Freediving at Malpelo

Fred Buyle

Set Ref:199

Date:24/02/2010

One of the most amazing spectacles a diver can witness is without any doubt to cross the path of a several hundred hammerheads shark's school. Malpelo is absolutely unique: a 1.6km long and 300m high rock emerging 500km from the shore, the only visible point of an underwater volcanic range which bases lies 4000m deep. The island is exposed to cold currents bringing nutrients thanks to upwelling, a living oasis in the middle of the ocean where all kind of encounters are possible. In July 2006, Malpelo was declared Unesco World Heritage, and a foundation set up to make it a marine sanctuary.

I was contacted by the foundation to place the tags on the sharks using freediving. For that task, freediving allows discretion, mobility and prolonged stays in the water to wait for the shy hammerheads. William Winram the current champion in the constant weight no-fins discipline, able to swim down to 90m, joined me for the tagging.