Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The Bulls are Running!

Pic: Sasha Safonov

Ni Sa Bula Vinaka friends!

Greetings from Shark Reef where the Bulls are running early, fast and furious!
It very much looks like the Main Season is well underway, with your average dive producing 2-3 dozen Bull Sharks of all sizes and dispositions. Whereas some of the big females are displaying the typical skin rashes from when they entered the rivers to give birth, others show deep and very fresh mating scars, a clear indication that the mating season is still in full swing. And then, there's the males: talk about being tattered, emaciated and ravenous! Clearly, Bull Shark sex is nothing for the squeamish!
And, there's a new batch of sub-adults which is always a wonderful sight to behold, as it signifies that the population is healthy and growing.
All-in-all, very exciting times for the feeders and the safety divers, as we often have to re-assert dominance and remind everybody of the procedures, like the requirement to cruise in from the left.

Needless to say, both us and the Clients are having a ball!

And there's a big newcomer, a dark and huge Giant Grouper that appears to challenge the dominance of Ratu Rua! We will obviously name him Ratu Va (Chief number four) and are looking forward to finding out who will turn out to be the ultimate Boso Man. For the time being, they are circling each other warily and engaging in a lot of posturing, with no clear results yet apparent.
To be followed!

Anyway, great stuff and a fabulous start to the 2009 season!

Happy New Year everybody!

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