Freediving with Leopard Sharks of La Jolla Shores
La Jolla Shores, San Diego by Andre Navarro
It’s confusing and for some, a down right scary fact to hear that you can swim with a whole lot of sharks right off San Diego’s shore. Most people who have not been to this area or have no experience with ocean life, which is most, think it’s insane to do this. The media would have you picture a Great White Shark about to attack an unsuspecting swimmer on a hot summer day any time sharks are mentioned. It's unfortunate that most people have an unrealistic fear of ocean life, especially sharks due to media hype and movies. But the first question one should ask when it comes to a shark's presence is “what kind of shark.”
Leopard Shark Central by Andre Navarro
Here at the famous La Jolla Shores of Beautiful San Diego, California, Leopard sharks congregate yearly right off shore in the shallow water. Sometimes there are only a few to over fifty circling a small area. I've always swam with them in front of the Marine Room Restaurant which is towards the southern cliffs of La Jolla Shores before the sea caves. Leopard Sharks or Triakis Semifasciata are a species of Houndshark and are indeed predators ! But not of people. Leopard Sharks mainly feed on clams, spoon worms, crabs, shrimp, bony fish and eggs. When I first heard of swimming with Leopard Sharks, I immediately Googled and Wikipedia searched Leopard Sharks to find out how dangerous they are. I quickly corrected myself as I learned they are perfectly harmless to humans and that there have been no Leopard Shark attacks on humans documented. It was at this point that I decided I had to experience this for myself and this became one of my immediate ocean life goals to experience soon.
Leopard Sharks of La Jolla by Andre Navarro
When you first get close to or swim among the Leopard Sharks, you notice they aren't small. You also can't help to admire their beautiful patterns and colors as they swim close to the sandy floor. The congregating Leopard Sharks are adults ranging from 4 to 5 feet in length. Also through my Wikipedia search, I found that Females grow larger than males, up to 7 feet in length, 40 pounds and a lengthy 30 years old. I also learned that every year starting in August / September, pregnant Leopard Sharks begin to congregate in the shallow sandy beach areas of La Jolla Shores to follow the warmest patches of water, allowing them to raise their internal body temperatures by up to 5.4 F. This is believed to help them speed up the growth of their gestating young. Leopard Sharks are aplacental viviparous, meaning their developing embryos are sustained by a yolk sac until birth. Females give live birth to as many as 37 young after a gestation period of 10 to 12 months. 
Young Leopard Shark by Andre Navarro
I often come across young Leopard Sharks resting along the bottom of kelp and sea grass filled reefs. From Palos Verdes to Laguna beach to La Jolla Shores, they are a common sight underwater, if you can swim down to the bottom. And this is why most people don’t notice them. From the surface, they blend in with the shadows and unless they are moving, you don’t see them. Young Leopard Sharks are very skittish and usually once they spot you, they take off quickly. In many common areas where people are constantly swimming, bodyboarding and playing in the water, Leopard Sharks are nearby, just rarely spotted as they tend to shy away from people. The larger Leopard Sharks that congregate at La Jolla Shores are very tolerant of people's presence and unless approached abruptly or touched, they stay within their swimming pattern. 
Leopard Shark of La Jolla by Andre Navarro
When the adult Leopard Sharks congregate in the shallows of La Jolla Shores, they tend to swim in groups. usually side by side with up to 5 sharks, swimming in unison. I notice they do not like to be touched, not even by other Leopard Sharks. If a Leopard Shark bumps into another Leopard Shark, they quickly swim away from each other in annoyance. But quickly they get over it and continue on, even rejoining the bumped into shark. The lines of sharks also tend to swim in waves of sharks. A side by side line of up to 5 sharks will be closely followed by another line of sharks followed by another. They all circle a specific area over and over for several hours usually from morning to midday. When ever I get the luck of coming eye to eye with a large Leopard Shark, I can't help to feel overwhelmed in awe of it's beauty, strength and grace. I do not feel threatened but feel careful not to make it feel threatened of me. I wish I could tell it "I am your friend, you never have to fear me, but be cautious of other humans." 
Bat Ray and Leopard Shark by Andre Navarro
While swimming with Leopard Sharks at La Jolla Shores, you’ll also quickly notice all the other nearby ocean life. During the months of Leopard Shark congregation, it's common to see many young Bat Rays nearby, swimming among the sharks. Bat Rays are very skittish and don't like to be approached. There are usually large Guitarfish swimming with the Leopard Sharks and Bat Rays. Often small Round Stingrays and occasionally larger Southern Stingrays join in the mix also. 
Southern Whiptail Stingray by Andre Navarro
Swimming among all these amazing and beautiful ocean creatures is a special feeling. I’m glad my curiosity has always over powered my fear and ignorance in search of ocean life experiences. Yes indeed, there are many ocean animals and situations to be cautious of, but with educating ourselves, even with simple Google or Wikipedia searches about mentioned ocean life, we can all learn to be realistic about the dangers or mostly non dangers of the majority of ocean life. It’s hard to appreciate something you fear to death which only stops people from exploring or even wanting to know about our amazing underwater world. This amazing ocean world begins at our beach shores and needs our help and consideration for future survival. Hopefully, through future better understanding and ocean life appreciation, more people will open their minds and hearts to our oceans and it’s precious and awesome life.
Freediving La Jolla Shores by Andre Navarro
The accompanying Youtube videos are first hand footage captured by Andre Navarro while freediving with the Leopard Sharks, Horn Sharks, Bat Rays and Stingrays of La Jolla Shores. The “Travel, Explore & Dive” series is fully narrated while and "Ocean Dreams" series is set to relaxing ambient music with narration. Subscribe and sign up to our Newsletter to not miss future adventures !Published by: Andre Navarro of Ocean Earth Green
I’m Andre Navarro, Southern California freediver and underwater videographer. I create ocean life adventure videos to connect viewers to our amazing underwater world to motivate stronger conservation and ocean life awareness. You can follow my ocean adventures here at OceanEarthGreen.com and view all my current and past videos at Youtube.com/OceanEarthGreen.