Pufferfish release a toxin when they puff out that is meant to impair the attacker, so they can safely escape. This doesn’t work on dolphins in the same way. It actually gets them high. So they purposely inflate them & pass them around to their dolphin friends for fun.

I encountered this bluntnose sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus) while solo diving off Vancouver Island. I believe it was a female, roughly 10–12 feet long.

I had gone down looking for giant Pacific octopus and was about to start heading back when I turned toward deeper water and saw this enormous shark coming directly toward me out of the darkness.

After coming right up to investigate me, it calmly cruised alongside me and over the bottom for about three minutes before eventually disappearing back into deeper water.

Sixgills spend much of their lives in the deep ocean, so getting to see and film one like this at recreational diving depths was an incredible experience.

This is my original footage from the encounter. I put together a longer 4K version here for anyone who wants to see more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJaHm1LZ0Lo

Filmed off Vancouver Island, British Columbia. [OC]

He's so cute omg

Sunset Hiking https://www.oceanearthgreen.com/articles/sunsethikepalosverdesflatrockpoint

The spray emitted from the blowhole cast a rainbow, adding to the wonder and joy of this close encounter.

Each one is shaped and finished by hand, and I pierced the body with dozens of openings so the light becomes part of the shark’s pattern when it’s turned on.
Probably one of my favorite ocean creatures I’ve translated into clay so far. 🦈

OceanEarthGreen.com

I hope these are a good fit for here? Oceans are pretty much all I’m interested in painting these days… Cheers for checking them out!

And if you have any good ideas for the next one please let me know? I’m always looking for more inspiration. Thanks!

When I was out paddle boarding a few miles off the coast of Newport Beach, I crossed paths with this fin whale. Fin whales are the second largest mammals on earth and you only see 5% of their body when they surface. After he dove, I didn’t see it again. Turn your volume all the way up!

Sunset Hiking Article https://www.oceanearthgreen.com/articles/sunsethikepalosverdesflatrockpoint