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Video - whale sharks at Grayton Beach, Florida

Kurt avatar
Admin
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Five Whale Sharks appeared just offshore from Grayton Beach, Florida in the first week of August in 2009. They remained in the local waters for two days. Many of the people chartering Grayton Beach fishing boats and one group of divers photographed and swam with the whales during the two-day event. A Whale Shark is not a whale (mammal) but is a gentle, non-dangerous, filter-feeding shark that is the largest living fish species.

James Griffith, a local firefighter/diver in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida captured the beautiful underwater video. The large school of bigger fish swimming with the whale shark are cobia.

Thanks to Edmond Alexander and James Griffith.




Whale sharks in the Gulf of Mexico. Located right off Watercolor Resort. Kidz Beach kids and instructor Ryan DeVore having a blast!




Whale shark video at Seagrove Beach by Austin Buzzett

Edited

Replies

63
iwishiwasthere avatar
Beach Fanatic
#27
Pretty amazing. That is more calming than any drug!

Thanks for sending this to me and drawing me out of hibernation!
Beach Crab
#28
Whale Sharks video

Thanks for beautiful video-I'll be alot more observant when looking at the Gulf waters now. Sadie's looks like a great dog
Lake View Too avatar
SoWal Insider
#29
Well, I know if anybody wanted to get a WHALE of a Deal on Real Estate, call me!

:clap:
Five Whale Sharks appeared just offshore from Grayton Beach, Florida in the first week of August in 2009. They remained in the local waters for two days. Many of the people chartering Grayton Beach fishing boats and one group of divers photographed and swam with the whales during the two-day event. A Whale Shark is not a whale (mammal) but is a gentle, non-dangerous, filter-feeding shark that is the largest living fish species.

James Griffith, a local firefighter/diver in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida captured the beautiful underwater video. The large school of bigger fish swimming with the whale shark are cobia.

Thanks to Edmond Alexander and James Griffith.

YouTube - Whale Sharks of Grayton Beach
Lake View Too avatar
SoWal Insider
#30
Wanna go surfing in Grayton?
Beach Comber
#31
Five Whale Sharks appeared just offshore from Grayton Beach, Florida in the first week of August in 2009. They remained in the local waters for two days. Many of the people chartering Grayton Beach fishing boats and one group of divers photographed and swam with the whales during the two-day event. A Whale Shark is not a whale (mammal) but is a gentle, non-dangerous, filter-feeding shark that is the largest living fish species.

James Griffith, a local firefighter/diver in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida captured the beautiful underwater video. The large school of bigger fish swimming with the whale shark are cobia.

Thanks to Edmond Alexander and James Griffith.

YouTube - Whale Sharks of Grayton Beach

Thanks Kurt for the post, and to Edmond Alexander and James Griffith for capturing the moment for us all... the music and videography were very well done! :clap:
bamabeachbum avatar
Beach Fanatic
#32
Wanna go surfing in Grayton?


The first sign of whale sharks started back in may in PC, some divers I know got the first glimpse of them. Then I have heard of some off Gulf Shores also. Very rare for them to be in these waters.

As a diver, it would be a thrill to see one!!
Beach Comber
#33
Beautiful!!
Cheapet4 avatar
Beach Lover
#34
I bet that was just to awesome for them to swim an to see how beautiful an amazing those animals are & to be so close to shore!!! All I can say is ..WOW...!!!! I would have loved to be there~!:clap:
Beach Crab
#35
Whale Shark

Five Whale Sharks appeared just offshore from Grayton Beach, Florida in the first week of August in 2009. They remained in the local waters for two days. Many of the people chartering Grayton Beach fishing boats and one group of divers photographed and swam with the whales during the two-day event. A Whale Shark is not a whale (mammal) but is a gentle, non-dangerous, filter-feeding shark that is the largest living fish species.

James Griffith, a local firefighter/diver in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida captured the beautiful underwater video. The large school of bigger fish swimming with the whale shark are cobia.

Thanks to Edmond Alexander and James Griffith.

YouTube - Whale Sharks of Grayton Beach

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I'm making my first visit to Grayton Beach in September and I was already excited but this is beyond all my dreams! I'm an ocean lover that's been landlocked for way too long! Your video reminded me to breathe and dream! Thanks again! LaRita
Beach Comber
#36
Thanks

Thanks so much for sharing. What an amazing sight.
Beach Comber
#37
I can't wait to share this video with my son! He absolutely loves sharks!
Beach Lover
#38
Amazing!

What a spectacular event to have witnessed. Thank you so much for the incredible video. I had been a resident down in Seagrove since 2001 and stuck here in Dallas this summer. I can't wait to get back. Wish I hadn't missed that but that awesome video sure helps.
Beach Crab
#39
Thank you soooo much for this! I wish I was there!!!

missing the action...somewhere in Ms..
Beach Comber
#40
Thank you so much for sharing this!!!
Beach Comber
#41
That was amazing! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing that with us. How beautiful. It so makes me want to be there instead of New York. :clap:
Auggie Gal avatar
Beach Comber
#42
Five Whale Sharks appeared just offshore from Grayton Beach, Florida in the first week of August in 2009. They remained in the local waters for two days. Many of the people chartering Grayton Beach fishing boats and one group of divers photographed and swam with the whales during the two-day event. A Whale Shark is not a whale (mammal) but is a gentle, non-dangerous, filter-feeding shark that is the largest living fish species.

James Griffith, a local firefighter/diver in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida captured the beautiful underwater video. The large school of bigger fish swimming with the whale shark are cobia.

Thanks to Edmond Alexander and James Griffith.

YouTube - Whale Sharks of Grayton Beach

Thank you for the fabulous video! We see Trigger Happy was in there too!
Hi to everyone from St. Augustine-hope to head your way in the fall!
grammyc avatar
Beach Comber
#44
To All Gods Helpers

Five Whale Sharks appeared just offshore from Grayton Beach, Florida in the first week of August in 2009. They remained in the local waters for two days. Many of the people chartering Grayton Beach fishing boats and one group of divers photographed and swam with the whales during the two-day event. A Whale Shark is not a whale (mammal) but is a gentle, non-dangerous, filter-feeding shark that is the largest living fish species.

James Griffith, a local firefighter/diver in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida captured the beautiful underwater video. The large school of bigger fish swimming with the whale shark are cobia.

Thanks to Edmond Alexander and James Griffith.

YouTube - Whale Sharks of Grayton Beach
Thank you KURT, and to all the others! On a day when I am fending off the woes of a family emergency, I get and e-mail from Kurt, by way of GOD. Life in the sea, and viewing such wonders gives me hope like no other. Thank you, Diane
Beach Crab
#45
Beautigul!

Thanks for the notification regarding the sharks swimming off Grayton Beach...what an amazing video. Must have been quite an experience for the divers involved!
Beach Crab
#46
Whale shark

I was out in a one person kayak on the morning of August 7th. I was in the second sandbar off Watersound Beaches and I came upon one of the whale sharks. I had no idea what it was but thought it looked like a whale or a huge ray. It came right over to the kayak and I could see all of the fish swimming with it. It was rather unsettling being out so far by myself with such a huge creature but it was also fascinating!!!
I paddled back in and insisted that my husband go out and see it because I knew that no one would believe me without validation. When he got back to shore told me that it was definately a shark but he didn't get close enough to see what kind. We had a great time telling our great shark story all day. I am so glad to know that it was a whale shark. I wish that I had know what it was that day and I would have spent a lot more time following it.
Yesterday, Aug. 11th we followed a manatee swimming east from Watersound.
I had a fantastic week there!!!
Bob avatar
SoWal Insider
#47
never thought i would see that, thank you
Beach Lover
#48
Whale Sharks of Grayton Beach

Hello SoWAL lovers,

I am so happy to see the responses to the YouTube movie I created with the underwater footage from James Griffith and still photos from Captain Larry of the Dead Fish (I love movie making). Sorry I did not mention my good friend Captain Mike Valintino in the video. I just credited the main characters.

I missed the first couple of days of Whale Shark action off of Grayton Beach and then spent 3 Days in a row looking for them in my boat. Yesterday was a payday. The charter boat Dead Fish first spotted the Whale Sharks off of the Wheel House in Seagrove beach yesterday and most of the Grayton beach launchers gathered for a photo opportunity.

Yesterday I saw the Whale Sharks live, I photographed them (poorly) and I got to touch the dorsal fin of one of the beautiful creatures when it surfaced right next to my boat. I was an amazing experience. Today is ladies day as I will take Leslie Provow, Celeste Cobina and Cynthia (my wife) out to look for them again.

Yesterday the Whale sharks were spotted around 9:30 am about a mile to a mile and a half off the beach. I think there were five whales and they ranged in size from just over twenty feet to just under forty feet long. The water depth in the area is about 60 feet.

After the YouTube post I got a call from USM's Gulf Coast Ocean Research Laboratory in Springs, MS seeking information about the sighting. I was told that the Whale Sharks have been appearing between PC and Orange Beach for a while now. Scientist there are seeking lateral left side head photos of the Whale Sharks for identification purposes. It seems that the spots pattern in the gills/pectoral fin area are all unique to an individual and can be used as "finger prints" to identify them.
Send photos to:

Eric Hoffmayer, Ph.D.
MSAFS President
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
703 East Beach Dr.
Ocean Springs, MS 39564
Ph: 228-872-4257

Kindest regards to all,

Edmond

EDMOND ALEXANDER | MEDICAL ILLUSTRATOR
Alexander and Turner Inc. Medical Illustration Studio
56 Old Miller Place
Grayton Beach, Fl 32459 USA
t 850.231.4112
f 850.231.4142
e edmondalexander@earthlink.net

w www.alexanderandturnerstock.com
w Alexander and Turner Medical Illustration Studio
w www.artfromgraytonbeach.com
​
Kurt avatar
AdminAuthor
#49
Thanks Edmond - we are thrilled to share your fine work. Please keep us up on your further adventures!
aggieb avatar
Beach Fanatic
#50
Mr. Alexander,

Thank you for such an outstanding video. I've watched your other videos and one that stands out to me as well is Mr. Buzz. :wub:
However, the whale shark video I have watched the past 3 nights before falling off to sleep, and as iwishiwasthere said it's more calming than any drug. Again, thank you, I can't get enough of this incredible piece of work.

AggieB

Edited

Beach Comber
#51
totally amazing, fantastic job of filming. god bless to all envolved!

:clap:
Five Whale Sharks appeared just offshore from Grayton Beach, Florida in the first week of August in 2009. They remained in the local waters for two days. Many of the people chartering Grayton Beach fishing boats and one group of divers photographed and swam with the whales during the two-day event. A Whale Shark is not a whale (mammal) but is a gentle, non-dangerous, filter-feeding shark that is the largest living fish species.

James Griffith, a local firefighter/diver in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida captured the beautiful underwater video. The large school of bigger fish swimming with the whale shark are cobia.

Thanks to Edmond Alexander and James Griffith.

YouTube - Whale Sharks of Grayton Beach

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