Great White Shark on Maui

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Jon C:
Hey, that's my picture!!!

I was the one with Blesi from B&B Scuba Maui that got to share the water with "Whitey". Definitely got our attention, especially when it turned toward us. It came within 15 feet before deciding we weren't worth the trouble. But it REALLY checked us out. We ended up hugging the coral...the eels didn't seem so bad suddenly. And yes, the 3 minutes on the anchor line were the longest of my life.

"Safeway Camera"? Hey, that was an MX-10 with a malfunctioning strobe...might have saved my life!!!

Jon

WE'RE NOT WORTHY!!! You get pirate status!!!
Seriously Jon, dive of a lifetime! Great score, I was going to pay $5000 US for that experience. (I think I'd be weighing the risk 3 minute stop/possible GW OR bends....)
 
Bigger boat? No.

New wetsuit? Yep.

Nice picture!

- David

Jon C:
Hey, that's my picture!!!

I was the one with Blesi from B&B Scuba Maui that got to share the water with "Whitey". Definitely got our attention, especially when it turned toward us. It came within 15 feet before deciding we weren't worth the trouble. But it REALLY checked us out. We ended up hugging the coral...the eels didn't seem so bad suddenly. And yes, the 3 minutes on the anchor line were the longest of my life.

"Safeway Camera"? Hey, that was an MX-10 with a malfunctioning strobe...might have saved my life!!!

Jon
 
Jon,
I've totally got to give it to you for doing the safety stop. You were diving with your head on straight that day. I love sharks and don't know if I would have been able to do it even though you "know" the shark has already gone by.
Two things really stand out to me about your quite recounting of the story. The fact that it checked you out instead of just swimming by scares the he!! out of me, but it consciously checked you out and then decided not to go after you. If that doesn't debunk the mindless killer myth, I don't know that will.
That is so amazing.
 
Hey Jon, Welcome to the Scubaboard!

I saw that picture up on B&B's forum when they were discussing it - nice to have the owner show up over here.

I asked a friend of mine who studies sharks in Hawaii, he said GW's used to be very common in Hawaii as many of the teeth found on old Hawaiian clubs, etc. are GW teeth... But they still frequent the waters around here, you were fortunate to be the first to ever get a picture of one in Maui waters - so CONGRATULATIONS!

Aloha, Tim

P.S. I heard a rumor that this photo is a cropped image and that there were snorkelers above - can you verify/debunk this rumor?

Jon C:
Hey, that's my picture!!!

I was the one with Blesi from B&B Scuba Maui that got to share the water with "Whitey". Definitely got our attention, especially when it turned toward us. It came within 15 feet before deciding we weren't worth the trouble. But it REALLY checked us out. We ended up hugging the coral...the eels didn't seem so bad suddenly. And yes, the 3 minutes on the anchor line were the longest of my life.

"Safeway Camera"? Hey, that was an MX-10 with a malfunctioning strobe...might have saved my life!!!

Jon
 
Jon C:
Hey, that's my picture!!!
Just a few comments on composition: good job of shooting upwards; next time bracket the shot and try to get closer to your subject.
 
vladimir:
...try to get closer to your subject.

LOL -

When I first saw this shot I pasted in a pic of my neighbors 10 yr. old snokeling and showed it to him. His response was "My kids are never going snorkeling with you again!" He actually appreciated the humor, but thought it was real at first :D

Tim
 
Wow, where to begin....Thanks to all for your comments.

Tim: good to see you here, too. I am still planning to be on Maui July 19 through....will you be around? No snorklers in the full shot. There were some inside the crater and Whitey could have had its pick, but obviously it wasn't there to feed.

Michelle: Believe me, we had rubber necks. No one else from the boat was in the water with us and had no idea what was going on. If it came back I was planning on pointing at Blesi with one hand and rubbing my stomach with the other to sway its dinner choice. When we got on board, Blesi hand signaled to her husband that we had seen a large shark and one of the students said, "So you guys saw the 5 foot reef shark, too!" Didn't laugh then, but now....
By the way, for $5000 I will wear a rubber shark suit and swim around you in a heated pool humming the "Jaws" music!!!

David: If it wasn't meant to be wet they wouldn't call it...oh, you know what I mean. I really never considered it was a White at the time, just a large shark and part of the show...until I saw Blesi (Maui long-time resident and my mentor) hugging the rocks. That's when reality hit and the photography stopped.

Renee: I CANNOT tell you how intense that moment was...It had no fear. My cat gives me less eye-contact. It has been mentioned that it may not have been hungry, but I have never seen a show that featured GW's that were tired of eating. Who knows what made it leave...or what made it go to Maui.

Vladimir: My plan for next trip is to rub bacon grease all over my wet suit. I hear that will allow me to get closer.

Best to all of you...this is a great forum and I look forward to communicating with all of you again.

Jon
 
mempilot:
.......... Sweet!!
Screw you guys.........I'm goin' home!
 
LOL - now that is funny Jon!

Tim

P.S. if you're up for some shoredives on your next visit drop me a line, I live in Lahaina

Jon C:
Vladimir: My plan for next trip is to rub bacon grease all over my wet suit. I hear that will allow me to get closer.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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