During the winter months in Southern California,
water temperatures drop below 60 degrees fahrenheit. It’s thought these colder waters
cause juvenile white sharks to head south to the warmer waters off the Baja Peninsula.
This winter, however, I’ve filmed more white sharks behind the beach breaks than in years past.
This scene, recorded just last week, is no longer just a summer scene. Humans, just like the sharks,
tend to be very curious creatures. While a fast majority of shark encounters are non-threatening,
encounters like this are allowing scientists to learn about shark movements and behaviors
around humans. It’s data that is changing how we view these sharks. But it’s not just
the observations with sharks and humans. Much can be learned from interactions with other species.
Here’s a white shark calmly cruising by a couple birds, both don’t really seem to care if the shark
is right next to them. But look carefully, these birds certainly respect the shark. Comically,
both birds dip their heads underwater to make sure it keeps its distance.
The following sequence is some of the most interesting footage I’ve captured in a while.
Notice the amount of kelp floating near this shark.
For no particular reason, this shark suddenly took an interest in the kelp. In fact, as you can see,
it ate a few pieces, or at least appeared to eat pieces of kelp.
I watched it strike at the floating kelp in every direction for about twenty minutes.
One wonders why a white shark would engage in such behavior. The truth of the matter is,
they are inherently curious animals. Whether this shark was hungry or not, is hard to say. But much
of my documentation shows, they will investigate all sorts of random objects. One thing is certain,
it allows for some pretty breathtaking captures of these creatures. Here you can see the full display
of those teeth as the shark swallows the kelp. It’s indeed something you don’t see everyday.
It underscores the value of observation from the air, and it’s opened up many doors for research
observation, and data collection. From filming closeups, to filming this shaking behavior, watch
as the shark expels material from its gills. It is footage that you normally wouldn’t see until now.
Or footage like this. Look how this shark seems to swim momentarily with it’s mouth
wide open. Opening our curiosity even more about these creatures.
The view from above is one that allows us to really appreciate the shark’s form.
For the rest of this video, I will share some of the most beautiful
slow motion footage I’ve captured of this form.
In Slow motion, you can really see the movement and strength of the caudal fin.
Their body shape and in particular their tail design is more characteristic of an
open ocean or pelagic fish with both caudal lobes of equal symmetry.
What does this mean? Well, this type of tail is built for super high speed and propulsion.
These ancient predators have been around since the dinosaurs roamed the earth.
It is believed they have remained pretty much the same in terms of their body design ever since.
They are the perfect fusiform torpedo shape, with a conical snout, and a slender hydrodynamic shape,
it is no wonder that submarines and aircraft have mimicked their design.
These animals are uniquely adapted to their ocean environment with
six highly refined senses of smell, hearing, touch, taste, sight, and even electromagnetism.
It’s no wonder sharks have survived 4 mass extinctions.
Filming them from the side, where you can sometimes see the white underbelly,
for which they are named for, is the hardest to film from above. But when it happens,
you are rewarded with breathtaking views of one of the planet’s most resilient creatures.
This is an animal that has literally crossed oceans. When it comes to movement this apex
predator has broken records with how far it can migrate. A 14 foot female white shark in South
Africa famously swam all the way to Australia and back, a distance of over 13,000 miles.
In the Pacific adult whites sharks make crossings to Hawaii
and to Guadelupe Island on a regular basis, and on the Western seaboard of
the US they head right out into mid Atlantic and as far north as Canada.
As the top fish predators in the ocean,
great white sharks face only one real threat to their survival: us.
This is a white shark with a healed boat strike across it’s back.
Their healing and recovery abilities are incredible.
As I film them, I’ve observed they are very cautious creatures.
Appearing to be calculating and intelligent, much more so than I ever imagined.
Sometimes even curious about the world above.
Peter Benchley once said, “Twenty-five years ago nobody knew much about white sharks.” That saying
may no longer be true. Both for good reason and bad. Unfortunately, shark finning kills an
estimated 100 million or more sharks globally per year. However, there are a host of organizations,
countries, scientists, and people worldwide that are united to help protect these creatures.
Today, many people know about sharks, but there are also many misconceptions about them.
It is a fact, that great white sharks can be dangerous, there’s no denying that, but observing
them behaving in a non-aggressive manner time and time again is very intriguing. It is a different
view than I’ve ever known. One that helps provide a bit of balance to this apex predator of the sea.
Would I want to swim with one in open water at dusk.
Absolutely not, just as I wouldn’t want to be near a grizzly bear in a forest alone.
Great White sharks however, do need to eat. Here is a shark once again appearing
to want a meal on a ray, but somehow deciding it’s not worth the bother.
The interest and curiosity is evident, but this ray lives to see another day.
The obvious question I’m left with is: Would this be the outcome at night?
There’s only one way to find out. Stay tuned.