Makos & Blues - a pelagic encounter

[jtresfon 2]

After hearing some good reports of yellowfin tuna being caught at the Canyon (a spot 25nm SW of Cape Point, Cape Town, south Africa) a few friends and I decided to spend a day at sea trying to shoot a few of these fish. My friends are all spearos and my weapon of choice was a Nikon. We went out with Steve Benjamin of Animal Ocean. The sea was very rough with fair size swell and around 20kts of wind. We did not find the tuna, but did manage to attract a few blue sharks and mako sharks. For me the day was characterised more by missed opportunities than by the results that were obtained. I was really sea-sick, worse than any time in the last 5 years despite being at sea every weekend. When Steve reported the arrival of the sharks I really could not have cared less and just lay on the deck heaving. Steve did not relent and would not rest until I had kitted up and dropped over the side. Being in the water did not help much but I took a few decent shots over the course of about 20 minutes. After that I started to throw up in the water and was in danger of drowning so I climbed back in the boat. (I also was no longer concentrating on watching the sharks which is not clever when there are excited makos darting around). I preset the exposure on the camera and handed it to Steve, who spent another half an hour in the water taking pictures. While my own memories of the day were not the most pleasant, I can only recommend the trip to others. These pelagic sharks are stunning, and being out there in the warm clean water, with 600m to the bottom and nothing but you and the sharks is just an experience that words and pictures just cannot do justice to. I will definitely be going back soon, but this time will be taking a few motion sickness tabs before hand!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few more can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtresfon/sets...57623254217886/

 

Regards

Jean.

[Hamish Morrison 0]

As a fellow seasickness sufferer, I feel your pain, but at least you came back with some great images.

 

Hamish.

[loftus 42]

Very cool; what a bummer the day was ruined by seasickness. Really like the second to last image, never saw a close up like that of one of those guys.

How often do folks have mako encounters in that area?

[MikeVeitch 0]

Another great set Jean.. i just hope they weren't spearing the sharks

[Drew 0]

You guys are hard core souls to be chumming in big n choppy swells. It's great that they are still out there. How big was the Mako? The one I saw off Plet Bay were sub adults, about 1.5-1.7m. That blue isn't all that big either.

I doubt Stevie ever gets seasick with his head banging music!

[jtresfon 2]

Loftus: How often do folks have mako encounters in that area? Jeff the mako encounters are more likely during tuna season i.e. Oct/Nov & Feb/Mar. Obviously you need to go with someone that knows how to bring them in. I would say that one could almost guarantee a sighting at this time of year if the fish are around.

 

Mike: i just hope they weren't spearing the sharks. Nope, as can be seen in the pic the spearguns were unloaded. Only certain spearos took the guns in (not everyone is comfortable in the water with several sharks and no means of defense) and they were used only to stop the sharks getting too close. On the other hand the camera guys were trying everything to get closer!

 

Drew: How big was the Mako? There were two makos and they were both small, one about 1.5m and the other less than 1m. The one blue was a bit bigger at about 2m but the others were all small.

 

Drew: I doubt Stevie ever gets seasick with his head banging music! Someone should speak to that guy about that "music"! Everyone on the boat was a bit queasy with the tuna oil and sards slopping around in what was a really big sea, except for Steve who never even looked anything other than his usual enthusiastic self!

 

Regards

Jean.

[Stephen Colquitt 0]

Your brave efforts have produced a very interesting series

[Drew 0]

There were two makos and they were both small, one about 1.5m and the other less than 1m. The one blue was a bit bigger at about 2m but the others were all small.

 

Someone should speak to that guy about that "music"!

 

2m? I would've guessed 1.7-1.8 from your pic with the spearo. Well at least there are still Makos in the area, although I know the numbers have dwindled tremendously.

 

Well about Steve's music, if you've seen his video, you'll know why he's immune to motion sickness. Superfast epileptic with screaming fits!

I know about those big swell with chop. We had similar conditions with 4m swells in the Transkei and only when the boat went almost vertical did we give up and went back in.

I'll give Steve a call and try to do something when I'm in CT in late Jul/Aug after the FIFA madness.

[Mike L 0]

Great pics, sorry to hear about the sea sickness. But at least you came home with some pics and not just fish stories! hahaha

[tdpriest 115]

A great encounter, and evocative images, but a pity about the speargun and shark-handling...

... tho' I do admit to being an eco-purist and am probably prejudiced against spear-fishermen, rather than being rationally opposed. The images do bring back my one and only encounter with a Mako, several years ago, when I was too excited to be worried about the teeth!

 

Tim