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Six gill sharks in Seattle

Eric, Matt, and Simon scuba dive with Hydrus for 6-gill sharks

Posted: 13 August 2008 03:17 PM
Last Update: 16 August 2008 01:20 PM
9 comment(s)
Categories: Features,  Trip Reports
Author: Eric Cheng ( echeng )
This Article's URL: http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/six-gill-sharks-in-seattle/

Six Gill Sharks in Seattle
August 13-16, 2008

Wetpixel's Eric Cheng and Matt Segal are currently out with Simon Rogerson (editor of Dive Magazine) in Seattle in an attempt to photograph six gill sharks (Hexanchus griseus).

We're out here with Hydrus on the M/V Katherine Jane.

Stay tuned -- I've managed to rig up a wireless network here and will be updating this page as frequently as possible with video and still image clips (pseudo-live).

In order to upload as much media as possible, much of it will be rather raw; I apologize in advance.

Please leave us a message and we'll do our best to respond!

How to use this page: To see all previous video clips and slideshows, mouse-over the Kyte video area and look for the show thumbnail to pop up on the left side of the screen. Clicking on the thumbnail will take you back in time. Alternatively, click on the "Shows" tab and select the show you wish to view.

9 Comment(s):

  1. Hey Simon.. you’re a natural on screen!

    Have fun
    Jane and Charlotte

    Posted by Jane Morgan  on  08/14  at  03:31 AM

  2. The most embarrassing is yet to come. Just had a remarkable first night with the sixgills. It’s the most unusual baiting scenario I have ever experienced, but it works: a cage at 20 metres with a big lighting rig suspended above, plus the obligatory big wad of bait.

    These sharks only rise up from deep water at the dead of night, so we had to wait until it was pitch-black before diving. We had some good action tonight, which later became sporadic, but we did manage to see quite a few different individuals, including a 12-foot mama who tried to get into the cage.

    Aside from the sixgills, the bait attracts warring Dungeoness (sp?) crab, spiny dogfish and dozens of chimaeras or, as they call them here, ratfish. Really, the place is alive with them, and they are endearingly clumsy critters, prone to bumping into each other. There’s lots more to be said about the sixgills, but the sun is rising and I’m finally off to bed. Hmmm...this is possibly the first sunrise I’ve ever seen sober.

    Yours warming up,

    Simon Rogerson

    Posted by Simon Rogerson  on  08/14  at  04:50 AM

  3. I´m impressed!

    Posted by Andrej Belic  on  08/14  at  05:01 AM

  4. Looks like you’re getting some great action. It’s kinda cool following your trip online :-) Dont make a habit of sober sunrises though..

    Posted by Jane Morgan  on  08/14  at  06:33 AM

  5. Great photos of the six gills but believe it or not I’m very jealous of the spiny dogfish sightings!  I’ve been trying to film them all summer - off to Scotland next week for a last attempt.  Keep the photos coming :)

    Cheers, Simon

    Posted by SimonSpear  on  08/14  at  01:46 PM

  6. Hey, cool videos and stills.  Seems like you’ve lucked out w/the sixgills.  Looks like great fun, but brrrrr. :)

    Posted by davep  on  08/14  at  10:03 PM

  7. Welcome to the Pacific North-West Simon;
    Just a few hundred miles north off Vancouver Island is Hornby Island.  This is another great location for viewing Six Gills this time of year.  Looking forward to seeing your pictures.
    Derek Holzapfel
    (Pender Island, BC)

    Posted by Dmanh  on  08/16  at  11:30 AM

  8. One small correction to comment 7, Hornby Island is only about 80 miles NW from Vancouver itself. Dove there before in late spring apparently they mate in shallower depths that time of year.  Struck out though.

    Where abouts are you going actually diving? Obviously somewhere in Puget Sound, but right in Seattle?  Would be interested to know as I used to run a lot of courses in the area, and trained out there as an instructor, all looks very interesting.

    Posted by Photo Lama  on  08/25  at  08:20 AM

  9. Well, the exact locations are obviously the preserve of the Hydrus team. Suffice to say that this site was within a 15-minute boat journey from the Des Moines marina. The Hydrus guys monitor various sites in Puget Sound and move their bait/lighting rig around accordingly.

    Posted by Simon Rogerson  on  08/26  at  12:57 AM

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