Diving with Sharks

[Catwoman29]

Hello All...
I'm looking for information and recommendations for diving with sharks in the Bahamas (preferably Freeport/Grand Bahama). This is new to me and I would like some guidance on what to look for in a dive shop, what to ask, etc.? This is so my daughter can get the best possible experience for our last trip before she's off to college. She's PADI certified and this would be her first big dive.

Thank you in advance for any and all help you can give me. Cheers!

 

[flyboy08]

I dove with Stuart Cove on Nassau and sharks were plentiful!

 

[formernuke]

Can't speak of that location but in general diving with sharks. Enjoy the grace and majesty of such magnificent animals and bring a camera.

 

[Catwoman29]

I dove with Stuart Cove on Nassau and sharks were plentiful!

Thank you for the information.

 

[Johnoly]

..Thank you in advance for any and all help you can give me. Cheers!

Given the unpredictability of closed borders, it would be terrible to cancel the trip due to covid. Since you are from Illinois, with a new diver looking to learn about sharks, why not go some place predictable and easy to get to?. I'd go diving with Capt Slate and his shark/wildlife encounters in the Florida Keys. It's a 2.5 hour easy flight, shallow to start out with and clear water. Slate's also regularly has pro video guys on the boat to save the memory for your daughter. The bonus is all the Key Largo educational and research facilities that you can visit. Many have information about college internships and programs she might be interested in. And let me tell you about the incredible waterfront dinners while watching the sunsets. I'd go to Capt Slates with a new diver to encounter sharks and beautiful reefs.

 

[runsongas]

tiger beach/bimini combo liveaboard with aggressor when it is offered as a special itinerary. or do tiger beach from the west end/old bahama bay and then bimini from bimini game club.

 

[drrich2]

First, decide what kind of sharks. 'Sharks' is a very broad category. For a lot of people, the first shark they see is a nurse shark, then maybe a Caribbean reef shark...and that could be all they ever see. It doesn't have to be, but as you 'move up the ranks,' there's a bit more to it. From a U.S.-based perspective, here's what I consider the 'escalation':

1.) Nurse sharks - fairly common in southeastern Florida and Caribbean diving (but not the west coast of Bonaire).
2.) Caribbean reef sharks - likewise, but not as common generally. The Bahamas are famous for them, as is Turks & Caicos; the Caymans, the outer atolls of Belize and St. Croix are also good places to see them.
3.) Tie - the sand tiger sharks on the deep, off-shore wrecks out of North Carolina (summer/fall, IIRC)...and the lemon shark aggregation out of Jupiter, FL (winter).
4.) Tiger and lemon sharks...with chance of bull sharks. Jupiter, FL if you do shark feed dives (watch the leader feed the sharks) or at least baited dives; likewise the Tiger Beach area of Grand Bahama. If you just want tiger sharks, perhaps Cocos Island in the Pacific Ocean.
5.) Great Whites - cage diving near Guadalupe, Mexico, via live-aboard.

That's not the end-all, be-all of shark diving. If you're willing to drop down below the Caribbean region to the Galapagos Islands, you can dive with hammerheads. The Socorros out of Mexico, Cocos Island or Malpelo, I believe can also offer that. The Galapagos, Cocos, Socorros and Malpelo are famous 'big animal' destinations and sharks are amongst those big animals. I've read of oceanic white-tip diving near Cat Island in the Bahamas (which sounds too rich for my blood).

I'll link you some threads that may be of use as your daughter grows in her diving.

Sun Dancer 2 (Belize) May 2015 - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/li...ving-belize-via-sun-dancer-2-may-2nd-9th.html
Turks & Caicos Aggressor II Report Apr. 2018 - Trip Report - Turks & Caicos Aggressor II 4/21-4/28 Trip Report
St. Croix Research Report Aug. 2017 - Trip Report - St. Croix Research Report Aug. 2017
Morehead City, NC August 2015 - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/no...us-dive-center-aug-9-13-2015-trip-report.html
Jupiter 2014 - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-diving/491927-jupiter-trip-report-9-7-14-9-11-14-a.html (Jupiter, FL, without shark feeding).
Emerald Charters Trip Report 2017 - Trip Report - Emerald Dive Charters Trip Report (Jupiter, FL, with shark feeding, and a broad discussion of the topic and other options for shark diving).
Humboldt Explorer Jan 13-20, 2020 - Humboldt Explorer Jan 13-20, 2020
My Research Notes from Planning Galapagos Trip

Note: a suggestion. Do not be in a hurry to go get in the water with a tiger shark. Get some experience diving with sand tiger or lemon sharks, medium-large scary-looking sharks that are highly unlikely to hurt you. Find out how you react to that. Diving with tiger sharks can be fun...but do not rush into it. I've dove with 3, 2 of whom were nearly 10 feet long. Loved it. Would not be eager to jump in with a 15 or 16 footer.

 

[jonhall]

I'm looking for information and recommendations for diving with sharks in the Bahamas (preferably Freeport/Grand Bahama).

There are several ops around Freeport. One thing I found (pre-pandemic) is that there are some ops that may not go out if there are not enough divers.

I stayed at Ocean Reef Yacht Club & Resort (about a 3 star resort) in 2018. The dive op Grand Bahama Scuba is located there. Grand Bahama Scuba They go out Monday - Friday and maybe Saturday. Fred and his wife Melinda run the place and go out on the boat every trip. Boat rides are pretty short. I emailed them the first time I went (due to go back late March 2022) and they replied quickly. If you have a car, there are places to park at the resort (I use the term loosely - to be fair, it has everything we need.) Grand Bahama Scuba goes out as long as conditions permits.

Chances are on some dive you do there, reef sharks will be near. Shark Junction is a dive site where some ops feed the sharks. You don't need to pay extra to see the sharks. We found that just going down at that site, sharks will come around thinking they're getting fed. Actually saw the site on a show this year during Shark Week (read farther down.)

Although we didn't use them, Sunn Odyssey Divers Home is an op I will dive with some when we are there again in March. They found sites (on 2018 trip) to dive when Grand Bahama Scuba didn't go out because of weather. We did talk to them and they seemed like good people. They go out Mon - Sat and may provide transportation from where you are staying.

One other possibility - one I'm considering for an experience - is to look up Cristina Zenato (the Shark Whisperer) who was featured on one of the programs during Shark Week. She might be with UNEXSO (a dive op) which is located in the Port Lucaya Marina, which is next-door to the Lucaya Marketplace (good restaurants.) Although you don't need to pay to see sharks, it could be a great experience.

Cristina Zenato
Bahamas Scuba Diving & Interactive Dolphin Activities

Hope this gives you some ideas. I can give you a few other things not to miss while you're there. Let me know.

 

[runsongas]

I did the unexso shark dive due to engine issues with the bahamas master that ended our liveaboard early. whole thing was a bit of a cluster**** and ended early when one of the handlers got bit. everything was too chaotic, similar issues as the feed dive in fiji, but at least the shark species are less dangerous (no bulls/tigers). would not recommend, sorry.

 

[Tripp]

I would love for her to have a great experience diving with sharks! However, I would suggest she dive as much as possible and look at all sea-life from nudibranchs to whales. She may develop a profound interest in something that allows her to change the world for the better - and it may be sharks!