on the whale shark. This event took place near Tortuga Island.
This is the video of my encounters with Galapagos reef sharks. There are several clips strung together.
No comments:
Post a Comment