The July

Sea-gram

from MilaBooks.com

For ocean lovers, divers,

and "deep-thinkers."

A Great White Shark Says, "Hello!"

Paul Mila photo, Guadalupe Island, Mexico (c)

My First Shark Dive!

Your "first" of anything is always special!

As a new diver 25 years ago, I wanted to see sharks up close. So, on a Scuba Network of Long Island dive trip to Nassau, Bahamas, I experienced a shark feeding dive with Caribbean reef sharks.

In this video, shot by Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas, I'm the diver with the yellow mask and camera and, way back then, dark hair.

The video speaks for itself. The action was fast and furious!

"OK! Where's the Camera?"

I took a lot of photos on that dive,

but this shark pose was one of my favorites!

Note the shiny, chain mail anti-shark suits that the two professional photographers are wearing. We didn't!

Catch & Release: Right Off The Beach!

Two Happy Endings For Sharks!

It's summer, and sharks visit local beaches just like we do! I took this first video off Jones Beach, Long Island, at Field 6, several summers ago.

Watch carefully: at about the 25 second mark, this angry black tip shark lunges for the fisherman's leg, just as he attempts to remove the offending hook:

Sea-gram contributor Tom Helmke sent us this recent happy ending for an 8-foot hammerhead shark at Panama City Beach, Florida:

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Story Behind The Video

A Persistant Nurse Shark

Diving in Cozumel, our divemaster wanted to ensure that we had a good photo op with this nurse shark.

So he tricked the shark into thinking he had a treat. Everything turned out okay, but probably not a good idea conditioning sharks to associate divers with food.

The Apex of Shark Diving!

Meeting The Great Whites

of Guadalupe Island, Mexico

I posted this 7-minute compilation of video and still-photos of my week cage diving with the Great Whites of Guadalupe Island. It has no music, so you can feel what it was like to experience these magnificent apex predators above and below the surface, just as we did. Enjoy!

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Why Did I Do This?

I met Paul Kern while diving in Cozumel. Paul had just returned from cage diving with the great whites in Guadalupe. I asked Paul if he had experienced any close encounters. When he showed me this photo he took, I knew I had to go! Thanks for the inspiration, Paul!

And sure enough, on the last dive of my trip, cage-mate Audrey Garabacik got this almost identical shotshot . . .

. . . which was much better composed than my photo below, when the massive 18-foot shark, known to the locals as "Big Mama," smashed into our cage seconds later and knocked me on my butt!

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The Authors' Corner

For Exciting Beach Reads, click:

Click on the Tropical Authors logo below

and dive into adventures

from our other Tropical Authors!

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Funny Photo Department

These days I'm usually the Oldest Diver On the Boat.

So, on my last trip to Cozumel, with dive buddy Fulvio on the left, I had to wear my birthday-scuba-shirt.

Hope you can read it.



It reminds me of a very reflective Jimmy Buffett song,

The Oldest Surfer On The beach.

Click on our photo and listen.

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Another Fun Podcast . . .

This month I joined two other diving/author/photographers: Barbara Petersen and

Gil Zeimer, on Bonnie D. Graham's live podcast:

The Creativity Spark Show: Read My Lips

Click on the photo below and enjoy the show!

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Diveheart

Continuing to make a difference!

Divers Alert Network focused on Diveheart's Adaptive Scuba Program with their latest DANcast episode.

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Other Fun Things to Check out!

My beachfront studio condo in Cozumel, Mexico is available for rent.

Perfect for your romantic getaway or dive vacation!

For additional details please visit:

Cozumel Is Paradise

Also call 516-578-1482

or email me at pjmila@hotmail.com

Loggerhead Marinelife Center Update

There's always something exciting going on at Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Check out:

Marinelife.org

Two Great Dive Industry Sources of Information:

Ben Davison's Undercurrent Magazine

Scott Jones' Dive Newswire

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For the best

New York Area and

World-Wide Diving

www.scubadiversusa.com

In Avon New Jersey, visit Divers Two

www.diverstwo.com

For the best

Cozumel diving

contact:

Scubawithalison.com

For West Coast &

Pacific Diving:

DolphinScuba.com

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Fulvio manages my 

Little Slice of Paradise. 

For other properties that Fulvio manages, visit:

Fulvio's Cozumel Rentals

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About MilaBooks.com

Your home for exciting dive adventure novels, nonfiction, children's books, and YouTube videos.

Just click on the reading dolphin, and swim around our website for more information.

C

Thanks for visiting;

we'll see you next month!

Paul J. Mila

MilaBooks.com

12 Portchester Drive

Jackson, NJ 08527

516-578-1482