Whale Sharks

Category: Research | Date: Feb 29 2008 | By: admin

Day 11. Zero sightings. Again. Rob flew up and down, up and down…until we decided to call it a day. The sea was so flat and the visibility was breath-taking at around 40m! Volker and David filmed and took pictures while we waited for sightings that never came. We have just driven all the way back down to Diani and are geared up to continue tagging tomorrow. We have 30 odd people coming on 3 boats to watch us work so I am hoping the Diani sharks are going to be more cooperative than their Watamu bretheren!

We remain positive. Pray for whale sharks galore tomorrow!!

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Category: Research | Date: Feb 28 2008 | By: admin

Oh dear, our first day with zero shark sightings. It was a long, long wait out on the boat today with nothing to show for it at the end! Rob flew up and down like a trooper but there were no sharks at all! The sea was super flat, beautifully calm and the visibility was the best we have seen. Lots of plankton and jellies in the water (perfect whale shark food) but not a one in sight! I feel a bit discouraged but Brent remains positive and delighted with our efforts so far. Tomorrow is another day I suppose.

We passed the time on the boat having free dive competitions, day dreaming and snoozing. Volker and Brent argued over who was going to tag the next shark. David really wants a go but despite his incredible guitar playing last night, both Volker and Brent agree that he is not allowed to get his hands on the USD5000 a piece tags! I didn’t get involved and I didn’t play any feminist cards either. Having never shot anything in my life I am content to simply watch and not fiddle around USD5000 tags! We got hungry (probably just bored with no sharks to tag) and Rob dropped us a food packet from the air. He missed the boat so Brent had to swim out and collect the bag. It was hysterical. What would we do without Rob?

 David and I had a lovely dive with Steve Curtis though at the start of the day. We missed the rest of our team though (Brent and Volker)! The vis really was nice and David had his fancy camera out so he looked the part.

We are doing a presentation tonight for the guests here at Hemingways. Tomorrow is our last day here and we will head back to Diani after a day of (hopefuly) fantastic tagging.

Our saving grace is this though - GOOD NEWS, our first streamer (identity tag) “K001″ from last year was seen just off Mafia island in Tanzania. This is really exciting and tells us that the shark is still tagged and is still cruising around out there. I was going to call this entry “SAVING GRACE” but I didn’t want to over do it with the whole “grace” theme!

Actually another saving grace is that the opposition have signed an agreement with the government today. Peace at last in Kenya. This is such wonderful news for us all. Hope floats. It really does.

And more happy news just in - Rob is coming to Diani to help us spot. So we will have a plane and a micro! What luxury!

 On that happy note, check out this beautiful picture I have just been sent by Mike Cheffing ouf gryo pilot from last week. Isn’t it stunning?

Wish us luck for tomorrow - we still have 3 more days left and are determined to get the job done! I think though that nomatter what this expedition has been a resounding success in so many ways.

Thank you all for your support.

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Category: Research | Date: Feb 28 2008 | By: admin

Day 9 yesterday was another record breaking day. We tagged 2 sharks. Number 13 gave us a little trouble and Volker refused to tag it. Brent took the challenge front one and whale shark number 13 swam away tagged. It was the biggest shark we have seen at around 9 metres. I watched its huge shape disappear into the shadows. Later on we tagged number 14. We watched the shark thrash its tail after the tagging and although we tried to find it again to film we kept missing it. We must have touched a nerve.

The spotter in the plane with Rob was Dickie who did a fantastic job. Eyes like an eagle!

We went for sundowners on Mida Creek and later danced under the stars to David’s amazing guitar playing.

I am rushing off now to dive with Steve and Helen then I will join the tagging boat for another gruelling day of tagging and whale shark spotting!It’s a tough life out here!!

We have 5 satellite tags to go.

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Category: Research | Date: Feb 26 2008 | By: admin

Day 8.

I early woke with a good feeling. I could hear the waves crashing on the beach just outside. I was so excited I couldn’t stay in bed a minute longer. I thought to myself “This is the day!!”

David went up in the microlight with Rob so it was Volker, Brent, Lynne and me on the boat. We left around 11am. It was a beautiful day and the sea was flat although the visibility was “marginal” as Brent politely put it!! We had a lot of time out there, shooting the breeze, dreaming dreams, waiting, hoping…

Volker was snoozing with his hat over his face when he announced that we would have 2 sightings then we would tag on the 3rd sighting. None of us took much notice! Five minutes before the first sighting Volker sat bolt upright. Almost straight away came the call we had all been waiting for. “Whale shark, whale shark!” We missed that one. And the next. Volker tagged the 3rd shark we saw. It was around 3pm. We were heading for home. The micro had about 2 minutes of fuel left. We saw it, jumped in and Volker tagged it. He is an awesome shot! I saw the tail in the gloom. Incredible.

 Then the boat took Lynne and I a bit further forward to catch up with the shark. We jumped in again and swam with it for what seemed like ages. It was “trucking it” as Rob said later, as in it was seriously cruising. We swam until our lungs burnt and our legs ached. For a few seconds I was transported somewhere else. I could see it from head to toe. I could see every spot, every glint of colour, every remora, every swish of its tail. I followed in its wake as though my life depended on it. It was indescribable to be next to the huge shark and when we surfaced, completely out of breath, I was deeply moved.

I close my eyes now and I can see that fish so clearly. When we came back I heard someone comment “Boy, that was a long time to be out on the boat just for a couple of whale shark sightings.” I tell you, it was worth every single second. No doubt. There is something about swimming with these sharks that no amount of money could buy and no words can describe. We know so little about them. And you get a sense of something so mysterious and magical. It is somehow other worldly.

That is us swimming with the shark today. I am calling this entry “Amazing Grace” because that is the best way I can describe how I felt when I was swimming alongside it. I will never forget today.

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Category: Research | Date: Feb 25 2008 | By: admin

Greetings from Watamu! Watamu is north of Mombasa and close to Malindi. We arrived late last night and went straight to the bar to meet Garry Cullen the manager of Hemingways Hotel where we are staying in huge luxury. Garry and I have been emailing for months and it was really nice to meet him at last! We also meet Steve and Helen Curtis who own Aquaventures. They are kindly providing us with a boat and dive gear. Last but not least (and perhaps most crucial) we met Rob Dobson the pilot of the microlight and his girlfriend Lynne. They are providing the vital air support. We all had a lovely evening and a delicious dinner under the stars! A really big thank you to Garry and his team here as they are making our stay so wonderful! THANK YOU!

We woke early this morning and after breakfast we set off. This is the first time I have gone on the boat, as Garry and his team have planned everything for us up here so I don’t have to do my usual admin and planning. For a change I get to enjoy the research and watch the tagging! What a treat :) There were no tourists on the boat either so it was just us. This means the boats can go faster and it is also a lot easier for the researchers to work. It is only possible because Garry and the sponsors are covering all the costs in Watamu.

The microlight went up and we waited for our first shark. Helen was on the boat with us too and we all chatted, passing the time. I was enjoying every minute away from my desk and endless phone calls! We were caught very unawares when Lyn came on the radio - “whale shark, whale shark, whale shark”! In a flurry of excitement we all got into our fins, geared up with videocameras and underwater cameras. The microlight guided us to the shark, talking us through the directions over the radio. When we saw it, I was overcome. It’s been ages since I have seen a shark and this one was a big ‘un!!! Estimated length over 8metres!! Volker was first in the water and tagged it so quickly. I have to admit I didn’t actually see it in the water because the visibility was so bad and it was so moving so fast but I knew it was there!!!

We saw the shark again later that morning complete with its tag and have now just come back. Showered, fresh and ready to blog!

This is the flying machine that makes it all possible.

And here (drum roll please) you have the first ever whale shark to be tagged in Watamu.

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Category: Research, Uncategorized | Date: Feb 24 2008 | By: admin

Rough weather really impeded us yesterday and reminded us sharply of how the elements have a direct bearing on our work. We went out on 2 trips, morning and afternoon and spotted a total of 3 sharks. We were able to tag just one. Nobody but Volker got to swim with the shark and everyone had to brave very choppy waves and high winds.

Our kite surfer friends were delighted with the wind, skipping around with glee, doing all manner of down winders!

On board we had KWS officials and researchers, students from Lulu High School, a representative from Pollmans TUI and a collection of hardcore divers.

We continue to tag today before driving up to Watamu later this afternoon to continue up there until Friday.

Total tags deployed now at 9. We are all but half way through the 19 tags so that is at least something.

Will post later on today’s tagging efforts.

Pray for calm.

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Category: Research | Date: Feb 22 2008 | By: admin

One response so far

Category: Research | Date: Feb 22 2008 | By: admin

Here is the famous picture that David our volunteer took yesterday. He is being very modest about it. I think it is amazing. Of course I suppose the reasoning is you had to be there to appreciate it in full (which I wasn’t). 

I have just talked to the boat and they have tagged one more so far this morning. Total tagged is now 6. Total spotted is 14.

Unlike last year the sharks are all down past Chale island, exactly opposite to last year when they were in Tiwi.

Today on the boat we have lots of our sponsors and friends - Simon Englefield who owns the boat and has very kindly let us use it, his Camp Kenya directors and team, the Al Noor family, owners of Pinewood Village Hotel where the research team are being hosted. They are having an amazing day out there.

Great news is that Mike the gyrocopter pilot can stay and help us on Sunday. He has postponed leaving so that he can assist with air support for that day. We were going to have to use the plane but we have found that the gyro is so much more effective not to mention less than half the cost!! Mike has been an absolute godsend! He is looking for another gyro for us for next weekend when we come back from Watamu for the final 2 days. Tomorrow and Sunday will be our busiest days so far when we will run full day expeditions giving the team a chance to be out there all day working.

As I write Volker has just sms’d to say he has tagged another two - so TOTAL IS NOW EIGHT SHARKS TAGGED IN 4 DAYS!!!!!!!!!

Expedition 2008 is going for gold here!!

More later!!

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Category: Uncategorized | Date: Feb 21 2008 | By: admin

Day 3.

Volker left home very early, around 7am to go up in the gyrocopter to do a survey and shoot some footage from the air. I left later with David and Simon our volunteers and David the KWS spotter. We collected jerri cans of fuel for the gyro. I ate my breakfast as we drove.

We had representatives from the Kenya Tourist Board, Nation Media, Kenya News Agency and the well-known columnist Rupi Mangat as well as several members of the public and some students from Waa Girls School.

They team spotted 5 whale sharks today and Volker tagged 2. Our volunteer from Geneva, David, went down with his super smart camera on scuba and found himself under the shark. He said he just hung there midwater, completely awestruck. In his words, “a moment of grace”. Suspended in time, under the planet’s biggest fish. He has pictures which I hope to upload later for you but the conditions aren’t the best for underwater photography or videography. Volker is determined to get some footage tomorrow and Brent will film while Volker tags.

Part of me can’t believe this is all really happening and that we have tagged 5 sharks in 3 days.

A moment of grace.

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Category: Research | Date: Feb 20 2008 | By: admin

We spotted 5 more sharks today and Volker managed to tag 1. We had Norwegian journalists on board as well some German tourists and our volunteer team. We are all hugely encouraged by this exciting start and hope for better weather conditions for the rest of the expedition. Although the gyrocopter is doing an amazing job, the overcast weather makes it harder to spot the sharks and does not help the visibility for the underwater photographer and videographers.

Volker is going up in the gyro early tomorrow to do some filming and spotting. We have the local press and media on board all day tomorrow. The expedition has been on the local news channel all day and we are front page on Coastweek too.

With a total of 19 satellite tags and a variety of other tags to deploy, we still have a lot to do. Last year we had 3 tags to deploy. It is nice to think that we have done 3 already and we are only on day 2. We are whizzing through the high tech gear and all the fancy camera equipment on board is something to behold each morning.

Some water action shots tomorrow I promise.

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