Looking for a liveaboard to see sharks and other large animals in Januari/Februari

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Jim Abernathy's Scuba Adventures offers shark trips; here's a link to a schedule that has prices near the top.

I suggest 'growing into' shark encounters a bit. For me, that meant seeing nurse sharks and reef sharks in Key Largo, later a black-tip shark in Jupiter, Florida, a shark feed dive with a 5 - 6 foot reef shark in Belize, and a recent trip wreck diving with the sand tiger sharks out of Morehead City, North Carolina, where fairly big spooky looking sharks pretty calmly hang out & are in close quarters without using bait or feeding.

I'd like to dive cageless with tiger sharks someday, but I'm working my way slowly in that direction. Plus cost is a factor. Tiger shark live-aboard trips tend to clear $3,000 apiece not counting airfare.

My point is, think before you get yourself in the water with a big hammerhead, tiger, etc... If you've been around plenty of sharks and have a strong comfort level, cool.

Richard.
 
And I'm also still very curious if anyone can compare diving in Central Maldives to the Deep South itinerary. Or if anyone can compare Maldives and Bahamas in terms of big stuff. Thanks!

Ok hope I can help here.

Central Maldives (Ari, Male, Felidhoo, Vaavu) has more site variety. You get thilas (pinnacles), kandus (channels), wrecks, and reef walls. So you can expect more in terms of reef fish, colourful corals, species variety but also plenty of opportunity for pelagic action - such as night dive at vaavu pier for nurse sharks, fish head in ari atoll, chance of seeing whale sharks in south ari, eagle and manta rays in rashdoo and ari.

Deep South (Huvadhoo Atoll) is predominantly kandu diving - so channels with currents and you hook in to watch the shark / pelagic action on the edge of the wall. there are still schools of fish but not so much by way of pretty corals. There are sites within the atolls of course but the focus of the itinerary will be shark diving in the kandus.

I ran a search on our website for 7 night liveaboard trips and there was not much by way of trips within your budget - the offer of 2300 Euro incl flights - wow thats awesome!

Thailand would be a low budget option- several yachts are available including The Junk at 871 euro for 6 nights to give you some idea. But you are likely to have plenty of other divers and not so much big animal action - but if mantas and whale sharks are top of the wish list then its certainly a great option - the last 2 seasons were really good for sightings of both. I'm based in Phuket so happy to give any local advice you need!

pm me if you like more assistance,
Cheers and all the best,
Susie
liveaboard.com
 
Last January, I did back to back one week trips in central Maldives and then returned in February and did the southern route. Central was pretty good, especially the manta dives. Lots of current on most dives and there were sharks and snorkeling with a whale shark or two.

The southern trip had very few mantas but sharks off the chart on almost every dive, but then that's what the southern itinerary is about.
 
Just a comment about Blackbeards. It is a great bargain but it is also rustic with little comfort or privacy. I am not putting them down. The cruises are exactly as advertised and a lot of fun - and you can't beat the price. But if you like some comfort and privacy (and fresh water showers!) then it may not be the place for you. See the link below for a description of my Blackbeards experience. It was a long time ago but it doesn't seem like it has changed much.

I am just mentioning this because you should know what to expect. Also, the water in the Bahamas is rather cold in January and February. I know that a lot of folks laugh when I say that tropical waters are cold but I really like it warm - in the low to mid-80s F - and the water temps will be in the low to mid 70s F at that time of year. Just another thing to consider.

The Caribbean waters further south are usually warm at that time of year. Have fun wherever you go!

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/li...ves-blackbeards-liveaboard-2.html#post7309799
 
Last edited:
Hello Claire!

I think Fiji could be a good option for you and your boyfriend!
You can see mantas and plenty of sharks: Black tip sharks, white tip sharks, grey reef sharks, silvertip sharks, nurse sharks, lemon sharks, bull sharks, tiger sharks and hammerhead sharks! You will be very lucky, though if you manage to see all of them in one trip! :p
If you are looking for an affordable liveaboard option go for a 7 night cruise.
If you need further information on what you can experience in Fiji, don't hesitate to read the following Fiji Liveaboard trip blogs.

Cheers!
Leticia
 
Central maldives. Garanteed sharks with less current than in the south.
 
Hello Claire!

I think Fiji could be a good option for you and your boyfriend!
You can see mantas and plenty of sharks: Black tip sharks, white tip sharks, grey reef sharks, silvertip sharks, nurse sharks, lemon sharks, bull sharks, tiger sharks and hammerhead sharks! You will be very lucky, though if you manage to see all of them in one trip! :p
If you are looking for an affordable liveaboard option go for a 7 night cruise.
If you need further information on what you can experience in Fiji, don't hesitate to read the following Fiji Liveaboard trip blogs.

Cheers!
Leticia

I agree. There are tons and tons of sharks in Palau. I don't do liveaboards, so I can't help there. I also saw a lot of sharks in Bora Bora and Moorea.
 
I'm still having a bit of trouble what would be the best trip for sharks. The blackbeard cruise sounds great! But apart from the shark feeding, it doesn't seen like the dive sites will show many sharks...or am I wrong?

You would be wrong.. I just got off of a Blackbeard cruise last week. We saw sharks on about 75% of the dives... By the end of the week I didn't even bother pointing them out to dive buddies..
 
Thanks so much for everyone's useful replies! We decided to do a two week liveaboard with Princess Rani in the Maldives. We'll do the Deep South itinerary. By the way, this liveaboard is really affordable compared to the other boats I found. It is about 1700 euro for two weeks Deep South and the boat looks quite fancy. Also, they just have double rooms, no dorms.

We'll do the Blackbeard cruise another time. And now mostly Sudan is very high on the list. Hope to go there soon.
 
Last edited:
For big animal action in January-February, another vote for Socorro, Mexico. There are now some 6 livebaords doing that trip but the cheapest will still cost you around 3500 Euros each all told. But it will be worth it because you will see huge manta rays come close to you of their own will (unlike those other destinations where you'll have to hide and wait for them), plenty of 7 different varies of sharks, dolphins and so on. You are unlikely to see whale sharks at that time of the year but it is prime season for something bigger - humpback whales!

Rocio del Mar is probably the best liveboard doing that trip.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom