economical 2 week diving trip, recommends please (want to see larger sharks)

[ocean.mirage]

So my bud and I are based out of BC, Canada. We would like to do a 2 week trip at Christmas/New Years somewhere. We both want to get in the water with sharks larger than 10 feet. I really want to see tigers and hammers. we both are on a budget this trip. Plus it doesn't help that the sole purpose of the trip is to dive, so we plan on getting 3 dives in a day minimum. ANy recommends? Its tough to find a combo where the dive rates aren't outrageous and food prices are good.

 

[diversteve]

In North America - the Bahamas. But probably off a liveaboard like Shearwater:
Bahamas Diving Itineraries:: Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures

Tigers have been seen off Maui - Olawalu Beach. But it can be murky so...

This may help you find a place: Hammerhead Shark range - SharkDiving.us

You might ask in the Florida forum also. Years ago I saw a big hammerhead on a boat there.
And there's a thread here about another one that was just killed and left on the dock.

 

[ocean.mirage]

Boats are not super accessible for my bud, so recommends as to boat diving from shore if anyone has them would be appreciated, sorry, I should have written that earlier

 

[robint]

Boats are not super accessible for my bud, so recommends as to boat diving from shore if anyone has them would be appreciated, sorry, I should have written that earlier

the only way you are going to shore dive with sharks is in an aquarium.

 

[Scubagolf]

Economical dive trip? 10'+ sharks? This is probably an oxymoron. ☺

Probably the Bahamas is your best bet. I've personally not seen large sharks there, but I understand there are lemon and tiger sharks, with the occasional schooling hammerheads. I would suggest doing serious research on specific dive operators in the Bahamas (for example, UNEXSO, the link is Dolphin & Scuba Diving Activities & More!) and see what they typically find.

 

[diversteve]

afaik, the UNEXSO dives are mostly Caribbean Reef Sharks.

Just found this the other day: Global Shark Dives - The best shark dive operators in the world!

the only way you are going to shore dive with sharks is in an aquarium.

Maui Ocean Center has both Tigers and Hammerheads...lol

You've probably not been diving with this concentration of sharks (about 20 in 750,000 gallons) or with these species, which may include a tiger shark and hammerheads

 

[ocean.mirage]

what I meant is that we can boat dive, but liveaboards aren't really a good idea for us.lol

 

[robint]

Tigers and hammerheads you aren't going to see unless you go to them, and that means a liveaboard, most likely.
The only place I have heard with day boats seeing Tiger Sharks is Beqa Lagoon in Fiji. They do a shark feed where large sharks of several varieties show up. If you search on YouTube you will find several videos:


or



these are not my videos, just some I found on a quick search.

robin