02 Dec, 2007

These predators patrol the waters constantly, looming powerfully into view with a steely sheen.

Over the past few days of diving off the southern coast of Mozambique we’ve dabbled around the Pinnacles area and seen hints of life on this small seamount.

Today the predators were prolific and bold in the water column. We were joined for two hours by numerous Zambezi sharks (Carcharhinus leucas).

This amazing experience is felt largely on a personal level. It’s an unreal feeling to be surrounded by apex predators that make an area their own. But our experience translated well into the video footage, allowing viewers to share it.

The typical view of these shy creatures is a hazy blue space occupied only by colour, rays of sunlight and tiny particles in the water. Out of this vapour appears a small, streamlined form that seems to hover in the distance. With effortless grace the dark speck looms in and takes the form of something that looks like a piece of classified military hardware.

As it comes closer, one starts to notice the steely grey shine on the dorsal surface, and the size of the shark begins to become apparent.

The sunlight adds to the whole scene, and the shark looms large above the lens.

At one point the sharks parted, disappearing for a moment; we became confused for a second or two until a big billfish that snaked between the departing sharks confronted us.

This sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) is a big specimen, and it’s unusual to encounter them swimming freely in the water column.

This footage shows just what sharks typically do: they patrol constantly within their environment, sometimes giving way to other apex predators, but never letting anything go by unnoticed.

– by Graeme Duane, Earth-Touch crew © Earth-Touch

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