"Of Shark and Man" Promo Teaser Trailer!

 

I've been a little quiet on here the last three weeks and there's been a very good reason for that.

On Saturday I screened a special promo teaser trailer for "Of Shark and Man" at the Bite-Back Charity Ball, an annual event run by the excellent Bite-Back shark conservation group, an organisation I support, run by some fantastic people with a real commitment to shark conservation so it was a pleasure to be involved and give the attendees a sneak preview of what to expect from "Of Shark and Man."

This year's event was sponsored by Fiji Me and the guests were made up of members of the media and dive community and was also attended by the acting High Commissioner for Fiji and his wife and like all Fijians, they were a joy to spend time with.

The deadline I had was almost impossible to hit but I managed it...Just! The trailer was finished at 3am on Friday morning and I was up to catch a train at 5.30am, the obligatory technical problems of editing HD video on a laptop using software that often doesn't work properly meant I was unable to avoid "squeaky bum time" but I just about managed it. It is by no means perfect however, it gives the first full concept of what you as a viewer can expect from the finished film.

You wanna see the world's biggest Bull sharks in the kind of numbers you won't see anywhere else? You want a totally different perspective on shark conservation? You want a bit of drama? You'll find it all here.

However, there's a catch. This isn't for public consumption so you won't find it anywhere, even on this blog, no embedding, no facebook, no file sharing, nowhere, so how do you get to see it? Easy...

Sign up to the mailing list at www.officetoocean.com just below the "Behind Blue Glass" trailer. There is no spamming, no data collection or any of that nonsense, just updates on this film and future projects so if you want to see it, sign up, it takes sixty seconds. The trailer is hosted privately so you can't see it without a link or a password, this info will be sent out on Monday October 3rd to everyone on the mailing list.

The trailer lasts four minutes and nine seconds and I think you'd agree the leap in quality from previous projects is quite obvious, as for the shark footage, that kinda speaks for itself, Beqa Lagoon is head and shoulders above anywhere else in the world for Bull Sharks and it shows.

Spread the word, get your friends to sign up, things are just about to get exciting...

I will also have "Making it Happen part 4" coming soon, along with news about "Behind Blue Glass" so keep checking back!

As always, I welcome your comments, don't be shy and let me know what you think!

David

Upping the ante!

So, our time here is running out...FAST! I wanna apologise again for the lack of updates but for the last week or so we have been sans internet which has been very frustrating but hey, I'm in the South Pacific, what did I expect?!

The other thing which hasn't been going according to plan either is the weather, the last week or so has seen pretty miserable skies, tonnes of rain and a fair bit of wind meaning surface conditions aren't great and the viz in the water has been variable to say the least. With visibility in mind, it's a bit of a double edged sword, on one hand, the murkier water makes the Bulls in particular more energetic, more unpredictable and they get closer, very close! However, with all that cool stuff going on, the murky water also makes the capture of these sequences very difficult, more action, less clarity. C'est la vie!

Speaking of getting close, that's what the final stages of production will be all about getting even closer to these animals. Being within touching distance of what may be the biggest Bull Sharks in the world is a pretty awe-inspiring experience, to move away from the confines of the walls and barriers which are expertly patrolled by the safety team ensuring all guests leave fully intact is no small matter.

 

Do I think I'm ready to take those next steps? Yes, of course, is it up to me? Hell no! You can't just go and play around with these sharks if you don't know what you're doing or have an understanding of how to handle both yourself and them. Will I be nervous? Yeah, probably a bit but that's not a bad thing, I have no intention of trying to be a hero and if I get the chance and don't feel comfortable, I will say so, there would be no shame in that because not many people at all get to venture out there, certainly not many like me!

 

This film is about relationships, convictions in one's beliefs and courage and all three relate back to the sharks here, my relationship and growing level of communication with these sharks, my relationship with Mike and everyone I meet here in Fiji, and just as important, my relationship with myself but remember this isn't all about me. The courage and belief these amazing people in Fiji have displayed in establishing, protecting and servicing a one off shark diving site which has now become, in my opinion, THE model for shark conservation for the rest of the world to follow is one hell of an achievement. What we can only hope is that there are more people like Mike and his team in other parts of the world with the courage to use this model and really get stuck into saving sharks. I hope so, but I fear not.

 

Going over "the edge" could be a metaphor for many things but in essence it is what it is, challenging one's self to test his own beliefs and ideals of himself and the sharks he loves so much and trusting that they play along. It's about respect, first and foremost respect for the animals, then respect for people putting you in this situation and then, that these guys with perhaps more experience with what lazy wordsmiths refer to as "The World's Most Dangerous Shark" than anyone else on the planet, trust that I am capable of doing it right and that hopefully they respect the reasons why I am doing it and end up respecting me. It's not for the "buzz," will it be a buzz? Of course it will, is that why I want to do it? No. It is all about the above and hopefully putting out a message that "Shark Week" ain't the bastion of all shark truths, quite the opposite in fact.

Anyway, what else? I went out with Hamish this morning to film Papa and Toombi laying the bait bins at around 6am. Now, different people find enjoyment in different things, watching telly, playing sport, playing music, taking all manner of illegal chemicals, whatever, I don't judge so don't judge me when I say getting up at 5am to dump bins full of fish heads in to the sea was a blast. Going down with the bin in that eerie pre-daylight, pre-humanised world and being circled by five friendly (and totally non-threatening) Grey Reef Sharks and joined briefly by a big Bull and a Whitetip Reef Shark was, well, it was mint! Also great to spend some time with Hamish and the unlucky B.A.D Boys who got rostered with the early morning, watching a beautiful sunrise and smelling of rotting tuna. Seriously, that is my idea of fun and I want to do it again, in fact, a proper early morning dive down there would be even better but I don't see that happening.

 

As for the film itself, I'm getting there but this last week ain't gonna be a holiday. There is still a shed load to do, will we pull it off? I sure hope so but time is running out so there is a lot of sweat and tears to go, no blood though as these sharks are thankfully, pretty well behaved...Usually! There are already a few I have become particularly fond of, the really heavy set, powerful and dominant Bulls, Maite, Grandma and Gill and a Grey Reef Shark called Tootsie, although Mike usually refers to Tootsie as "an arsehole" due to her very forthright, confident and aggressive nature but all that makes her a great performer. I prefer "Tootsie."

The big story is still no Tiger and I am starting to get a horrible sinking feeling we won't get one whilst we are here, the day one did turn up, "Adi," I was not diving, instead I was either throwing up or asleep due to a 24 hour bug or some dodgy Heineken, I wasn't told to give the canned beers a swerve here due to issues before so having one as a treat before bed turned into something rather grisly a few hours later but the less said about that the better!

Due to internet issues we have been unable to upload any more video diaries which is a real shame however, to compensate, if we cannot do so in the remaining week, I'll pop a load of stuff up online when I get back by way of an apology to you all.

Finally, Alex and Lisa, tell Sam and Charlie that Uncle David is bringing them back some shark teeth and they couldn't be fresher, a couple of them popped out of the mouths of some very big sharks right before my very eyes, pretty cool eh?

After having said the weather is finally improving, it's just started raining again...Bugger. Let's hope Dakuwaqa gives me a boost and throws some good fortune my way, I want this Tiger so badly...

The first video diary!

Just a quick blog to say the first video diary is up. As promised, I wanted to let you know the kind of gear we are shooting with out here and it also includes some nice sharky footage at the end which  shot a few days ago. It's straight outta the camera so no processing on it but hey, check out all those Bull Sharks!!!

I'm gonna do a blog soon about how this is all affecting me and me feelings at actually being here but today, I'm sick unfortunately so will wait until I'm better to hopefully do it justice.

Incidentally, having missed the dives today due to aforementioned sickness, Mike and Chris, a really nice guy out here on a project called Broadreach, informed me they had one of the Tigers turn up not once, but twice! Damn! However, I am hopeful she'll be back to say hello to me soon.

Enjoy.

www.officetoocean.com

What a load of Bulls!

 

We've been in Fiji now for four full days and the reality of everything is now sinking in through a haze of exhaustion, excitement and the realisation of the task in hand, oh and Mike Neumann's endless jealous remarks about my delightful, milky complexion, cultivated over a year of not really going outside at all.

What can I say about this place? It really is amazing for a whole host of reasons, the weather is outstanding, sure there's been a bit of rain but it's still warm when it does, and lovely and hot when it doesn't, what's not to like?! From our four days here there are two stand out reasons why Fiji is an incredible place though, the people and the sharks.

 

I have had numerous encounters with sharks in many different parts of the world but let me say this and I urge you to take it on board...There is nowhere in the world that offers the kind of diving offered here by Beqa Adventure Divers, nowhere. It is breathtaking and nothing can prepare you for the sheer number of Bull Sharks and also their size, they are huge, really huge!

 

When you have upwards of forty big Bull Sharks and they are coming nose to nose with you (literally!) and you feel that connection between you and them, it is the kind of feeling which puts everything into perspective, all those dreams I have had my whole life are coming true every day and to be honest, it's something I am trying not to overstate, the shark diving here in Beqa, at Shark Reef, is without question THE best in the world that I know of. Bulls, Tawny Nurse Sharks, Whitetip and Blacktip Reef and Grey Reef Sharks are everywhere, you can't turn around without seeing a shark and where else in the world can offer you that? It is mind blowing!

We have done four of these dives now with many, many more to come and we are starting to be allowed to get closer to the action which is quite humbling because this is no cowboy operation. Thes things can't be rushed and if they don't think we are ready, then we don't go closer, simple as that. The staff here, from the receptionist Nani to Mike himself are top notch, not only do they have a world beating shark dive, but they have world beating staff. Friendly, passionate, knowledgeable and most important of all, they have an understanding of the sharks and their behaviour which puts them up there amongst the best, probably the best on the planet. For me to watch and learn from them is truly an honour, it is also refreshing to have seen another side to Mike, those of you who read his blogs may be interested to know he is exactly the same in real life but having had the pleasure of sitting with him watching his shark footage today, what is blindingly clear is that he loves sharks with a passion and respect that I can obviously relate to and with an astonishing level of knowledge.

 

The concept of putting divers in such close proximity to huge, dangerous sharks without the use of a cage is of course a controversial one but here is proof it can be done and to the extreme, we had about sixty Bulls alone on our first dive and to control a situation like that takes the best people, with the best training and with an understanding of shark behaviour the anti-shark feeding, armchair pseudo scientists would do well to look at and learn from. This isn't something just anybody can do and that speaks volumes for all of Mike's staff.

 

Filming has begun of course and we have met and spoken with some wonderful people and I can also confirm that this film will feature footage, never seen before in the world by anyone, seriously, animal behaviour which has to be seen to be believed. 

This certainly isn't a holiday let me assure you, only now, at half midnight local time have I found time to do a blog and send an email, the days are long, it's hot and aside from filming I have the arduous task of downloading and logging all footage shot by myself, Hugh and Hamish who also took these photos by the way. However, I'm having a blast and I cannot speak highly enough of Alfie and all the staff at Uprising Beach Resort who have been exceptional, welcoming and warm throughout our stay here and also put us up in two beautiful villas right on the beach!

I visited the village of Galoa the other day and they were kind enough to let me film there and that has been one of the highlights. They live in what many Brits would describe as "poverty" but their warmth was very humbling, plus, they never stopped smiling and you haven't seen the happiest kids in the world til you come here, everyone is always smiling, it makes a lovely change!

 

 

 

OK, it's late, I'm tired and I still have work to do so that's it for now but keep checking back and I'll keep updating you and if Fiji's broadband will let me, I'll put some video up soon too!

Bula Vinaka!