Page 404 - Mexico Diving From the Caribbean to Pacific Isles

rench sea captain Auguste Duhaut-Cilly quent the Channel Islands, and vice versa.
F remarked on the tall trees on the north
of Guadalupe Island as he sailed past on
January 2, 1827. Of the large tree species
on Guadalupe Island (Guadalupe palm,
Guadalupe cypress, island oak, and Guada-
lupe pine), there were only old individuals
left; California juniper had entirely disap-
peared. As the goats ate any seedlings that
managed to germinate, no regeneration of
trees was possible. Water, formerly plentiful
as the common fogs condensed in the for-
ests of the northern end of the island, today
only occurs in a few scattered pools and
springs. Because the springs were a criti-
cal emergency water supply for the human
inhabitants, protective measures includ-
ing goat fences were installed beginning in
2000, allowing new seedlings of many spe-
cies to survive for the first time in 150 years. such great visibility as Guadalupe Island.
M any island or marine species that re-
side on or near Guadalupe also fre-
cage diving with air hoses, while certified
In stark contrast to the rampant extinction divers can partake in the submersible cage
of terrestrial life that happened at the same diving with scuba tanks. Over 100 different
time, Guadalupe was the last refuge for the sharks have been counted in the viewing
northern elephant seal and the Guadalupe area by one liveaboard boat. There are no
fur seal in the 1890s. Guadalupe is consid- dive sites at Guadalupe to speak of. Cages
ered one of the best spots in the world for are lowered into the water at different spots
sightings of the great white shark, possibly around the island where the operator thinks
because of its large population of pinnipeds. the best encounters are likely to be after
assessing the conditions of the day. From
Y ou will not see colorful reefs here, the safety and comfort of a cage you will
or watch schools of fish, or take nice spend all your wet-time checking out the
macro photographs. Guadalupe is all about awe-inspiring sight of great white sharks
diving with one creature - the great white cruising past and coming towards you.
shark. From the safety of a cage you can Depending on your choice of liveaboard
enjoy some of the world’s best encounters safari, you might even be able to exit the
with these awesome apex predators. There cage and stand with just a single hand-rail
are only a few spots of earth where great between you and these awesome creatures.
whites can be seen in such numbers and in
such intimacy. And possibly nowhere in the
world that has these shark encounters, has
Uncertified divers are restricted to surface