News
The Shark Whisperers of Beqa Lagoon

Legendary shark experts Ron and Valerie Taylor called it “the best shark dive in the world”. In Beqa Lagoon, brave men feed up to eight different shark species just a stone’s throw from your position. While the sight of the mingling whitetip, blacktip and grey reef sharks and the bigger nurse, silvertip and lemon sharks already provides for a spectacle in itself, it’s the world’s largest bull sharks who steal the show here. That is, until the biggest predator of these waters, the tiger shark arrives on scene. Yet the thrill these ultimate shark dives provoke is not the end goal of the organizing company. It’s part of a clever strategy that provides them the means to protect the sharks.
Shark Circus
As the sun rises over Fiji’s main island Viti Levu we are already on our way to Pacific Harbour, where the unique diving experience is being offered. Through the open windows of our rental car a cool breeze carries the scent of flowers and villagers greet us with a typical loud BULA! (hello, welcome), as we pass them. When we arrive at the dive center, the guides help us to unload our diving gear and within a half hour we are already on our way to Shark Reef. During the 25 minute passage on the Navua river and Beqa lagoon, we get a thorough briefing about the diving spot, the different shark species and the way every diver is expected to behave during the dive. The safety of both the divers and the sharks is a priority. Once on site, we jump into the water one by one and descend along a line down to The Arena, at a depth of 30 meters.
It is clear why they call this site The Arena as it really has a theater like setting. The central open space is lined by a semi-circular, 20 cm high coral rock wall. All participants are asked to sit down behind it. A large number of big bass, pacific jack mackerel and rainbow mackerel is already present, circling the bait containers. As soon as the shark feeders take their positions, the first sharks also appear. The nurse and lemon sharks are a bit of a motley crew. They rush into the arena from all sides, but soon realize they only get a fish head when they approach the feeders from the correct side. Meanwhile, two guides have placed themselves behind the spectators with long, flat-ended aluminum sticks. They gently push sharks that come in too close into the right direction.
Courageous little whitetip reef sharks boldly meander through the much larger shark species, looking for scraps. The silvertips’ behavior is entirely different. These alert and fast hunters prefer to patrol the edge of the arena until they have eye contact with one of the feeders. Then they cross the distance to their benefactor in the blink of an eye, and gobble up the offered food. After a few minutes the arena becomes increasingly crowded as ever more predators, including giant groupers and napoleon wrasse, are attracted by the food containers. Small and bigger coral fish circle ever faster in a frenzy, until they form a spiraling fish tornado. Behind it, we see the shadows of large predators appearing. The bull sharks have arrived! But they know that this is not their feeding spot, and that audacity will only be punished with a push and a tap of the aluminum push sticks. And so they patiently wait their turn.
Safety stop with superior “entertainment”
After 17 minutes, the whole group moves to a platform at 10 meters, and everyone picks a spot behind the rope. This is where the grey reef sharks are being fed. Smart and graceful as they are, they prove to know the procedure well. The platform becomes like a runway when one by one, the grey reef sharks descend, all using the same flight path to the man holding the tube with bait.
For the last couple of minutes of the dive we move once more, this time to a flat reef at 4 meters, to feed the white tip and black tip reef sharks. Extremely shy as black tips generally are, this feeding session provides a unique opportunity to admire this beautiful species from up close.
During the surface interval, a new container of bait is lowered from a separate boat down to our second dive site and our guides elaborate on their job as shark feeders. They come from Beqa Island on the opposite site of Beqa Lagoon and they tell us that they are protected by a pact their ancestors made with the sharks. “We promised to never hurt sharks and in return they don’t bite us”. During the animated conversation we indulge ourselves, snacking on the offered cookies and coconut until we’re completely full. But meanwhile, deep down in the water and attracted by the irresistible scent of fish oil and tuna heads, increasing numbers of hungry apex predators anxiously await our return….
The grand finale
The setting of the second feeding session is once again an open central space lined by a wall, but this one is only 15 meters deep. Inside and near the wall we can see a perforated steel box on the bottom, containing the fish heads for the bull sharks. The shark feeder is flanked by two bodyguards this time, to stifle the possibility of an incident. The bull sharks are colossal and it is immediately obvious that this is no child’s play but a meticulously planned procedure built with expertise and experience. At first the sharks approach the feeders cautiously and calmly. But as the dive progresses, a few of the sharks get impatient and excited and things seem to get a bit hectic. While the group of feeding bull sharks passes, there are also still other sharks in the area and at certain moments the fish tornado moves right in front of our faces. But the guides have everything perfectly under control and any shark that falls out of line is immediately and decisively corrected using the push sticks. I don’t feel unsafe for a single moment.
After a quickly passing half hour, the show suddenly falls silent. The procession of bull sharks stops and the animals move to the background. I look up at the guides, reluctantly preparing myself to go back up, but then I see the reason for the abrupt change in atmosphere appearing. Long as a small submarine and with the unmistakable wide mouth and stripes on it’s back, the king of the Fijian waters has come to claim his share. A gorgeous tiger shark glides slowly and majestically into the open space. His confident, calm moves make it clear that he is very conscious of his power and size. He clearly knows that not a single animal in these waters poses a threat to him. The feeder holds up a large tuna head and we see him opening his enormous mouth while he slowly approaches the feeder. Its large teeth shine and a protective membrane covers its eyes before his massive jaws engulf the food. “What a incredible experience this is!”
The soul of the shark circus
The organization is sometimes criticized because the set up and interaction with the sharks is not natural and the sharks are conditioned by it. The owners of Beqa Adventure Divers (B.A.D.) confirm this themselves, but the show has a much bigger purpose than sensational entertainment by itself.
In 1999, when a dive guide made his first dive at a spot where, according to old sea charts, “Shark Reef” was situated, the only thing he found was a boring slope with debris, no sharks at all and barely some fish or coral growth. It was only after weeks of leaving bait behind, that he finally saw a couple of reef sharks. He then asked the elders of the villages responsible for the reef if he could bring divers along and feed the sharks. Every diver would pay a fee to the village if, in return, the villagers would stop fishing the reef. The elders agreed because they rarely caught any fish on the reef anyway.
Over the following years more and more sharks learned that the sound of a certain boat signaled a free meal. But the activity also attracted more and more other fish and the place gradually became a complete community, a vibrant local marine ecosystem. In 2004 the shark feeding sessions became so popular they were split between two organizations. By that time experts already counted 300 different fish species on Shark Reef, which by then had not been fished upon since five years. Consequently, the fish catches in the neighboring villages were also increasing while the reef owners’ income was secured by the divers’ fees.
Win-win for everyone and especially for the sharks
Now, the proceeds of the shark dives are being used for several noble purposes and the organization has secured national protection of the reef. The Fijian government was convinced of the economic value of the thriving business, because every shark diver contributes to the economical welfare of the country through his overnight stays, his restaurant visits and transport. Moreover, the shark diving operations create jobs. This resulted in a 50 km long passage between Viti Levu and Beqa Island to be declared Fiji’s first shark sanctuary. The whole area is now an official no-take zone under the control of B.A.D. To ensure enforcement, the company trained 12 local rangers. The Swiss non-profit organization The Shark Foundation donated a patrol boat for this purpose. A portion of the proceeds is also being used to plant mangroves on various islands in the country. These function as nurseries for fish species and protect the Fijian coastlines against storm surges. Thanks to the mangrove program, BAD is now also a carbon neutral dive operation and the program has been made available for anyone to copy, to encourage other dive operations to offset their carbon footprint too.
Finally, the diving fees are also used to finance scientific research. The bull sharks’ migration route was investigated by tagging the sharks. The results showed that the sharks frequent all corners of the Fijian waters and even far beyond. With this evidence in hand, B.A.D. is now working with the government to ban shark fishing throughout the country. It is certainly necessary as longlining by foreign fisheries is allowed in Fiji’s national waters and village elders can autonomously decide whether their fishermen are allowed to target sharks (and sell the fins) or not. This despite the fact that the company has amply proved that live sharks represent a much higher value compared to the sale of shark fins.
Safety first
The shark dive companies are very aware that their success or failure depends on the level of safety they can guarantee their customers. Therefore they apply very strict safety rules. It is mandatory for all guests to wear a black diving suit covering the entire body, and black gloves. There are suits available at the dive center. The guides also demand undivided attention from each diver during the briefings. Cameras can only be used with arms bent tightly against the body and the use of an extension handle on a Go-Pro is not allowed. The team of guides generally consists of five people: the shark feeder, two bodyguards to protect the shark feeder and two guides who stand guard for the guests. Moreover, each guest who has less than 30 dives on his record gets a personal guide, while the maximum number of participants on each trip is limited to 20.
Also essential to avoid incidents is of course the training of the shark feeders. Generally new employees are first introduced to other functions within the company, like steering the boat or managing the diving center. Once convinced of the character and skills of a potential feeder, they start a six-month intensive training to learn the strict procedures to follow while feeding. For example, sharks are always fed using the same hand while the other arm is folded tightly against the body and food can only be offered when the shark approaches from the correct direction. If the shark approaches from the wrong direction, then the food is hidden.
In addition, the intern-feeders are introduced into the science of shark behavior. Accompanied by established marine biologists and experienced feeders, the intern-feeder watches numerous videos of past feeding sessions, during which the sharks’ behavior is analyzed. Due to the extensive training and experience of the shark whisperers, there has never been a single bite incident in their many years of operation. The number of shark attacks in Fiji’s waters hasn’t gone up since the startup of the company either. The official explanation for the low number of incidents with sharks in Fiji, despite the large number of sharks living in their waters, is that the rich fish stocks keep the sharks well fed. “But maybe”, we wonder, “it might also have something to do with that mysterious pact the shark whisperers made with the sharks”.
Frame
The Fiji archipelago consists of 333 islands of which only one-third is inhabited. The islands lie extremely isolated in the South Pacific, 4450 km Southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii and 3430 km East of Queensland, Australia. The expansive region (including national waters) covers an area of more than 18,300 km2.
Travel information
Climate
Fiji enjoys a tropical climate. It can be dived all year round. The air temperature is between 25-32°C all year round. The dry season runs from June to October. These months offer the best visibility, but occasionally brisk winds can be blowing. The water temperature drops during this period to a minimum of 22-23°C. The rainy season can be felt between December and April. It is characterized by calm days and warmer water between 26-30°C. The visibility drops slightly in this period but is still up to 20 meters. December to March is hurricane season. Some islands receive considerably more rain than others. The mountains on Viti Levu divide the island between a dry northwestern part and a much more moist southeastern part.
Flights
Korean Air operates flights from Amsterdam to Seoul, South Korea, taking 9 hours 45 minutes and then onwards after a stopover of five hours, from Seoul to Nadi, Fiji in 10,5 hours.
Other companies that offer a smooth transfer are Cathay Pacific and Qantas.
Ultimate sharkdive
Two companies offer the ultimate shark dive at Shark Reef departing from Pacific Harbour.
Beqa Adventure Divers: The two dives take place at different sites. During the first dive, different shark species are being fed on separate levels: 30, 10 and 4 meters. For the second dive they move to a dive site at 15 meters, after which they do a safety stop on the reef. (Semi) professional photographers who join multiple trips are sometimes allowed a spot in the arena next to the feeder. Their ultimate shark dive is offered on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. www.fijisharkdive.com
Aqua-Trek: Both dives are conducted at the same dive site at 18 meters depth. There’s a wreck situated next to the arena, which is used to do the safety stops. In agreement with the guides, photographers are sometimes allowed to sit at a separate spot with better views. Their ultimate shark dive is offered on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. www.aquatrek.com
Stay
Pacific Harbour is a small coastal tourist town with a few moderate to expensive hotels.
We preferred to stay at Maui Palms (www.mauipalms-accommodation.com) at the beach of Korolevu, 35 km from Pacific Harbour. The romantic mini resort consists of 4 well cared for bungalows, which are situated just meters from the sandy beach and beautiful coral reef. At high tide baby blacktip reef sharks swim up to the waterfront and you can snorkel with them. The location is also perfect to visit the other highlights of the area.
Car rental
Multiple international car rental agencies are present in Fiji, but we preferred to work with the local company Khans Rental Cars (www.khansrental.com.fj). They offer the best prices in Viti Levu. Driving the company owner to the bus stop after receipt of our rental car was all part of the adventure.
[hr style=”single”]
Story: Katrien Vandevelde
Pictures: Katrien Vandevelde & Jan Wouters; © BlueShark Conservation; www.blueshark.be
News
Excerpts from Jeff Goodman’s Book Action Camera Underwater Video Basics, Part 1 of 6: Choosing a Camera

Unlike DSLR or dedicated video models, action cameras are far easier to choose and understand. One of the joys of these small devices is that they can produce excellent quality results in their full auto mode even if you have no prior knowledge about video or photography. Other than the positioning or mounting of the camera there seems to be very little else for you to do except press ‘record’ and sooner or later ‘stop.’ However, this does put the camera and the technicians who created it in full control of how it shoots the scene or action that you are filming. the camera is making the decisions for you. this can work pretty well, but does not always produce the best possible results. these cameras are remarkably clever, but alas not intelligent enough to know what it is exactly you are trying to achieve. So with just a little extra knowledge you will be able to choose the right gear, take control of the settings and create video and photos much more to your own design.
A very basic rule is that you get what you pay for. So the more expensive the camera then the more options and add-ons you would expect to be available. At the time of writing, top-of-the-line cameras can cost upwards of £300 (roughly $400) whereas a lower end model may come in at £20–100 ($25–130) and do the required job reasonably well. Let’s look at the basic requirements and discuss additional features which will make your video life far easier and more rewarding.
They will also govern the overall quality of your video. If you don’t already have a camera these are some of the optimal things to look for.
Screen
Most action cameras have a screen so you can see exactly what you are filming. Some do not. As we look to move forward from the basic point-and-shoot way of using action cameras, a screen becomes important. It gives you certainty that all the action is happening within your frame and you are not clipping off anything important. A screen will also show you how your lighting looks. this is especially important when mixing an artificial video light with ambient natural light.
If you have a camera without any sort of screen, I recommend practice and experimentation to get to know exactly what angle your lens covers at any given distance from a subject. Take a shot on land and when you play it back on an independent screen look carefully and note how much of the picture you thought you were taking is actually in frame. Try this for distance shots as well as close-ups.
Depending on what kind of optics your camera has, you will find that underwater the angle of coverage decreases by around one quarter. this is also affected by any additional lens you attach to the outside of your housing — see ‘Accessories: Lenses’ later in this chapter.
Depth rating and construction
Not all action cameras on the market are suitable for diving. Some are only designed to be water resistant, which is good for surface sports such as skiing, cycling or canoeing. Others are fully waterproof but only down to a depth of ten metres, which is good for snorkelling or surfing. For example, the GoPro or the Insta 360.
Be sure you pick a camera (or camera and housing) that has a depth rating suitable for your diving intentions. Most housings are guaranteed down to depths of 30m (100ft) or more, but do be sure and stick to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
Before buying, take a good look at how the housing seals are made and function. Are the closing clips flimsy, or substantial and well-made? The same question should be asked of the hinges.
Resolution and quality
Many cameras offer video resolution of 720p or 1080p. Most also do 2K and 4K. Starting at the lower end, 720p is ‘High-Definition’ (HD), but is only half the resolution of ‘Full HD’ 1080p. This means 1080p has twice as much image detail and produces images that are twice as large in terms of overall pixel count. However, 1080p also takes up twice as much storage space on your memory card. There then follows the issue of having enough computing power to play back the larger resolution files. This especially applies when filming 4K, which has four times the resolution of 1080p. Although you should be able to play these very ‘high-res’ video files on your TV through your camera, it is not guaranteed that your edit computer will have enough processing power to play the files smoothly.
This becomes particularly noticeable when trying to edit and add effects.
720p has 1,280 pixels displayed across the screen horizontally and 720 pixels down the screen vertically. this gives us 720 horizontal lines on the screen. Before HD came in the normal resolution was 480p, standard definition (SD). SD is now seen as very poor quality.
For most people 720p produces a very high quality image and is excellent for editing and posting e.g. on YouTube. If you are able to process and edit 1080p and have a good speed on your internet, then this is the best option for even greater quality. If you are able to process and edit 2K and 4K then the world is your oyster. In short, film at a resolution that you can edit. Do a test. Film something at 2K then try to play and edit it on your computer. If it works well without any pixelation, breaking up or freezing of the image then try 4K. If the 2K doesn’t work then go lower, try 1080p and so on.
However, although 720p is usable at the time of writing this book, technology moves so fast that it is probable this resolution will no longer be used in the near future and be fully replaced by the higher alternatives.
It is possible to edit 2K and 4K on low specification or old computers by using proxy files and online editing. This copies video files to a lower resolution which your edit software and computer can deal with. then before exporting the final edited sequence or film the proxy files are replaced with the original full resolution versions. But this is for those who are experienced with editing software and is beyond the purposes of this book.
An alternative solution is to film everything in the best possible resolution and archive those files for future use. Meanwhile, convert the files you want to edit now into low resolution copies with video converter software. Free versions can be accessed on the web, for example Any Video Converter and Freemake Video Converter.
When shooting at higher resolutions, the image size can be expanded or increased in the edit without too much noticeable loss of quality. This is particularly useful in re-framing your image or taking part of it to use as a close-up. Somewhere between 25–40% is usually as far as you can go before quality loss starts to become noticeable, but this does depend on the overall standard of the original frame where sharpness, contrast and image density are all factors. Higher resolution images are also better for extracting single frames to print out as photos or to use in publications.
NEXT WEEK:
Part 2 of 6 – Underwater Lighting
Action Camera Underwater Video Basics by Jeff Goodman is available now from DIVEDUP Publications:
https://www.divedup.com/shop/action-camera-underwater-video-basics-the-essential-guide-to-making-underwater-films/
About Jeff Goodman
Jeff is a multiple award-winning freelance TV cameraman/filmmaker and author. Having made both terrestrial and marine films, it is the world’s oceans and their conservation that hold his passion, with over 10,000 dives in his career. Having filmed for international television companies around the world and as author of two books on underwater filming, Jeff is Author/Programme Specialist for the Underwater Action Camera course for the RAID training agency.
Jeff has experienced the rapid advances in technology for diving as well as camera equipment, and has also experienced much of our planet’s marine life. He has witnessed, first-hand, many of the changes that have occurred to the wildlife and environment during that time.
Jeff runs bespoke underwater video and editing workshops for the complete beginner up to the budding professional.
Gear Reviews
Gear Review: Zeagle Covert XT BCD (Watch Video)

In a video created exclusively for Scubaverse.com, Jeff Goodman reviews the Covert XT BCD from Zeagle.
Find out more abut Zeagle products at www.zeagle.com.
Sea & Sea is the home of Zeagle and other leading diving brands in the UK.
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