Thursday, March 04, 1999 –Atlantis marina, Nassau

G’day to all of you

Stuart came along to show us this amazing phenomenon I spoke about yesterday, tonic immobility. By gently holding on to the cartilaginous sharks tail and turning it on its back it becomes completely still, as if entranced. Having heard about this and tried it myself in Australia with absolutely no success, bar managing to really annoy a few girls in grey suits, I was ready to be thrilled. Normally, the sharks hang around the buoy together with other pelagic fish such as Dorado, Tuna and Wahoo. In the drink, the plan was to entice the sharks in close by putting pilchards in the water. Once they came up close enough, Stuart was going to do his thing. As it happens, there were hardly any fish there and two very shy Silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis). So no tonic immobility. None the less, I love swimming in blue, bottomless pits and we did see some amazing pelagic tunicates (Class Thaliacea, Greek for flourish or bloom) floating around in the water column. Imagine chains of floating see-through airplane turbines with flickering lights along their edges and that will put you into the picture. So slightly disappointed though not dissuaded we headed back to land.

After lunch we boarded the boat again for the more "commercial" shark dive that I have heard so much about. This time we were paid in full. After the dive staff made sure all the punters (passengers) where sat in a semi circle in about 50’ of water a staff member brought down a bait bin to the already waiting 30 or so Caribbean Reef sharks (Carcharhinus perezi). They were very well behaved but would often bump or swim directly towards us just to turn off in the last minute. This was only due to the tight semi circle and their continued interest in the bait bin from which a staff member was taking out fish carcasses with a metal pole and then holding it up for a shark to grab. It was an amazing dive.

Now it may sound no more than a circus, but I think that shark feeds do play a very important role in understanding these important animals. In my opinion it is only through lack of knowledge and education that the world’s is in such a bad state environmentally. Shark feeds serve many purposes. In a very particular way they provide divers new and old with the opportunity to see sharks up close and personal and hopefully realize that they are not necessarily to be feared but to be respected. Through good briefings and even short pre-dive lectures, the partakers are educated as to why sharks are important predators and play an important role in the health of all other marine animals. Thus, they all desperately need to be protected. Hopefully these people will inform none divers about this and something can be done about the shark finning industry. On a broader level, this thinking may even trickle down and make people aware of similar environmental issues.

Tomorrow we head for the Turks and Caicos to pick up some guests from Microsoft. Presently we are parked here at Atlantis marina, which looks to be a very plush area indeed. Finally, let me take this opportunity to thank all of you for your kindest words. It deeply touches me to know that you feel his way and will hope to "serve" you well until I leave. Please remember that all other crew members who are maybe not quite as much in the limelight deserve just as much credit for the jobs that they do. I will also miss them dearly.

Best regards