Page 246 - The Virgin Islands

s the goats ate any seedlings that man- ou will not see colorful reefs here, awe-inspiring sight of great white sharks
or watch schools of fish, or take nice cruising past and coming towards you.
A Yaged to germinate, no regeneration of
trees was possible. Water, formerly plentiful macro photographs. Guadalupe is all about Depending on your choice of liveaboard

as the common fogs condensed in the for- diving with one creature - the great white safari, you might even be able to exit the

ests of the northern end of the island, today shark. From the safety of a cage you can cage and stand with just a single hand-rail

only occurs in a few scattered pools and enjoy some of the world’s best encounters between you and these awesome creatures.
springs. Because the springs were a criti- Lwith these awesome apex predators. There
cal emergency water supply for the human iveaboards depart from either the city
are only a few spots of earth where great of Ensenada in Baja California, Mexico,

inhabitants, protective measures includ- whites can be seen in such numbers and in or from San Diego in California. The boat

ing goat fences were installed beginning in such intimacy. And possibly nowhere in the journey time to the island is 18 to 20 hours,

2000, allowing new seedlings of many spe- world that has these shark encounters, has so daytrips from the mainland to visit the

cies to survive for the first time in 150 years. such great visibility as Guadalupe Island. sharks are out of the question. Most of

M any island or marine species that re- Uncertified divers are restricted to surface the liveaboard trips include 3 or 4 days of
side on or near Guadalupe also fre- cage diving with air hoses, while certified cage diving. The Guadalupe dive season is
divers can partake in the submersible cage from August to October, when the ocean

quent the Channel Islands, and vice versa. diving with scuba tanks. Over 100 different is calmest, and colder sea temperatures

In stark contrast to the rampant extinction sharks have been counted in the viewing (19°C to 22°C) are to be expected at this

of terrestrial life that happened at the same area by one liveaboard boat. There are no time of year. There is more chance of rain

time, Guadalupe was the last refuge for the dive sites at Guadalupe to speak of. Cages in October. Great whites, tuna, Guadalupe

northern elephant seal and the Guadalupe are lowered into the water at different spots fur seals and sea lions are seen through-

fur seal in the 1890s. Guadalupe is consid- around the island where the operator thinks out the whole of August, September and

ered one of the best spots in the world for the best encounters are likely to be after October. Usually there is a rotation, with

sightings of the great white shark, possibly assessing the conditions of the day. From divers taking turns going into the cages.

because of its large population of pinnipeds. the safety and comfort of a cage you will

spend all your wet-time checking out the