AUGUST 2006 NEWSLETTER

WELCOME TO SHARK DIVING UNLIMTED'S NEW WEBSITE!

Shark Diving Unlimited has been busy over the last few months not only great white shark cage diving but also on various filming projects. The great news is that Shark Diving Unlimited is now able to apply for a permit to freedive with the great white sharks for film shoots! Not only is this brilliant for all those production companies who want to achieve awesome shots of great white sharks but also great news for all you shark lovers out there who'll be entertained and educated by the documentaries! See behind the scenes shots of Mike Rutzen being interviewed for a Discovery film with Dave Salmoni. Check the cable channel for details coming soon! South Africans watch out for Mike freediving on DSTV adverts! News soon on the current filming project with Animal Planet!

BEHIND THE SCENES ON THE DISCOVERY FILM SHOOT	MORNE HARDENBERG WITH PRESENTER DAVE SALMONI AND MICHAEL RUTZEN

Contact mike@sharkdivingunlimited.com for further information.

HOLLYWOOD IN GANSBAAI! Shark Diving unlimited is proud to have recently been the choice for not only Leonardo DiCaprio but also great white shark enthusiast Brad Pitt! Both stars enjoyed great shark action each of the days they visited. Thanks to the discretion of all involved they also managed to enjoy their trips without being mobbed by fans. Brad of course was very generous with his time and stopped for many photographs! Thanks guys you are welcome back anytime!!

SHARK AWARENESS WEEKEND - BLUE PLANET AQUARIUM, UK

Hot off the press!! Shark Diving Unlimited's Mike Rutzen will be lecturing at the prestigious Blue Planet Aquarium in Ellesmere Port, UK! Mike is supporting the aquariums Shark Awareness Weekend by giving a breath taking talk about Great white sharks! New too the presentation is Michael's work with other species of shark; the Caribbean reef shark, tiger shark and the mighty whale shark! A great day out for all the family and a chance to see the aquariums resident Grey Nurse sharks in all their glory! Tickets are available from www.blueplanetaquarium.co.uk for August 19th.

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL DIVE SHOW, UK.

Another treat for the UK! Mike will be a guest speaker at the Birmingham International Dive Show. Many will of heard Michael talk all about his freediving encounters with great white sharks at the show in 2005. New footage will show Mikes remarkable encounters with great white sharks and other shark species whilst filming for a 94 minute Animal Planet production. Don't miss out and join Mike at the Blue Planet stand at the Birmingham show on October 14th and 15th. Tickets available from www.diveshows.co.uk

PADI GREAT WHITE SPECIALTY COURSE

Look out for the October issue of Sport Diver magazine as it not only has an article about Shark Diving Unlimited's PADI GREAT WHITE SPECIALTY course but also a free DVD!!! We had a great time making the film for Sport Diver and were joined by the magazines editor Mark Evans, BBC cameraman John McIntyre, and Rob Bennett and Steve Wright from the Blue Planet! Big shout to all the boys! Visit the Blue Planet and Sport Diver magazine stand at the Birmingham dive show to talk to Mike and grab a copy!

So far for 2006 we have and a fantastic response from all the divers who have joined us for our new 3 day PADI Great white specialty course. Big hello to Ken, Fernando, Teresa Sian, Ged, Guy, Mathew and Andy. Looking forward to seeing you all again in the UK!
Contact suzy@sharkdivingunlimited.com to book you place!

The PADI 3 day Great White Specialty course includes a minimum of 2 great white shark cage diving trips and 1 scuba dive with the Cape fur seals in the infamous Shark Alley! Don't worry our crew's expertise ensures that you will be completely safe whilst diving with true clowns of the ocean! Also in the package is 3 night's accommodation and evening meal at the 4 star Saxon Lodge. Not only home from home hospitality but great food!

The course is hosted by Mike Rutzen and he shall present you with 2 evening lectures explaining all about the biology, ecology, behaviour and conservation of the great white shark. Mikes jaw dropping video footage shows the mysterious world of the great white sharks from beyond the cage! His unique experiences have revealed some of the secrets of the shark's private life, including their social structure, body language and feeding behaviour. You will not only be able to wow your friends with your new shark facts and PADI certification but also with your free DVD of your trip!

THE SHARKS
So enough about Mike - how have the sharks been?! Despite some terrible weather and huge storms we have consistently been sighting sharks. During the winter months the prevailing northwest wind pushes cooler water up the eastern coast to form the Mozambique counter current. This phenomenon is more famously referred to as the sardine run! Not much is known about why only the 2 year old sardines undertake this huge migration. But this is a feast for dusky sharks, copper sharks, blacktip sharks, whales, dolphins, birds and divers alike! Our man on the ground during this fantastic show was Walter Banardis of African Water Sports. He reported an incredible trip! Book early for next years smorgasbord at www.africanwatersports.com

Mean while in Gansbaai, the formation of the sardine run meant that the cooler water is displaced by the warmer water carried down the East African coast by the Mozambique current. We have enjoyed clear water with temperatures as high as 19 degrees centigrade! Positively boiling compared to our 11 degree water we have during the summer months! With each influx of warm water we have had new sharks visit us and most are males. This suggests that the females have already started making the move back towards the shallows. The male have ranged between 2.5 and 4,5 meters and have provided us with some magnificent photo opportunities with many breaching right next to the cage! Luckily our experienced bait handler has lightening quick reflexes and manages to stay one step ahead of the sharks!

WEIRD AND WONDERFUL! As the storms smash on the South African coast they also wash up treasure from the deep! Shark Diving Unlimited was lucky enough to photograph the rare Paper Nautilus. Not just the cases which are often found on the beaches but the actual animal too! Unfortunately this guy was already dead. Nautilus are cephalopods, closely related to octopus. They live at great depths but venture into shallower water at night.