Book at Show or Before?
CDN:
First I must say that as a new diver I have found your publication very informative. Thank you. I have a question regarding the SCUBA Show. My wife and I are considering a live-aboard vacation in 2004. We are looking at the Aqua Cat and the Nekton; both companies will be at your show. Do you think we should wait to book in hopes of show specials. We have never been to a Show and are unsure what to anticipate.

Dale Robbins
Torrance, CA

Most travel exhibitors do indeed offer specials at the show, though I cannot guarantee for sure which will and which won’t. If you are open to dates to book, I would suggest waiting for the show and checking out the specials. Both Aqua Cat and Nekton are good companies, and there are other live-aboards exhibiting at the show as well (for a complete list of exhibitor, with links to their web sites, visit www.saintbrendan.com/exh03_info/layout03.html on the web. This would enable you to really compare shop for the best deal and location and find out if they are offering any show specials.

Editor

Soupfin Sharks Questions
Hi,
My name is Karah and I am doing a report about Soupfin Sharks and I was hoping you could answer a few questions for me. Do humans fish for them and do they kill it while fishing for other animals? Is the Soupfin Shark endangered? If so why?

Karah

Karah,
Soupfins gained their name from when, early in the 20th century, they were caught, fins removed and dried and then sent to the Far East for soup. The real devastation to the soupfin population was during WWII when they were sought for the vitamin A content of their livers. Commercial fishery continues, but on a smaller scale simply because there are not many left. The sportfishing for soupfins is light, and incidental catch is moderate. Soupfins are not endangered but their numbers are much smaller than what they use to be. Divers will sometimes have the pleasure of swimming with schools of soupfin sharks in summer at Catalina Island. Their appearance, however, is never regular and cannot be guaranteed from year to year.

Editor

Intimate Harbor Seal Encounter at Anacapa
Dale:
It was a pleasure to hear you speak at the Solesearcher’s meeting last week. Thanks again for attending our meeting.

We spoke briefly about the encounter with a harbor seal that my buddy and I experienced on Anacapa. We were diving on the Spectre. The encounter took place at Cat Rock. We were in a small kelp bed probably in about 20 to 25 feet of water. The seal stayed with us for roughly 15 min. total — diving repeatedly down to us to check us out. It started with just swimming around us, and then worked up to hovering and looking us in the eyes. Eventually, it would hover, look us in the eyes and feel the top of our heads with one of its front flippers. It also felt our fins. The encounter never felt threatening, just playful like a large dog. We didn’t do anything to touch the seal, it initiated all contact. It was a great experience, and one that I hope happens again in the future.

Andrea Horwatt
via e-mail

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