Guadalupe
White Shark Diving
In this page:
- Guadalupe White Shark
- Cage Diving
- Guadalupe Island
- White Shark Tours
In Guadalupe white sharks appear every year during long periods of time, making this island the world's most prolific location of great whites.
The Guadalupe White Shark
Great white sharks are older than the dinosaurs, and clearly have outlived them, too. They are known as arguably the most efficient eating machines on the planet.
The white shark, or Carcharodon carcharias, is the main predator in Guadalupe's coastal habitats.
Yet, their reputation as vicious killers who will eat anything without hesitation, including humans, is misleading.
Although they must by all means be deeply respected, observation proves them to be cautious hunters.
And human beings are a far cry from their first choice of a feast... although if that's what's around and they are hungry, we all know what can happen.
Isla Guadalupe
Guadalupe Island or otherwise known as Isla Guadalupe, is a volcanic island which is one of Mexico’s most isolated islands.
Guadalupe Island has the most incredibly unique flora and fauna and is a sheer magnet for marine life, above and below the water, including sharks.
Guadalupe Island lies 160 miles off the west coast of Mexico’s northern Baja California, 270 miles south of Ensenada, and approximately 320 miles south of the USA-Mexico border.
Isla Guadalupe is about 20 miles in length and varies in width from 4 to 6 miles.
Upheaveled black rock and cinder cones display the island's volcanic origins.
The currents of the open ocean wash Guadalupe with crystal clear water which can provide more than 100 feet of visibility.
The temperature of the water is generally between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
This area is the seasonal home of the most prolific great white shark population known to marine biologists anywhere, primarily made up of transitional sub-adults, 12 to 16 feet in long, sleek, and very fast.
The Guadalupe white shark make seasonal appearances. These sharks are generally seen more in the summer and fall months and the island has become an increasingly popular destination for great white shark diving.
Getting to Guadalupe Island
Guadalupe Island can be reached by boat, or by the airplane which departs weekly from the airport in Maneadero, a few miles south of Ensenada.
Cage Diving Guadalupe Island
Cage divers who go down into the amazingly clear and beautiful waters of the island have been known to be surrounded by half a dozen and even more white sharks at one time.
The shark cages are custom built to a size of 10’ x 7’ x 5’ and are made of marine grade aluminum.
Certified welders construct the cages to 100% precision.
They include large entry hatches with doors that open and close with ease in order to allow divers to enter and exit safely.
All cages float of the surface of the water.
The shark cages also have large viewing windows which provide unobstructed photographs.
Cage diving with great sharks first began at Guadalupe Island in September 2005 when Doc Anes of San Diego Shark Diving chartered the Nautilus Explorer to travel down to Guadalupe Island.
It's not an experience for the faint of heart, but for those who love high adventure and get excited by the rawness of nature, seeing the Guadalupe white sharks eying them with obvious interest and brushing their cages with their tails, even sometimes getting playful and biting the cage bars.
Guadalupe Island White Shark Tours
- SharkDiver
Experienced crews. Cage diving. Good vessels with several departures to Isla Guadalupe.
Both MV Islander and MV Nautilus Explorer depart from Ensenada.
Call them by dialing: 415-404-6144. Toll free: +1 855-987-4275.
Guadalupe White Shark: threatened species
Over recent decades, the population of white sharks has been vanishing worldwide.
It is estimated that there has been a 65% to 85% decline in its global population size.
White Sharks are listed as an endangered species in Mexico.
However, unfortunately they do not possess any resources to dispatch park rangers in small enforcement vessels to protect them.
It is unfortunate that the great whites in Guadalupe Island share their territory with large commercial fishing fleets, which puts the sharks in great jeopardy.
The sharks are also targeted by fishermen for their fins, teeth, and jaws.
They are highly vulnerable to overfishing because of their large size, slow reproductive rate, and decreasing population.
Marine biologists also come to the island from Ensenada and USA to study how we might preserve these amazing creatures.
For while they are the largest predatory fish in the world, they are on the endangered species list.
You see, even the great white shark is no match for the predatory powers of mankind.
Return to Home Page from: Guadalupe White Shark
