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Heading Out to Sea!
Location: Ensenada, MEXICO
11:00 am
Day 1c
by Wayne & Karen Brown |
The crew of Socorro Aggressor helped us take our gear from the van to the docked yacht.
As we approached the yacht we were very impressed by the vessel. It looked very modern and streamlined and seemed like it was ready to leap out to sea on a moments notice! It looked very spacious and comfortable, too! We were thrilled that this would be our home for the next five days!
We saw that the crew was very busy getting the yacht ready to head out to sea! Some of the crew were securing the three large anti-shark cages onto the diving platform at the stern of Socorro Aggressor. These cages would need to be tied on tight for our long ocean crossing to Guadalupe Island.
We boarded with all of our gear and were taken to our private, comfortable, air-conditioned stateroom on the main deck. (We could tell that this Great White Shark Expedition was going be a lot more comfortable than our Australia Great White Expedition where we were on a tiny boat with no air-conditioning and not even a cabin to ourselves!)
With everything for our expedition loaded and secured onboard Socorro Aggressor we were ready to head out to sea but before we could leave we needed to attend a welcome aboard and safety briefing by our expedition leader and dive master, Rana.
Rana told us all about the Socorro Aggressor and what our days would be like during our expedition...
For meals our onboard chef would have a breakfast ready for us at the start of the day in the dining room. After breakfast there would be snacks for us on the dive deck after breakfast and after lunch so we can grab a quick bite as we are getting in and out of the cages. Lunch and dinner will be hot meals served in the dining room.
As soon as we arrive at our anchorage at Isla Guadalupe (The Mexican name for Guadalupe Island.) the shark diving cages will be put in the water. Our diving day will end at 5 pm, as it starts to get dark, and begin, again, each following day at 7 am.
Rana told us that the weather and sea conditions look good so we will not have rough seas on our 18-20 hour voyage to Isla Guadalupe.
After Rana's briefing and welcome aboard we went out on deck to watch as Socorro Aggressor pulled away from the dock and we began our adventure! As we were leaving a group of sealions sunbathing on the dock casually gazed at us as we sailed away!
Out on the open sea we watched as Ensenada and the coast of Baja California disappeared on our eastern horizon and we could see nothing but sea from sea to sea!
As the sun set we sat down to a nice dinner freshly made by our chef and talked with the other adventurers joining us for a trip of a life-time...a chance to come face-to-face with a Great White Shark!
Tomorrow, if all goes according to plan, this daring group of adventurers from around the world will have their first encounter with the most feared shark in the sea - the Great White Shark!
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TODAY'S DATA
Ensenada, MEXICO
Position: 31º 51' N / 116º 37' W
Air Temp: 75ºF
Weather: light breeze, clear skies
Our expedition dive yacht Socorro Aggressor at the dock.
Mrs. Brown watches the crew secure the shark diving cages onto the stern dive platform.
Our nice comfortable stateroom is ready for us!
A group of sealions lazily gaze at us as we leave the marina.
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