Curious Shark Comes To Sniff Out Diver Very Closely

To many who scuba dive, seeing large animals while below the water surface is the key experience they always strive for. To others, it is the small minute creatures that also inhabit the liquid that covers 70 percent of our earth.

Domenico, originally from Italy who has been scuba diving for more than 15 years, finally had the opportunity to travel from his home in Vancouver, British Columbia to Guadalupe Island, Mexico to take in one of the scuba diving experiences listed above. Can you guess which one? Well, it was to be in the water with one of the most feared creatures in the ocean, the Great White shark.

These sharks truly are giants, the adult male sharks range in size from 11' to 13'. The females are larger, measuring 16' to 20' and weighing over 4000 pounds. The Great White male seen here was approximately 12 feet long. When it turned and swam straight up at him, he was both nervous and excited. He was hoping he was just going to keep swimming past so he continued recording&rdquo.

Departing Vancouver International Airport for San Diego California was how the trip began. Domenico was then picked up by the tour operator, transported across the Mexican border with the others in the group to board a yacht which they all would be staying on for 1 week. Guadalupe Island is a small volcanic island approximately 150 miles offshore from Ensenada Mexico, taking 18 hours to arrive while aboard the custom yacht. With up to 150 foot visibility, this location offers the best diving for the opportunity to see these animals. A dive spot so rich with a great white presence that little baiting is needed to draw them in close to the cages.

Diving in Guadalupe is all about getting up close and personal with Great White Sharks. There are many sharks here so you will not be disappointed if thinking "What if there are no sharks when I go?"; This location is a mating grounds for the Great White sharks which follows with an 11 month gestation period. They then return to the Baja Peninsula coast to give birth to shark pups. Once giving birth, the adult sharks then repeat the process and return to Guadalupe.

Kept safe by metal cages, divers can take photos, observe their behaviors and maybe even catch sight of a Great White hunting it’s prey. These dive spots help divers and shark enthusiast, in general, enter a new world of understanding for the great white sharks and their inquisitive nature. Safety for the divers is key for all the tour operators that come here and the rules and regulations are governed by the Mexican government. Break the rules and the operator loses their license. The divers are directed to not touch the animals, no matter how inviting it seems. At the time this was recorded, Domenico was permitted to be outside of the shark cage. This apparently is no longer allowed which makes this footage extra special.

"What an experience it was, I could have touched his fin", Domenico explained. "I will definitely be going back."

Some divers have taken this excursion many times and say: "It never gets boring or old. There are always different things happening as the sharks come extremely close."