Shark Dive Adventures

The Discovery Channel takes sharks seriously, since their annual week of television programming they’ve dubbed “Shark Week” draws tons of viewers.  They even turn their Maryland office into a shark for the occasion.

At Incredible Adventures we both love and hate Shark Week.  The television shows definitely help us sell shark dive adventures and some of the programs are very educational and well done.  But unfortunately, some of the shows feature people doing really, really stupid things with and to sharks, and wrongly make sharks out to be horrible killing machines.

Tune in to watch, but watch responsibly.  Remember…sharks need protection from people more than people need protection from sharks!

The Discovery Channel makes their office building into a shark in honor of their annual "Shark Week", a week of television programming dedicated to sharks.

Incredible Adventures has applied for a permit to use a decoy to attract white sharks within the Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary in San Francisco.  Incredible Adventures has already started to shop for the perfect fake seal.

In the past, Incredible Adventures has used hand-made seal-shaped decoys made from a carpet-like material.  This year, Incredible Adventures is hoping to add a new member to its seal family and is actively researching decoy options.

It’s harder than one might think.  The seal must be made out of a material that won’t harm a shark or the ocean and be just the right size.

Incredible Adventures is already busy preparing for this year’s great white shark season in San Francisco, which officially kicks off Saturday, September 25th.  The company offers one day shark diving adventures on select weekends in September, October and November, the prime months for viewing adult great white sharks in the US.

Trips depart from Fisherman’s Wharf for the Farallon Islands, a group of rocky islands inhabited only by seabirds, seals and a handful of scientific researchers.   Each autumn, great white sharks migrate to the area to feed on the local population of Elephant Seals.

This time of year, Incredible Adventures is busy going over equipment lists and making sure everything is in ship-shape condition for another great year of shark diving.  Participants are provided with a 7 mil  (the warmest wetsuit available) to wear while inside the company’s shark viewing cage and each year, a certain number of suits need repairing or replacement.

Incredible Adventures also provides boots, gloves and hoods for staying warm within the frigid Northern California waters.  Just like socks disappear in the clothes dryer at home…..boots and gloves occasionally go missing. Shopping for assorted dive gear has become an annual tradition.

Shark divers are asked to provide their own snorkel mask.  The company advises divers to “break the mask in” before packing it for their shark adventure. (If masks aren’t properly treated, they’ll fog up under water, making it tough to see a shark or anything else.)
To learn how you can join Incredible Adventures for a great white shark expedition in San Francisco, contact Sheri Lewis at 800-644-7382.

Sharky Jillian arrived in the Bahamas earlier this week to make sure everything is set for this weekend’s Tiger Shark Dive Adventure. (There’s still time to join Jill on the boat June 26th.)  It’s a good thing we’ve learned to never take anything for granted.  It seems someone decided to “borrow” our hookah system and returned it in “bad shape” and missing an important piece.  Thankfully, friends on Grand Bahama are helping Jillian make sure it’s fixed and working perfectly for this weekend’s dive trip to Tiger Beach.