Get Face-to-Face with the
Great White Sharks
of Guadalupe Island Aboard Solmar V
October
3-7, 2011
5
days/4 nights plus one
optional night in San Diego prior to departure
$2900 person, double occupancy plus 11% Mexican tax
SORRY, THIS TRIP IS SOLD OUT!
Wanna
get face-to-face
with a great white shark?
You may have read about and
seen videos of shark diving in South Africa or Australia, but
you don't need
to travel that far or spend that much money. The best place
to see great white sharks is at Guadalupe Island right off
Mexico's west coast. This time of year the island is crawling
with them!
ABOUT GUADALUPE ISLAND
Located
in the Pacific Ocean approximately 180 miles west of Ensenada,
Mexico, Guadalupe Island has rapidly become the world’s
best location for diving with great white sharks. The visibility
is often more than 100’ and the water temperature averages
between 65F-70F. More
about Guadalupe Island...
GREAT WHITE ADVENTURES
Solmar
V Guadalupe trips are
a joint venture with Great White Adventures, the #1 shark diving
company in North America. Their professional and knowledgeable
staff accompany all our shark trips. GWA is the leader in safety
and technology.
From morning to evening we'll be in the cages, so there will be plenty of time with the sharks. My last trip there was in Oct. 2010 and we saw sharks all day, every day. Sometimes two at a time and up to five at a time. The Solmar V has two surface cages at the back of the boat, each big enough for four people. There's also a submersible cage that we'll rotate through. More about the shark cages...
ABOUT
SOLMAR V
This
vessel has
been running trips throughout
Baja California for over 17 years and has more experience
there than any other live-aboard. This is the ONLY boat we'll
charter
in these waters. She's a gorgeous vessel with warm mahogany
decor accented with etched glass and brass. There are 12
staterooms on board that can accommodate up to 22 divers, but
there will
only be 16 guests on this trip, so everyone will have plenty
of time in the water with the sharks. The cabins on this
boat are small, but there's plenty of storage area. Each cabin
has
its own ensuite head and shower.
TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR OF SOLMAR V
The food on the Solmar V is really good and plentiful! Each morning we'll be served a hot breakfast made to order. Of course they have coffee, tea, cereals and fruit for the early risers. Both Lunch and dinner are a sit-down three course meal. If things get especially active with the sharks, they'll keep the dive deck open and serve up a simpler lunch, such as tacos or sandwiches, so we can eat quick and get back in the water. There is also plenty of snacking between meals too. On top of this, We'll will put in our order for extra chocolate for our charter and Margaritas for happy hour!
DIVING REQUIREMENTS
You
don't need to
be a certified diver to come on this trip since we are on HOOKA, not SCUBA.
You should be comfortable breathing through a regulator
in a cage. The crew of Solmar V will give you an orientation on the boat before
the diving begins.
Here is a video from my last trip to Guadalupe Island
You might not want to come on this trip if:
- you get seriously seasick. The crossing is about 20 hours.
- you are afraid of sharks.
- you are not a fun, adventurous person. No whiners!
Camera
Recommendations
Bring a still or video camera with a wide-angle lens.
The sharks are big and
they do get very close. At least one external strobe is recommended,
but if your camera shoots in RAW format you can get great pictures even without
a strobe.
We'll show you how. There will be no macro opportunities. If you need
help
getting your camera set up for this trip, please contact me ahead
of time. Of course you may just want to come to enjoy the experience
also and leave your camera at home. That's OK too!
Price includes:
- RT luxury bus transfers from the Holiday Inn in downtown San Diego to Ensenada
- 4 nights aboard the Solmar V
- All diving
- All meals while on board
- Photography assistance and instruction
- All beverages
Does not include:
- 11% Mexican taxes
- Air fare if needed
- Crew gratuity - generally about 10% of the price of the cruise...these guys are good!
- Extra nights in San Diego
- Camera rentals
For more information or
to sign up contact Bonnie
or call the Solmar
V office at (866) 591-4906 or (310) 455-3600.
Please remember that this area is very remote. Mother Nature has the final say about where we go and what we see. Visibility, water temperatures, currents, surface conditions can change quickly and as the organizers of this trip we have no control over this. These animals are wild and are in their own habitat. Big animal encounters are totally random and are at the choice of the animal.
Our next workshop at Scuba Club Cozumel is scheduled for July 2012
Ultimate Sulawesi: Lembeh Cottages + Kima Bajo in Bunaken March 2013
The Best of Bali: Menjangan + Candidasa + Nusa Penida Oct. 2013
Solmar V Underwater Photography Excursion in the Socorro Islands Dec. 2013
Truk Lagoon Photo Excursion aboard the Truk Odyssey - February 2014
