DIVINGS GRAND SLAM

It was a disappointing week. No whale sharks anywhere. The last dive only produced one parrot fish. Tony Eggleston and I had planned this trip to the island of Utila off the coast of Honduras in the fall of '97 because of the 50% chance of seeing a whale shark. We had considered a trip to the South Pacific where whale sharks are guaranteed but had cheaped out. Pat at Roatan Charters had said, "You will love Utila, the diving is great." In this shot I am trying to shoot video of a big fish under the coral.

On top of these problems, my video camera was not working properly. At least Tony's camera was working. At this point, with only one dive left in the week, we were cursing Pat under our breath, were kicking ourselves for coming to this "God Forsaken Place", and rationalizing that the trip was a success because we had seen a jewfish....an eighty pound Jewfish as seen in this picture by Tony. In many areas of the world they no longer can be found. I had not seen one since the 60's when we often saw 200 pounders. Tony said he had not seen one before.

It was false bravado and we both knew it. Chuck North and Beverly White were on the boat with us. They were old dive buddies from the fantastic diving in the waters of Roatan at CoCo View. 

Todays captain was Sean, the son of the owners of Utilla Lodge, Willie Waterhouse (the regular captain) was on his day off. Willie had tried to show us a good time. He had taken us to a seamount, and a number of dive sites around Utila. Compared to the Florida Keys and a number of other dive locations, the diving was great, but compared to CoCo View on Roatan, the diving was only so so. 

We had come to see whale sharks and check them off our list. It just wasn't going to happen. All that time and money wasted. 

We headed out to sea on one last try to see a whale shark with little hope in our hearts. ..... saw a flock of seabirds working a spot in the ocean and headed for it.There was pandemonium on the boat as we got ready to snorkel with the "whale shark". As we came closer we could see its snout stuck up out of the water as it gobbled the baitfish on the surface that had attracted the seabirds. There were whale sharks in Utila. We grabbed for our gear but the whale shark sounded before any of us could get into the water. Chuck managed to get this picture of the beast from the boat.



I was so focused on getting into the water with one that I did not even consider taking a surface shot. At this point, we had a "Hemingway victory" having at least seen a whale shark from the surface. Little did we know what was to transpire over the next hour and a half where it would be non stop whale shark action with a couple of other attractions thrown in for good measure by a friendly King Neptune.

We saw another flock of seabirds working the surface not far away and headed towards it. Again we saw a snout sticking out of the water. It was a small whale shark about sixteen feet long. We hit the water and were able to see it for a fleeting moment as it submerged and swam off into the dark blue depths. We had seen our whale shark. Things were improving...life was good.

The chatter was intense on the boat as each diver climbed back on with their story of seeing the gentle shark. The chatter was stilled as Sean started the boat up and headed for another congregation of sea birds. Could it be another whale shark? When we got close it sounded, but we had seen its snout. Seconds later the boat speeded up and headed for another flock of diving birds. This time we were lucky and were able to get in the water with the 24 footer before it sounded. All thoughts of the failed trip were submerged in the flush of adrenalin as we came back up on the boat. How long could this go on? 

A pattern soon developed as we would see the birds, ready our cameras and free diving gear, and leap into the water next to the gentle giants. They in turn would just leave the pesky divers alone at the surface after a few fleeting moments. We would swim back to the boat and climb aboard chattering excitedly about our last shark. This is what we came for. All the other "so so" dives were forgotten in the excitement of the moment. All I could think of was "is this darned camera working" as often in the raw video I am looking into the camera to check on the tally light.

Again and again we saw seabirds diving and swooping to tell us of our prey. Once when I jumped in, the forty foot whale shark was about a foot and a half in front of me. My video camera only registered spots. I reached out and touched its skin. Beverly was able to get a short ride by hanging on its dorsal fin, and Tony was so close the powerful giant tail almost knocked his mask off. I was just happy to get some more pictures. I knew that no one would believe us without lots of pictures.

As one whale shark swam away, I looked down to see three giant mantas swimming below us. It was another first for us. This was getting exciting.....what else was in store for us on this dive.

Our next group of seabirds was working a school of baitfish with the aid of some fifty or more dolphins. By this time Tony and I were both out of tape....and we couldn't get a dolphin shot. We still jumped in and instead of leaving the dolphins swam around and around us clicking madly.

Shawn took the boat away leaving us at the surface and the dolphins followed riding the bow wave. He turned and came back near us so we could watch the dolphins work the bow wave from under the water. Time slowed down as we relaxed on the surface and enjoyed the encounter. 

Being out of tape under those conditions is a real bummer. Four years later, Debbie Scalise commissioned a sculpture in honor of the occasion and presented it to me at our office Christmas party in December '02. Ok, she actually found it in a little shop in Wilmington, North Carolina, but everyone who sees it knows it is me.

As we approached Utila Lodge, they could hear our shouts from over half a mile away. We were so excited we were jumping up and down. It took hours to relax. I have had fun dives, beautiful dives and interesting dives but never have I had a dive experience that had me so excited.

Tony pointed out that this was "Divings Grand Slam". I had to agree. As we sat around the bar that night, I talked with a dive master who had been on the island 6 months. 

The final count for that morning was diving with 6 whale sharks, and seeing several others from the surface, three manta rays, and that pod of dolphins. The dive master had only seen 8 whale sharks in that whole time. Since that January 98 dive, I have never found anyone that had been that fortunate on what should be considered on dive lasting an hour and a half producing memories for a lifetime. The last dive of the last day of a vacation. Even the ones we saw from the surface were spectacular in the crystal clear water. I wish Chuck had a polarizing filter on the camera....but hell, I wish I had thought of taking some surface shots.

Dad always said, "Quitters never win and winners never quit" He was sure right that day. That night I dreamed of whale sharks, dolphins and mantas. Tony and I asked ourselves, "Would I go back to Utila?" When you go into a casino, place one bet down and win the jackpot, do you stay or walk away with the earnings. Never again would I beat the odds and have that experience. Would I recommend Utila Lodge and the diving to anyone else. That is an unqualified yes. In retrospect the diving was as I have already said far better than most locations. The accommodations are fine, the food excellent, and just meeting and talking with Willie Waterhouse was almost worth the trip. 

And then there is that one perfect morning when you dive with the whale sharks, mantas, and dolphins.

Epilog

I'm glad that I wrote this four years after the fact. I've just looked at the video Tony and I shot and now recognize that there were several exceptional dives on Utila. We were just so focused on seeing whale sharks that we did not appreciate some of the other beautiful diving. Chuck and Beverly go back quite often as they like both the food and diving. Maybe in a year or so, I will go back without whale shark expectations and be ready to fully enjoy other wonderful underwater suprises that almost always happen if you keep your eyes open.

In the fall of 2002, I saw Willie Waterhouse at DEMA at the Utila Lodge Booth. Vegas was blowing his mind as much as those whale sharks blew mine. When I asked if anyone had had that big a day since our lucky day, they shook their heads no. It was one of the trips of a lifetime....Tony and I still can't believe our good luck.

Here are some additional pictures from the trip. All of the pictures on this page are frame captures from Tony's and my video.

A Solitary Atlantic Spadefish wanders in.	Cleaning station.
I video a little ray while a French Angle on the left looks on.
Trying to get some good shots	of the baitfish. Camera failed.
Tony is hanging out at the surface	with Beverly.
"What you looking at bub"	One last whale shark.