Edward Spera - Wildlife Artist
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Hammerheads... Part 2

3/10/2016

 
   Our next few days on the water were very rough. " The seas were angry that day my friend " ...for the Seinfeld fans. We found out that during full moon periods sharks become scarce,  heading to deeper water at this time. With some choppy water conditions and lunar cycles working against us we kept our fingers crossed. Such is wildlife though... one day wow and the next day ho hum, but our search continued and the patience paid off. Back in the water we went and were joined by 2 Hammerheads, 2 Bull sharks and a number of nurse sharks. 

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   Hammerhead Sharks have evolved  over millions of years and their appearance is very unique in the marine world. The shape of their head enables them to better skim along the sandy ocean floor in search of their main prey... sting rays. They sweep their heads back and forth like a metal detector and pick up on the electrical impulses given off by the rays. All sharks have this electro-receptive ability. Unfortunately, this amazing advantage leads to huge distractions by underwater electrical lines drastically affecting their feeding patterns. Once again, human development negatively impacting the living world around us.
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Our time with the sharks passed by far to quickly. These encounters have elevated our ever increasing passion for the marine world. Our minds are left spinning with future journeys into the waters of our world. Sadly, we feel pressured to quickly do as much as possible, as the oceans, specifically sharks, continue to lose ground at an alarming rate.

   Try to picture the last documentary ever on shark week ending in a restaurant staring into bowl of soup... tragic and very real.

     Safe travels.                                                                       Edward Spera
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Hammerheads.... Part 1

3/5/2016

 


   Back into the water we go. Over the last couple years I have been creatively moving into the marine world. Following last years experience with Humpback whales we decided to do something with a little more bite (yes, pun intended). How about some quality time with Hammerhead sharks. One of the best places on the planet to see these unique predators is Bimini, Bahamas. This small island lies mid way between the main Bahama Island group and Florida, USA, right on the edge of the gulf stream. As a result marine life such as Whales, Whale sharks and various other types of sharks migrate through this area. The sharks we're searching for here are the Great Hammerheads reaching sizes of 20 ft and over 1000 lbs. These beautiful creatures, like all sharks, are endangered due to humans. Attacks by Hammerheads on humans are rare, but have occurred and no, we were not in a cage.

   Upon arriving we sorted out our dive schedule, double checked our dive gear and double...triple checked the camera equipment. Our first day featured a few regular dives on the local reef to get our feet wet and make sure all was good with the equipment. The next day we started out on our first shark focused dive.  I'm on the still camera and my wife Lisa has the Gopro. The following images are the result...
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   An added bonus was the fact that Bull sharks, which can reach a length of 10 ft.+,  would likely be joining us on this dive. These sharks can be very aggressive and have been linked to attacks on humans worldwide. Shark attacks of any type are incredibly rare, especially in clear water, and 99.9% of shark related incidents are accidents, because the shark thought you were something else. Knowing how to behave and respecting what is around you at all times is half the battle. Our dive started with the immediate presence of Bull sharks.

Bull Shark
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  And a number of Nurse sharks, very passive little puppy dogs of the ocean and up to 15 ft in length,  were also present. If a shark can be cute, this is it.
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​Nurse Shark
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   It didn't take long and off in the distance a silhouette appeared. It was "Hammer Time!" (Ahh come on, it had to be said). 
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Great Hammerhead Shark
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   What a rush. Throughout the rest of our dive, we had 3 Great Hammerheads weaving in and out of our group with the largest being 15 ft. On the edge of our visibility two Bull Sharks circled the perimeter and a half dozen nurse sharks seemed constantly under fin.  At one point a Hammerhead grabbed Lisa's video camera and broke the telescopic pole it was mounted on. ​
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    Today we had an encounter with one of the most remarkable creatures on the planet, the Great Hammerhead Shark. This incredible first day made the trip worth while ten times over. The exciting part is we have just begun. With a couple more days in the water we can only hope to add to this adventure... stay tuned.

    Author

    My Name is Edward Spera.
    I am a Wildlife artist and would love to share my wildlife adventures with you.
    As I travel the world, looking for inspiration I will be sharing what I can along the way.

    Visit my website at  www.speraart.ca

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