Friday, December 31, 2010

A Great White in Fiji!

Click for detail.

Totally amazing!
Yes, this is apparently a picture from Fiji!

The caption reads 'Jaws' of the South Pacific. A shark on the beach, 1956.
I found it by pure chance when leafing through Fiji in the Forties and Fifties, a collection of pictures by local photographer Robertson Rob Ramsey Wright, 1906-1976.

I dispose of no further information.



As Doc just commented White sharks being warm blooded dwell pretty much where they want—inshore to open sea, topical or temperate seas. Also, the latest published Fish list for Fiji, A Checklist of the Fishes of Fiji and a Bibliography of Fijian Fish by Johnson Seeto & Wayne J. Baldwin lists Carcharodon carcharias as a confirmed record.

I have never heard of anybody sighting a GW in Fiji in recent times and would surmise that the records of GWs are very likely more historical than actual, possibly also owing to the quasi disappearance of Humpback whales from Fiji in the 60ies.

But remember this?
And with the Humpbacks staging a tenuous comeback, it appears that one day, we may well be in for a surprise - very much like the good people of Tonga!

Can't wait, actually! :)

5 comments:

OfficetoOcean said...

Hi mate and a Happy New Year to you!

Good post this, I love all the old school shark photographs and in regards to GWs in Fiji I see absolutely no reason why not, of course, you know Fijian waters waaaaaay better than I probably ever will but there are numerous records of White Sharks in areas such as The Bahamas, Mauritius and Madagascar as well as in open ocean environments in South pacific regions. We know GWs have the capability to dive very deep and that deeper ocean troughs and waterways often support larger sharks so maybe they're more regular than first thought, just not encountered by recreational divers? After all, Bull sharks venture as far north as New York so you never know :)

Just a thought anyway!

Have a great New Year and I'll hopefully be in contact with some exciting news soon...

Here's to a successful and sharky 2011!

Sam Cahir said...

Ahhhh, uncle mike a history lesson for you. This shot was taken by a passenger on board the cruise ship 'Oleander' (Blue Lagoon Criusers). The childs name is Aritema, he is still alive and was a supervisor at PWD. The shot was taken in the Yasawa islands on the island of Yasawa-I-Rara. The shark had washed up on the beach. The same shot adorns the walls in his house today.

Also I believe there was an article in the Fiji times Nov 2010 which talked about a Great White being tracked from NZ to within 7 Nautical miles of Yalewa Kalou (Northern most island in the Yasawa Islands group). The shark then allegedly made a direct return back to NZ. (unconfirmed).

Sam Cahir

DaShark said...

Wow Sam - I'm TOTALLY impressed!

So... I guess that from now on, we shall all very much be looking over our shoulder on the Shark Dive! With bated breath!
The more as the Humpbacks are unquestionably transiting thru Beqa Channel - assuming that there's a connection that is!

Just imagine Mrs. Whitey popping up amid a gaggle of Bulls!

(: (:

The Sharkman said...

Bula Mike

Whitey is known to have been found in almost all the world's oceans (except for the polar regions).

Maybe, just like with Malta, the sharks just pass by Fiji to say hello.

I am sure that you and your trusty camera will be there just in case he shows up in the arena.

;-)

DaShark said...

Hear hear Alex, fingers crossed! (: