Cocos Island, Costa Rica Expedition / Leg 2 ETP

Connectively Study Jan 17-29, 2011

Jan 17, 18, 19

It is a long travel day to Los Suenos, CR, from the American West. We got on the ship

around 2 am on the 18th

and the guys palled the hook and we left immediately for security

reasons.

Randall, our Costa Rican scientist has had some threats from the Chinese shark fishing

mafia. So we are moving out right away. We have a security detail in the ship for the first

time due to his and our own recent success in battling long lining for sharks in Panama.

It will take two days to set to Cocos.

Jan 20

We arrived at the island at dawn this morning. It was beautiful, Partly cloudy, no wind –

a bit of rain on the top of Cocos. We took a few photos on the way in and dropped the

anchor in Chaton Bay. This is the primary anchorage on the North side of the island and

it is where the rangers check you in.

Three rangers came out and checked us in. They were very professional and polite. We

were a little nervous about this because we have had a few issues in the past. But all went

smoothly, they told us that it was okay to move the ship around and catch sharks and said

they would like to watch.

Once the check in was over we moved the ship to the outside of Manuelito. The currents

seem crazy and change directions all the time. This was going to be the more complicated

fishing for sure.

Tigers and Hammerhead are the target species.

The current was ripping outside of Manuelito. Brett found a sand bottom to drop the

anchor. We were told only to anchor in the sand by the rangers. They wanted us to avoid

coral as much as possible.

Once we were set up it was only an hour or so and Denny looked at me and said, “ I just

got bumped but it feels like something small.” I grabbed the line and felt the bumps he

was talking about. The line came tight and we set the shark up with a light jerk and it

began to rise towards the surface. “David Olson was in the water and he stuck his head

off the water and yelled “Tiger sharks”.

Sweet!

Brett was nearby with Jody in the “Sarah Lyla” (my daughters) a 21ft ponga. They

grabbed Dave and they ran over to the stern of the ship, grabbed the line and moved

clear. We were hooked up and the fight was settling down to normal.

We got in the Contender and moved out to the guys and got everyone in the right boat

(contender) and the fight moved towards buoy management.

Surprising by the shark did not fight much. We quickly got 3 buoys to the front of the

shark’s face and were in control.

We had a difficult time getting the sharks into the cradle after three unsuccessful fly-by’s,

Brett jumped off the contender and into the cradle. We swung around one more time and

Jody handed the line to Brett and he began to pull the shark into the cradle.

While all this was going on the Park Rangers and people from another dive boat got on

the ship to watch.

This always adds quite a bit of pressure to the situation because you never know what

they are going to think. After all they would never seen anything like this.

When Brett grabbed the line from Jody the shark darted into the cradle and he had to

jump on the wall of the cradle like a cowboy jumping over a fence running from a bull, -

Crazy!!!!

The lift came up and the shark that did not fight in the water went absolutely crazy on

deck. It banged around on the sides – it went after the guys and then eventually paused

and we were able to get a towel over her eyes and water into her mouth.

Brandon and Whitney got the tag on very quickly and Alex Horn began surgically

implanting on acoustic tag.

The shark attempted to move again so a few guys literally laid across her tail so she could

not hurt us or herself.

The surgery was over in 6 min and it was time for the release.

Randall named the shark Grisel after his daughter and research in Cocos Island had

begun!

Brett stayed in the cradle and helped Grisel wake up and revive. After a few min she

started kicking and swam away strong.

The Park Rangers cheered as she swam away. They were really full of adrenalin. We

were all relieved. Every one of the sharks feel like they take a piece of me away when

they swim off. – stressful!!!

Randall was thrilled! His research was moving forward and the Cocos Expedition began.

The current kept switching and our guests lingered for a while so we decided to keep the

baits out of the water. One thing I have learned in that you never get greedy when it

comes to the ocean.

We caught a nice shark, got a good release, the rangers were happy so it was time to shut

down for the day.

Jan 21, Roca Sucia (Dirty Rock)

The currents were crazy in the morning when we woke up. Brett and the guys woke up at

4am to try to catch Hammerheads. The conditions were awful. Massive current – it just

was not happening. We woke up Manuelito on the outside of the island and knew we had

to move.

Brett and I took the contender around the island and it was just too rough to fish on the

south side of the island.

I did not realize it at the time that not including Dr. Klimley was a bad idea. I should have

included him. The weather was terrible so we did not even get in the water. The north

side of the island was where it was happening so we moved to Roca Sucio.

It looked perfect when Brett set up the ship. Our chum line was floating right into the

rock.

Oh man it looked good! It felt like it was just a matter of time until we were bit. Then the

crazy currents started. The ship started spinning around from shifting currents and it went

from good to bad instantly.

Brett and the guys dove the rock and the visibility was bad and we broke off one shark. A

pretty disappointing day. I felt like Sucio was going to be good. Wrong!

We needed to get off the full moon a few more days. Hopefully the current will drop and

visibility will improve.

In the evening we move back to Chatam.

Hopefully tigers tomorrow.

During the day Pete and Randall charged out an acoustic receiver outside Manuelito and

Alex and Mauricio changed a receiver at Roca Sucio. The science was continuing to

move forward.

Jan 22, Chatam Bay

It was an exciting morning. Brett and Dr. Alex are going for a submarine ride.

I wanted Brett to go so he could gather information that may help us later in the week.

While they do that the rest of us are going to focus on Tiger sharks as well as Silkys.

It wasn’t long before we had a hook up to a big Tiger shark on the heavy gear. Jody –

Todd – Whitey and I jumped in the contender and began the battle. It was the first time

we were battling a big shark without Captain Brett.

The guys handled their business and in 30 minutes or so we were ready to head into the

cradle. The tag and surgery were quickly handled and we released our first big male

shark. We named the shark Captain Brett. It was emotional for me because Brett has been

with me now since 1998 and much of that we have built would not have happened

without him.

Just after release Brett and Alex returned from their submarine dive. It sounded

AMAZING!

The following entries are from Dr. Alex Hearn

Jan 22nd

2001

Last night, Chris told me that Brett and I would be going on a submarine dive this

morning. Only in December, I had to pass an invitation for a similar trip, much to my

disappointment. At the time, I thought I’d be missing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So

now, only a month later, I was thrilled that my childhood dream of going under the ocean

would come true after all!

The submarine was compact but comfortable. Our pilot, Eric, took us through the safety

procedures and how to communicate with the surface. The sub was equipped with

redundant O2 and CO2 meters. We settled into our seats and watched as the transparent

hatch closed over our heads and we were towed slowly to the dive site.

Our goal was to dive around a shallow seamount know as Everest lying about 70m close

by Manuelita Rock. Apparently, it is a good site for hammerheads. As the current was

strong, we started our dive four hundred meters upstream from the site. The pilot

navigated through the murky gloom by maintaining communication with the tender

vessel on the surface, and correcting the bearing of the sub.

After a few minutes the seamount materialized before us. Due to the distortion effect of

the water it appeared to come up all around us, and the animals seemed tiny until we got

up close to them. We rounded the reef and swung in the lee of the current, looking around

us for those characteristic hammer shapes. But other than a school of Pacific Geolefish

there was nothing to be seen out of the water column. Keeping one eye out for the sharks,

we looked over the reef to find a myriad of life occurring on the rocks. Octopuses were

all over, some appeared to be hunting collaboratively with Mexican hogfish. Cornet fish

hung in little cave entries and a number of moray eels slithered through the rocks, jaws

gaping as they ventilated their gills. A Galapagos grouper peered curiously into our little

bubble surprised perhaps at those strange intruders from the world above. Basket stars

crawled over sponges and soft corals. A busy morning at the Everest! We watched,

entranced as the spectacle of life on true reef unfolded before us.

After a while, given that no pelagic fish had appeared, Eric suggested we move back to

Manuelita Rock and check out those cleaning stations.

We arrived at the second cleaning station and almost immediately a hammerhead glided

past us. I looked out and could just make out a school of about 40 hammerheads far

above us. Success at last! This was a big relief because we finally had evidence that the

shark schools were here. After some slow days on the hammerhead front, things were

starting to change. Over the next half hour, we saw several groups of 10-15 sharks, and

the large group came past several times. We also sighted a large shark, possibly a

Galapagos, near the surface. Eric mentioned that they often see hammerhead individuals

swimming singly along the bottom at the shelf break, about a mile and a half out. Captain

Brett was interested in this piece of information, and I think he is planning a trip out there

to see if we can catch them.

Our final destination was a rock around the inside of Manuelita where Eric often sees one

female hammerhead. Sure enough, there she was. I wonder why this particular rock is

attractive to them, and whether it is same female he always sees. At the rocks there were

large groups of cornet fish and leatherbass. As we drifted slowly back to the surface we

were told that the Ocean Team had caught a tiger shark while we were down there.

Captain Brett and I exchanged a glance. We’d just had an amazing underwater

experience, we’d found the hammerheads, and the guys had tagged a tiger. Things were

definitely looking good for the day.

After Capt Brett (the tiger shark) was released and the guys were back from the sub – we

continued to fish on the ship in Chatam Bay. The tiger were here and we were hoping for

more.

Dr. Klimely wanted to go for a dive so we decided to go dive the hammerhead cleaning

station on Mauelita and while doing that, we would fish off the contender nearby and

tend the divers in the SaraLyla. At the same time the guys would fish off back of the

mother ship Ocean.

The divers got in the water and began to see some fish but the current was ripping. It was

going to be tough to get tags in hammerheads. Todd was a couple hundred yards away

fishing by himself for tigers.

Just after the guys settled into the water I heard Todd yell – “Hooked up!”

We grabbed Frapwell (still photographer) and raced over in the SaraLyla to help. I

quickly jumped off and the guys went back for the divers as I assisted Todd. He was

having a hell of a day. Battling the fist tiger with Jody and now looking up another on his

own. He is really maturing.

So we got the full team on the contender and proceeded to get the shark in the lead and

walk it back to the ship.

I was unaware that when we raced over to assist Todd and left the 4 diver by themselves

for 5 min that Klimely got super PISSED!!!

More on that later.

We walked the tiger back to the ship landed her – tagged her and quickly released her. It

was smooth. Todd named her Katie after his on and off lifetime girlfriend Katie. I think

he will marry her one-day.

I found out while we were gone that the team caught and released a silver tip shark and

Michael Butler had named her Valerie after his wife. Silver tips are beautiful elegant

sharks. Perfect for Mike’s wife Val. He’s a very talented and solid guy. I’m grateful he’s

is own the team.

The trip was quickly taking shape. We continued to fish off the ship and the tigers kept

biting.

We caught Owen a juvenile male (a first) tiger and cameraman Michael DeJohn named

him after his nephew.

No too long after that just before dark we got another bite. It was a large Tiger and all

went smoothly and a long female tiger was released. Underwater camera operator David

named her Cloe after his daughter.

Wow – a huge day. The trip was already made we are just getting started.

5 tigers – 1 silver tip had been spot tagged and had surgically implanted acoustic tags.

Randall was set for many years of data collection and learning even if no more sharks

were caught.

It is late – we are burnt – I don’t think we should try to catch 4 tiger in one day again.

Jan 23, Chaton Bay When we woke up this morning everything had changed, the water temperature dropped

5 degrees or so.

Capt Brett and Capt Jody wondered how this was going to impact our ability to deliver

fish to the science team.

It wasn’t long and we were bit on our smaller gear. After a brief battle we had a silky

shark under control and were headed to the cradle.

Catching a couple silkys is key. We tagged 3 at the Rev. Islands and the science team

wanted some from Cocos as well to compare their behavior.

Still cameraman Mark Frapwell named her Audry after his wife.

Earlier this morning when we were making our plan for the day Dr. Klimley, Dr. Hearn

Capt Brett and me had a meeting to get on the same page. During the discussion things

got very heated and I had to ask Pete to speak with proper tone to Capt Brett as he was

raising his voice inappropriately. Brett kept his cool and them Pete and Alex got into a

heated discussion.

They got so pissed at each other that they went nose to nose eyeballing each other.

I thought we were going to have a science “throw down” on deck.

I quickly stepped in between them ad pushed them apart. Then they came back together

again – nose to nose.

Again I got in between them and pushed them back. Alex walked away and calmed down

as we finished our discussion.

These two guys a deep-seated issue with each other and it is manifesting itself on this

trip.

I reminded them that we were on a roll!! We should be thrilled that we have 5 tigers

sharks tagged and that even if nothing else happens the trip was made.

These sharks are going to provide them with the first tiger shark life history data ever!

And with having 6 tagged in the Rev Islands an incredible comparative study will also

occur.

It was time to calm down and focus on capturing more sharks and advancing science..so

we did!

Shortly after our first release we heard a reel screaming on the stern of the ship. We were

bit.

We jumped on ponga off the back of the ship and battled the shark and quickly got buoys

right to the sharks face and headed to the cradle.

A SPOT tag was bolted on its dorsal and an acoustic tag has quickly-surgically implanted

in her and Dr. Alex Hearn named her Sophie after his daughter. Then a good release.

We were on a roll… 2 silkys for the science guys.

It was crazy how things has changed yesterday it was wide open on tiger sharks and

today – none – but silkys are here. A result of the temperature drop????

We continued to fish in Chatam and sent out a dive team to attempt free diving and

tagging hammerheads with a Hawaiian sling.

It is nice to have a mature team that allows us to pursue the science two or three different

ways all at the same time. It requires so much work and money to get here and our team

has grown from all working together on one approach to gathering science, to separating

in up to three teams all pursuing different aspects of science so we are three times as

efficient and providing more specimens for our science team.

The free divers (Mauricio – 2 and Pete 1) tagged three hammerheads – Good work.

While they were gone the real went off again and we were hooked up to a Galapagos

shark. These sharks are impressively strong and worry me as much as any species. They

seem aggressive and agile. At 7-8ft they have the capacity to do dome damage as well.

After battling the shark in a ponga (SaraLyla after my daughters) we put the shark in the

cradle surgically implanted an acoustic tag and released the shark. Whitey (he bolts on

SPOT tags) named the shark Beatrice after his mom.

At 3:15 we all went to visit the ranger station and walked up to a waterfall with a pool at

the bottom of it. Absolutely spectacular and everyone enjoyed the swim and down time.

Jan 24th

We woke up this morning and Brett and I took Pete around the island so he could get a

look at the various locations where hammerheads visited cleaning stations.

We dove Manuelita outside, Roca Sucio, and Alcion. All have minimal visibility and lots

of current. Conditions were bad! Very few hammerheads!

While we were gone the team tagged a black tip shark and Randall was thrilled. He has a

black tip project under way already and this would ass to his sample size.

A park ranger named Moses happened to be on the ship when this happened and named

the shark Allison after his daughter.

We are grinding forward with the science even though the conditions are bad.

Everyone is getting tired.

Jan 25th

Conditions are continuing to deteriorate. The water is getting colder in the N side of the

islands and we are seeing less and less sharks.

It’s wearing on Capt Brett. He is feeling a lot of pressure from Pete to land one in the

cradle. He has led a team of fishermen every morning before down and every night after

dark for the last few days trying to set a hammerhead to bite.

They are just not here in numbers – I feel bad for him. We have had a world-class trip

advancing science so much. But our timing and the conditions has us here with very few

hammerheads. It weighs on Brett.

We got a bite on the ship and it was a Galapagos. It’s interesting to note that so far only

great whites tiger and Galapagos sharks have eaten our whale blubber. All the other

sharks seem to only want to bite pieces of fish.

We landed the Galapagos – a surgically implanted acoustic tag was inserted and Cyndi

was released.

I named this shark Cyndi after the wife a very good friend of mine that joined us on this

trip.

One of our scientists, Randall, has received several threats from the shark finning mafia.

Additionally, our recent work in Panama encouraging the ban of foreign long liners has

put us on the radar of these people backed by the Chinese. With a moment notice a life

long friend of mine came to protect us. He is one of those people that has done much

secret work for the US government and “does not exist”.

I’m grateful for his friendship and he has made us all feel much safer on this Expedition.

Cyndi a Galapagos shark was a small thank you to a lifelong great friend. After that

release and a great lunch from Luis Pete myself Mauricio and myself headed out to try to

dive and tag hammerheads.

We went around the south side of the island and immediately you could tell the water was

5-7 degrees warmer than where the ship was anchored. There was a lot of current at

Alcion but it was warm and blue and we saw a dozen or so sharks right away. There was

a lot of others life there also. A giant school of mullet snapper was balled up rolling

around the high spot. Giant fish in that school - by the thousands. Thin red torpedo like

bodies moved effortlessly into the current.

A massive school of large Amberjacks were there. They often would completely engulf

you when you dove down to tag a passing school of hammerheads.

Yellow fin tuna were breezing through occasionally. Nice ones – 100lbs or by the dozens.

One was trailing long line gear.

There was also a couple of nasty blackfin sharks there that were getting quite aggressive

with us.

On one dive I dropped in 40ft of so and shot a tag into a hammerhead. I was so focused

on this I did not see the 6ft black tip shark making an aggressive move at me.

When I looked to the left just after the tagging, Capt Brett suddenly appeared between the

black tip and me and fended off the shark with his pole spear / HI sling.

It was not the first time he had saved my ass and I’m sure it won’t be last.

Overall we placed 8 tags in hammerheads. Pete – 3 Chris F. – 4 Brett – 1

It was a very successful day in tough conditions. We were grinding hard, pushing the

science forward. I was proud of my team.

While we were on our dive – the science team was pushing forward as well. We placed

two new receivers / listening stations for our tags.

One new receiver was placed inside Manuelita so it could monitor all the movement in

Chatam by Randall and Alex and another was placed at Roca Ulloa by Randall and Alex.

The latter is on NE corner of Cocos.

I love it when new receivers go in the water. It is something that obviously demonstrates

movement forward the science.

New listening points = never collected before data = new information for new policy for

the future.

As my daughter Lyla would say – “It was a good – good day.”

Oh man. I miss my family. Only a few more days at sea.

Jan 26th

Our last day at Cocos began with an aborted dive at Alcion and a submarine dive with me

and Pete Klimley. The conditions were terrible, big currents and a lack of visibility were

the main problems. I don’t want to ever own a sub. It seems very labor intensive and tons

of $$.

Brett and the early morning fishing guys fished the south side of the island trying to get a

hammerhead to bite. They caught and released a black tip shark but no hammerheads. In

the afternoon we put a dive team together to free dive and tag hammerheads. We got 3

out and it got dark.

We returned to the Ocean with about an hour of light and loaded up everyone that not had

a chance to ride around the island and took the contender for a ride.

It was wonderful to watch everyone experience this beautiful place. Cliffs, waterfalls, etc.

etc. It was a great boat ride.

Upon our return we brought down the Explores Club Flag and officially ended the

Expedition.

I spoke about courage and fidelity and about how proud I was of our team’s ability to

battle through the tough conditions and still over deliver to the science from and the

advancement of their knowledge that will lead to the data we need to affect ocean policy

at Cocos and Costa Rica.

We pulled the anchor after dinner and began the 2-day voyage back to the mainland.