Filmmaker's Journal: Great White Sharks 2008

I have been derelict in my RTSea Blog postings, but I have a good excuse. I recently spent two weeks on film assignments back at Isla Guadalupe with the magnificent great white sharks that reside there in the months of September through early December. Then I came home with a whopping head cold. So, let's get caught up . . .

The white sharks at Isla Guadalupe are currently in good health and as stunning as ever. There has been quite an ongoing controversy regarding regulations governing the activities of eco-tourism (shark diving) boats. There is a lot of mis-communication going on and it's not clear as to how it will impact both the operators and the future well-being of the sharks. CONAP, a Mexican government agency, administers the island's biosphere status with a well-intended but sometimes overly critical eye, but the ability for eco-tourism operators to assist the marine researchers that routinely study these animals and the role that these operators play in acting as watchguards to prevent illegal fishing/poaching can not be discounted. We'll see how it all sorts out for the 2009 season.

In the meantime, here is a taste of what these incredible and important predators look like in the clear waters of Isla Guadalupe:


There will be more video clips to come and many clips will be available as stock footage in the RTSea Media Library. These are truly magnificent animals - powerful apex predators that must never be underestimated, but beautiful all the same.

You can learn more about these sharks, the island, and the ongoing research by checking out the RTSea documentary, Island of the Great White Shark.