Thriving Sharks

The Discovery Channel goes live for its 12th annual “Shark Week” with a special, “Live from the Shark Cage.” Shooting in the South Pacific’s Bikini Atoll will be world-renowned underwater cinematographer and director Al Giddings.

In between live transmissions, Giddings and his crew of 61 will explore the historical aspects of the island, which was used as a nuclear bomb testing area after World War II. Though for decades classified as a nuclear wasteland, over time it has become a pure, pristine area with a rich and varied marine life.

Giddings’ 30-year career has established him as one of the top in his field, directing sequences for films including “The Deep” and “The Abyss” as well as producing and directing NBC’s “Oceanquest.” The Emmy Award-winner chatted by phone from his offices in Montana about the upcoming special.

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Question: Why the Bikini Atoll?

Answer: I am very familiar with the Pacific and sharks, but the Bikini totally took my breath away. Who could have imagined that horrific event [nuclear testing] would be responsible for insulating the island for half a century? Bikini would in my view emerge today as one of the last pristine water environments untouched in the Pacific.

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Q: When was the area reopened?

A: In the last couple of years. What I saw in the week’s scout and what I learned from the locals is that it is really unprecedented in shark activity. The sharks wouldn’t be there without something to feed on. Radiation topside is less than New York City and there are slight trace amounts to be found in some of the vegetation, but it is negligible. It is just an unbelievably beautiful environment, but still haunting in that there are still bunkers around and the remnants of these horrific tests.

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Q: Describe the underwater vehicle you’ll be using.

A: It’s an elaboration on a propulsion vehicle for an IMAX show I directed in the Galapagos last year. There are four propulsion motors--battery driven motors--that propel the camera and the shooter--me. What I have done is build a cage around that, so we have a flying shark cage. I also wear chain mail.

The gray reef sharks really dominate the area in that they have a very rattlesnake-like display where they wind up and arch their backs and if you continue to press them, they turn and bite and fire in at 20 knots.

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Q: Won’t chain mail make it difficult to swim?

A: No. You wear a wetsuit and no weight belt. The chain-mail suit is about 24 pounds and that’s the weight of a normal belt. There will be a camera in the front and that camera rotates. The vehicle will allow us to engage large groups without being too vulnerable.

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Q: Was it easy to locate the gray reef sharks?

A: I couldn’t get in the water for the first time in my career. We did some baiting at this place they said there were many animals. After four minutes you could walk on them. I backed off and said, ‘Never mind. When we come back with chain mail we’ll do this again.’

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Q: How big are these sharks?

A: They are not big animals. They are probably 100 to 150 pounds and 6 feet, maybe 7 feet max. But they are very, very fast. I think of them as flying razor blades. They are very fast and very aggressive and very interesting animals.

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Q: Are there other sharks in that area?

A: There are tigers and oceanic white tips, but they are not as dangerous or aggressive.

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Q: Have you never been bitten during your expeditions?

A: Once or twice . . . one time a small shark had taken my glove and I jumped back and took a swing at him. It was a silly moment, hardly appropriate but instinctive.

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Q: What will be the real risk for you?

A: How do you imagine someone like me has survived 30 years of this? The threat is slight. For the most part the animals are busy and doing other things. They are interested in feeding on fish, they are not interested in feeding [on us].

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Q: Did the film “Jaws” really damage sharks’ reputations?

A: A lot of people were put off. No doubt. I remember people saying I don’t want [my kids] in the ocean. It was a very heavy negative [even though] more people die surfing than by sharks. More people die playing tennis. More people die from bee stings for sure. But what I have just cited is not as spectacular or visceral or frightening.

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“Live from the Shark Cage” airs Sunday at 6 and 8 p.m. on the Discovery Channel. “Shark Week” with a variety of shark-related shows continues through Saturday at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. and concludes Aug. 15 with a marathon beginning at 10 a.m.