I just finished at lunch today a book called The Devil’s Teeth by Susan Casey, about her obsession with great white sharks, and the Farallon Islands, 27 miles west of San Francisco. I’d been thinking recently that those island would make a good day trip sometime, and now, here is more of a reason to go!
I’m hooked. Not on my next trip to the bay area, but maybe in Septemeber or October, during shark season (September to December), if the weather is decent, I’d like to make the full day trip out there. The tourist boats are 85 bucks a head, for a 8 am to 4pm trip out of SF.
But damn, does it sound like an appealing idea. I’ve never seen a great white in person, and I think I’d like to do so. But I’m not going to be crazy and go in the water.
My dad once raced boats around those islands, so I’ll have to talk to him about the conditions and gear. If the water is calm, no problems, but as shark seaon approaches, large swells and strong winds become the norm, and a small speed boat may not be the best of ideas.
Anyone interested in going?
Considering our whale watching trip in the fairest of weathers, those last couple lines leave me with mixed feelings. But it does sound exciting.
that sounds great,
I am interested. Please keep us posted with details, Bill.
I do have one request: that we stay clear of the aquatic research facility that’s in that movie “Deep Blue Sea”. Although the title sounds beautiful, it is actually a tragic tale of a perilous journey to safety…safety from the super intelligent and super sized sharks that they were breeding to try to cure Alzheimer’s disease. These sharks were merciless! when Samuel L. Jackson was giving a motivating speech about teamwork and keeping a positive attitude the shark just jumped up out of the water and bit him in half!
that was so freaking cool!
These sharks were capable of breaking down steel doors (underwater doors, of course) in order to terrorize, attack, kill and eat the humans. One can’t help but wonder: if these sharks were so intelligent, why were they so mean?
Hey! Just cause the last boat ride you guys took with me, the boat fell apart (I’ve reglued it since then!), doesn’t mean you should be apprehensive about this next trip. Those big fish, as long as the boat, weighing much more, and very hungry after a summer of starvation (great whites don’t eat as they migrate from place to place apparently) doesn’t mean we should be scared. It’s only an improved challenge!
I hadn’t seen “Deep Blue Sea”. Sam Jackson getting chewed in half? Oh my… Maybe watch that and Jaws the night before heading out to the Islands next…
Maybe they were intelligent enough to know they shouldn’t exist, and that it’s the humans fault for everything. Solution: Eat the humans!
Did you see the article in the LA Times today about the Farallon Islands? You should check it out when you get a chance…. 🙂
LA Times article on kite surfing around the Farallon Islands
No, I hadn’t seen it until this morning, thanks for the heads up!
Oooh…I wonder if any tall ships woud be in the area at the same time…
Count me in though; I need an excuse to get back to the Bay Area for more hiking on the headlands (hopefully while it’s not raining this time).