Last week, the Shark Allies team and a boat full of excited shark divers, set out for out second annual Guadalupe Island trip with Horizon Charters. After our experience last year, it was tough to imagine that this trip could top the last, in any way. Well we stand corrected. We set out roughly during the same week as last year, so we knew that the sharks we would encounter are typically adolescent males. They are punchy, territorial, full of personality and energy. You couldn’t spend more than 20 minutes in the cage without seeing a White Shark. It was truly spectacular.

Although we didn’t see our favorite White Shark, Ropey, we were introduced to 28 different sharks! Absolutely astonishing! One in particular stood out, Dorgin. Drogin is a teeanage male shark, which quite the personality. He never stopped going for the bait and taunting the deckhands, *cough cough Will. Aside from hanging out with all of the White Sharks, we were lucky enough to see Yellowtail, Yellowfin Tuna, Green Sea Turtles and of course Guadalupe Fur Seals, California Sea Lions and Northern Elephant Seals. At night we gazed at the Milky Way and waited for countless shooting stars.

Thank you to Dr. Chris Lowe from CSULB Shark Lab for joining us again, your expertise always makes the trip extremely special for us. Thank you to all of the divers that came along for the ride, your energy and enthusiasm was infectious! And a massive thank you to the Horizon crew, for not only keeping us safe and taken care of, but for your knowledge, positivity and laughs. They are truly top notch. We cannot wait for round 3!

photos by Laurel Irvine