Divers hide in rocks as hammerheads swarm above them

The Galapagos Islands are a set of remote islands that are part of Ecuador. Formed several million years ago by volcanic eruptions, these islands are now home to some of the most unique and diverse life on the planet. The waters around the Galapagos are an equally fascinating world with an abundance of marine life. Whale sharks and hammerheads congregate here in great numbers, brought by the three main ocean currents that converge in this area. This meeting of the rich currents brings an upwelling of marine life and food close to the surface and this supports huge populations of fish.Show more

Hammerhead sharks know that the Galapagos Islands hold a tremendous supply of food and they school here by the thousands. Scuba divers come to watch these magnificent animals in their natural environment. Divers plunge into the ocean and descend straight to the bottom. Here they sit among the rocks and watch what can only be described as the world's biggest and most spectacular Imax theatre. The animals swim past, over, and among the spectators.

As much as these divers know that they are no danger from these incredible beasts, looking up at their powerful jaws and rows of teeth tests a person's fortitude nonetheless. This is one of the few areas of the world where scuba divers can witness the "wall of hammerhead sharks". The sharks swim in such vast numbers that they resemble a wall. sharks are able to rest one hemisphere of their brains at a time so that they can remain in motion. They are able to perceive and react to threats even while they are at rest. The smaller fish seem to recognize that they are in no danger, but this will change abruptly as night falls and the hammerheads engage in hunting behaviour. These fish that swim so casually beside and around the sharks will need to be wary after dark.