Taken from Luke Tipple's Journal:
"In 2007 a Great White Shark breached a commercial shark diving cage, tearing it to pieces in an effort to free itself from the structure. The video was shot by tourist divers and uploaded to YouTube. This extraordinary accident is a very well known among shark diving operators at Guadalupe Island, Mexico, and has now hit the mainstream media as an interest piece. Over the last 4 years Ive spent over 200 days working with the Great Whites at Guadalupe and know well the circumstances under which this can occur.
News agencies are implying that the shark made a mistake, blindly ramming itself into the cage, destroying it in an effort to free itself. To say that the shark made a mistake is incorrect. The person handling the bait was at fault here.
Time for a lesson in shark diving 101. The hang baits are used as a stimulus to attract the sharks close to the cage. Great Whites are extremely visual predators and the sharks at Guadalupe have become quite accustomed to the baits and the potential for a feeding opportunity (more about this later). The use of baits allow divers to take close-up photos through the viewing port (aperture) of the cage.
The role of the deckhand or bait handler is critical here as they literally hold the sharks (and divers) safety in their hands. Baits should never be allowed to drift in front of the cage as a Great White in full charge does not have much time to maneuver should it find itself headed into an obstacle.
What can we learn?
The lesson here is this accident was avoidable. Correct positioning of the hang-bait is a critical part of being a responsible operator. If the baits are never allowed to sit in front of the cage, especially laying diagonally across a possible and likely path of travel, the chance of a cage breech is greatly reduced. Sure, mistakes can happen but this video is testament to how quickly things can go wrong. This incident was put under investigation by the environmental organization in charge of Guadalupe.
That said I am not trying to slam or discredit the operator (hence no naming names). They are a very experienced and reputable company with a long history at Guadalupe. However, as this video gets more publicity I think it important to acknowledge the mistake and it would be unfortunate to use this as a marketing tool. In the end as operators we are compelled to use the best practices available to keep the animals and our divers safe.
It is worth mentioning that this is an endangered species and the site is a Bio-sphere reserve (like a National Park). Shark Eco-tourism does have its place and has been integral in fostering a research plan and attaining funding for local conservation efforts. This however is a perfect example of what can happen when someone drops their guard or perhaps isn't aware of the proper conduct when working with these animals. For the record the shark got aware relatively unscathed which was fortunate for all involved.
Critics of shark diving are many and this year has seen intense scrutiny of Guadalupes shark diving practices. The future of eco-tourism at Guadalupe is as yet uncertain and it is unfortunate that an isolated accident like this gets more attention than the contribution that operators, including the one in the video, are making to conservation on the island. I hope that as the story progresses we hear someone tell the story straight and that we are spared from the inevitable Jaws rhetoric so favored by mainstream media."
Source - www.luketipple.com
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I've been shark diving down there. It's completely safe. The only reason that happened is becasue the bait was too close, and if you watch carefully, you'll see as the shark enters the cage that its nictating membrane is up over it's eyes, which makes it effectively sight blind. Trust me, that shark wanted out of that cage more than it wanted anything inside it.
cybershark007 1 year ago
This is a joke. I wonder how many people would go diving in these cages if they actually knew that they weren't strong enough to stop the sharks? Either the cages used should be strong enough to stop the sharks or the diving shouldn't be allowed.
astrotrain21 1 year ago
idc what ppl like this moron says great whites obviously want to eat you and everything look how it was trying to get at that man in there he really wanted to get him so the guy covering up for this is full of shit dumb ass!
audiguy87 2 years ago
The only real menace is YOU and the irresponsible and unwillingness of a company to admit to its mistakes.
ceezoors2000 2 years ago
My first coment is directed at the guy who shot the video of the shark breaching the cage.
ceezoors2000 2 years ago
Thank you Luke for setting the record straight. It was the company's irresponsible actions that were at fault. I also like how they show NO CONCERN for the diver when he comes up. No "Are you OK?" Nothing. I did not hear any concerns asked or offered towards either diver on the original video and neither did people that I have showed the original video to view. This company is not good for the cage diving industry.
ceezoors2000 2 years ago
Obviously you don't care about RESPONSIBLE cage diving. You are only in this for your 15 minutes of "look, I am a dumb ass, but isn't this a cool video." It is people like you who are ruining the cage diving industry. You only care about yourself. How sad.
ceezoors2000 2 years ago
Patrick,
I don't believe you meant any harm, but if you had been more educated to the plight of sharks, and the slaughters they face, you wouldn't have put this footage on YouTube, or gone on all those TV shows. There is NO way a Great White shark breaking through a cage can be viewed as good. This was a rare occurance and unfortunately it was broadcast to the world...the damage has been done.
Bill Fisher
15243758 3 years ago
other places have done the same and it has been devastating to the population of white sharks making room for illegal poaching .for sport and commercial they are sought for their fins teeth and meat . even the oil inside them ..its a shame the media got their hands on this . how can you sleep knowing that will happen . i guess your famous now ..... as the guy who killed shark diving in guadalupe and most likely some of the sharks too .
JoeRomeiro333 3 years ago
I can see it's a touchy subject, and it is a huge shame that things have changed for the worse at Guadalupe with the ban on chum and hang-baits... but it's a bit harsh to call this nothing but a fame-seeking stunt. It's not the only cage breach on youtube, and at least in this case the guy was on TV calmly making it clear that it wasn't a mindless attack but an accident. Exact details about the eyes are surely irrelevant to most viewers - the key idea to get across was that it's an accident.
bombstalker 3 years ago