Info on sixgills requested

[Fishbird]

Hi Everyone,
We are working on pre-production for some segments for my PBS program Jonathan Bird's Blue World in Seattle. I would like to know if there is any one place that has the highest probability to see sixgills? Is there a best time of the year? I heard something about a dive near the aquarium, but I have never been diving in Seattle, so I know pretty much nothing about this.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Best,

Jonathan

 

[Fishbird]

Sorry for the double post....must have hiccuped!

 

[Bill_PNW_Diver]

Hi Jonathan,
Over the last year six gill sightings have been pretty rare around here. From what I've been hearing the best chance to spot them is at some of our southern Puget Sound dive sites.

Here are some resources you might try...

Team Hydrus does a live aboard six gill cage diving charter.
Hydrus - Specialist In Our Aquatic World

The Seattle Aquarium has an excellent program on six gills. They tag and monitor them throughout the Puget Sound.
Seattle Aquarium


Hope this helps!

Bill

 

[Fishbird]

Thanks Bill! Is is true that the Hydrus guys pretty much chum right next to the aquarium? Is that the place to go? I have e-mailed the Hydrus dudes several time and they haven't gotten back to me.

 

[Bill_PNW_Diver]

The Hydrus guys go where the sharks are. When I spoke with them last spring they were seeing them quite regularly in the south Puget Sound but they wouldn't be more specific.

The aquarium has it's own program and they set up their cages right in front of their facility on the pier. In talking with some of the volunteer divers they didn't see any sharks this year but have had a pretty good success rate in the past.

 

[gcbryan]

Hi Everyone,
We are working on pre-production for some segments for my PBS program Jonathan Bird's Blue World in Seattle. I would like to know if there is any one place that has the highest probability to see sixgills? Is there a best time of the year? I heard something about a dive near the aquarium, but I have never been diving in Seattle, so I know pretty much nothing about this.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Best,

Jonathan

You are least likely to see them in the middle of the winter and most likely both in late spring and in the fall.

It seems to be a cyclical thing though. It's been a few years since they have been around in large numbers.

It's possible to see one at any time of the year but that's mainly the smaller ones.

There have been as many sightings at Seacrest Park (just across Elliott Bay from downtown Seattle) as any where. That's partially because of the conditions (gets deep fairly rapidly) and because it is a convenient place for local divers to do their night dives.

Sixgills are generally seen in the 100 fsw or deeper range beginning at dusk. It's not so common to see them much after dawn. There are exceptions to everything of course.

There's always been a certain element of luck in sighting one but during the right years and months and location and time of day, etc. it was much more likely to be able to video/photograph one. Now chumming might be the most likely way.

You should get in touch with Jeff Christiansen at the Seattle Aquarium and coordinate your filming with one of their Sixgill research nights. They video as well. A wide angle lens is your friend with our limited viz waters and something as large as a sixgill!

 

[Fishbird]

Thanks very much for the information. Looks to me like we just found our local expert for the segment!