Bahamas Diving in February - is it possible to do tiger beach and bimini hammerheads in 10 days?

[sharkbite13]

The subject line says it all really, I have about 12 days off and a few friends and I were looking into dive possibilities in/around the Bahamas/Caribbean, looking for big sharks.
We're divemasters and I am studying Marine Conservation but out of the many shark species we've seen we have yet to come across great hammerheads or tiger sharks. From some cursory googling, we have read time and time again that the encounters on Grand Bahama with tiger sharks and Bimini with great hammers are some of the best.
My main questions are: a) Is it possible to see these two sights well in 10 days, b) is it possible to even travel between these islands in a timely and cost effective manner, and c) is there some other diving around these areas?
Additionally if you have any other recommendations for areas in the Caribbean to have comparable shark encounters it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[outofofficebrb]

Hi.

Yes. I did it in 10 days inclusive of travel but in March. I departed March 22 a little past midnight and on the return leg, departed for home April 1 early evening. I had 8 full days on the ground, all while respecting no fly times and we did a few puddle jumper flights. We did Bimini for Hammerheads and tiger beach for tigers. Dive log shows I did 12 dives.

We flew into Nassau then immediately puddle jumped to Bimini for a few days then puddle jumped to Freeport for the majority of the time. Then we puddle jumped back to Nassau and enjoyed some beach time before hopping back.

Don’t bother taking the ferry. It’s a full day ordeal (SLOW, you could probably swim faster) with weird scheduling, only between certain places, and not that much cheaper. Fly between the islands using local planes. They’re 20-30 minute flights on tiny planes so I hope you’re not a nervous flyer. Super easy otherwise. There is okay diving in Bimini. I was underwhelmed by Freeport diving...but honestly, because I have been diving in Indonesia, nothing else compares as far as life, coral, colors, etc., so I may not be the best person to ask for this. I was there purely for the sharks and it was amazing.

Let me know what other specific questions you have. Feel free to also PM me.

 

[Wookie]

Also, dolphin dream, shearwater, and R/V Kate have 10 day liveaboard trips that may fit your schedule with considerably more than 12 dives. Shearwater and Dolphin Dream leave from the US. Kate boards in Freeport.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Also, dolphin dream, shearwater, and R/V Kate have 10 day liveaboard trips that may fit your schedule with considerably more than 12 dives. Shearwater and Dolphin Dream leave from the US. Kate boards in Freeport.

Maybe they take you to better diving as well m..that would be good. I know some of the LOBs go to Tiger but not all go to Bimini for great Hammerheads and maybe not both together. Double check. Also, when on Bimini, Radio Beach is a don’t miss. We spent a day there bumming. It’s really beautiful!

We could have done more tanks while there but decided not to...for land based options, the diving off Grand Bahama wasn’t worth passing up beach time for so that was what we went with. I hear there are also good caves and caverns there if you are interested.

 

[Wookie]

Maybe they take you to better diving as well m..that would be good. I know some of the LOBs go to Tiger but not all go to Bimini for great Hammerheads and maybe not both together. Double check. Also, when on Bimini, Radio Beach is a don’t miss. We spent a day there bumming. It’s really beautiful!

We could have done more tanks while there but decided not to...for land based options, the diving off Grand Bahama wasn’t worth passing up beach time for so that was what we went with. I hear there are also good caves and caverns there if you are interested.

Shark diving isn't about good diving, it's about sharks. Those boats run a 3 day tiger beach, 3 day Bimini hammerheads trip. They are experts at putting divers on the subject. The day boats also do a great job, it's the transfers from Bimini to Freeport that suck. Liveaboard is only a suggestion if the OP can stand the crossings and austure conditions. Those boats are not the height of luxury.

Shark diving the way the liveaboards do it is not for the faint of heart. The day boats (Epic, Stuart Coves, Neal Watson Jr) are all about very nice diving, but they don't do too much of it. The liveaboards are set up so that you can be in fabulous shark action for 8 hours a day if you desire. It's for adrenaline junkies. The day boats are for divers who want to see sharks.

No lie, the aggregate value of the cameras on any random shark liveaboard charter is worth more than the boat.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Shark diving isn't about good diving, it's about sharks. Those boats run a 3 day tiger beach, 3 day Bimini hammerheads trip. They are experts at putting divers on the subject. The day boats also do a great job, it's the transfers from Bimini to Freeport that suck. Liveaboard is only a suggestion if the OP can stand the crossings and austure conditions. Those boats are not the height of luxury.

Shark diving the way the liveaboards do it is not for the faint of heart. The day boats (Epic, Stuart Coves, Neal Watson Jr) are all about very nice diving, but they don't do too much of it. The liveaboards are set up so that you can be in fabulous shark action for 8 hours a day if you desire. It's for adrenaline junkies. The day boats are for divers who want to see sharks.

No lie, the aggregate value of the cameras on any random shark liveaboard charter is worth more than the boat.

That is exactly what we said, too. We are here for the sharks and not the diving itself! There are other places for that. Very true.

 

[LiveaboardCom]

@sharkbite13 If you're unable to get onto a tiger and hammerhead shark liveaboard during your dates, you could look into diving Belize. The Blue Hole is known for good shark encounters with reef sharks, bulls, tigers, and nurse sharks. Another option is diving St.Maarten. Big Mamas Reef is known for caribbean reef sharks, which are great fun to dive with and very inquisitive.

I've checked our liveaboards for Bimini and Tiger Beach and unforunately we don't have any available in February.

Enjoy!

 

[Wookie]

@sharkbite13 If you're unable to get onto a tiger and hammerhead shark liveaboard during your dates, you could look into diving Belize. The Blue Hole is known for good shark encounters with reef sharks, bulls, tigers, and nurse sharks. Another option is diving St.Maarten. Big Mamas Reef is known for caribbean reef sharks, which are great fun to dive with and very inquisitive.

I've checked our liveaboards for Bimini and Tiger Beach and unforunately we don't have any available in February.

Enjoy!

Abernathy' website shows February availability...

 

[drrich2]

@sharkbite13 If you're unable to get onto a tiger and hammerhead shark liveaboard during your dates, you could look into diving Belize. The Blue Hole is known for good shark encounters with reef sharks, bulls, tigers, and nurse sharks.

Okay, this is awkward, as you're a live-aboard related agency and I'm one intermediate diver with less of a broad experience to draw on, but that said...I would not plan a Blue Hole trip, including via live-aboard, specifically with an agenda to see sharks. I've done the Sun Dancer 2 (now Belize Aggressor IV) trip, and we did a Blue Hole dive. I've read reports from other people doing it.

The live-aboards of Belize don't always hit the Blue Hole. When they do, it's likely one dive that trip. A deep dive, around 130 feet deep to see the stalagmites/stalactites, a rather short dive at depth, and not one with a lot of big life to see. Some report seeing sharks; I was under the impression mainly reef sharks? I didn't see sharks in the Blue Hole, but we saw several sharks on other dives out of Belize.

Has anyone here seen a tiger shark on a Belize trip, or specifically at the Blue Hole for that matter?

I loved my Belize live-aboard trip, and recommend it for general beautiful Caribbean reef diving, but I wouldn't recommend it for people looking for bulls, hammerheads or tigers; mainly those out to see a few Caribbean reef and nurse sharks. Anyone have reason to believe differently?

Turks & Caicos is famous for reef shark encounters, but I believe the T&C Aggressor is doing whale watching trips in February. Jupiter, Florida is famous for the lemon shark aggregation and reef shark sightings; if you're open to shark feed diving, the species you're apt to see and time frame and closeness of likely encounters opens up considerably. Even if you're not, the lemon shark aggregation may be a good bet? It's seasonal, so check the dates. I don't think February is the right time of year for diving the sand tigers out of North Carolina, IIRC.

Richard.

 

[sharkbite13]

Hey All,
Thanks for the advice! Unfortunately, as students, we can't quite afford any of those liveaboards at this time, also the land based dive shop for tiger beach is booked until 2019! It looks like we will be doing a 6 day dive package with Neil Watson's Bimini Scuba Center then maybe heading over to Nassau for Stuart cove's reef shark expedition? Does anyone recommend this? is the reef shark dive in Bimini very similar to Nassau?