Adventurer and North Shore businessman Jimmy Hall was killed yesterday in an accident north of Banff, Canada, according to his agent.

Speaking from Scottsdale, Ariz., agent Micah Johnson said Hall, owner of Hawaii Shark Encounters, was killed in a parachute jump off a glacier or cliff at about 3 p.m. Hawai'i time.

"He hit the side of a mountain ... we don't know much," Johnson said. "It's just a shock."

Hall, 41, was in an isolated area of Banff with two others working on a documentary on the region's ecosystem, Johnson said.

Hall was due back in Hawai'i on May 23 and planned on resting for about a week before going to Australia to finish a Discovery Channel shark week special scheduled to air in August, Johnson said.

"He had such good aloha for Hawai'i," Johnson said last night.

Before going to Banff, Hall had filmed the first half of the Discovery Channel shark special in the Bahamas.

Hall lived in Hawai'i since he was 10 years old, according to Johnson. His Hale'iwa-based Hawaii Shark Encounters takes customers three miles out from Hale'iwa Harbor and allows them to spend a couple of hours in a cage with hopes of seeing a shark.

In December 2005, Hall accompanied seven customers on a tour that turned into an unforgettable experience for all.

Hall was in the cage with the group looking at an 18- to 20-foot great white shark. Not wanting to pass up an opportunity, Hall got out of the aluminum cage to be closer to the shark, touching it many times.

Hall described the experience on his Web site: "I slipped into the water, outside of the cage, and swam out into the blue. Right away the great white swam slowly towards me. I hung motionless in the water filming her approach. The distance between us got smaller and smaller until only a couple feet of water separated her nose and the port of my camera housing. With an almost imperceptible change of direction, she altered course and passed by me. It was like the side of a bus was going by, so close that I was able to reach out and put my hand on her side.

"I cannot explain what it was like to be in such close proximity to what is undoubtedly the most impressive animal of any kind I have ever seen, other than it was the greatest experience of my life — even though I was completely unprotected and armed with nothing."

Details on when Hall's body would be recovered were unavailable at press time last night.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.