Trip Report Emerald Dive Charters Trip Report

[drrich2]

Appendix VI.) Other Shark Dive Operators.

A listing of other regional operators I found. Note: Not all shark dives involve feeding; some may use scent.

1.) Calypso Dive Charters – operating out of Lake Park Harbor Marina, serving a range of dive trip types in the Jupiter, West Palm Beach and Lake Worth area. Their 33-foot Miami Yacht Navy Hull Pilot House Vessel holds 6 divers, 3 crew and the deck 24 tanks. They also do snorkeling with sharks trips. Their shark dive trips emphasize no beginners. Trip Advisor Page.

2.) Jim Abernathy’s Scuba Adventures – Jim Abernathy’s a big name in shark diving, and this dive op. runs a range of trip types and destinations, more than sharks or even scuba. A big plus is the option for a live-aboard stay aboard the M/V Shearwater with nitrox available, but they do day boat trips in the Palm Beach area including baited shark dives. If you’re willing to venture farther afield, they’ve got Bahamas ‘expeditions’ to see tiger sharks at Tiger Beach, great hammerheads at Bimini and oceanic white-tips. Trip Advisor Page.

3.) Deep Obsession Charters – a Lake Park-based (between Jupiter & West Palm Beach) boat offering 2 & 3-tank baited shark dives, amongst other options. Trip Advisor Page.

4.) Florida Shark Diving – Jupiter-based offering shark viewing trips (you don’t enter the water) and shark diving trip (choice of free-diving or entering a cage).

5.) Blue Iguana Charters – a 13-guest (20 for day trips) capacity 65’ live-aboard boat, the R/V Kate, running a variety of trips involving the Florida Keys and Bahamas, including tiger shark (cage & cageless options at Tiger Beach, Bahamas) and hammerhead shark trips. Undercurrent’s March 2017 issue featured a detailed Tiger Beach trip report, with an unnerving interaction with an 11 footer named Butters.

6.) Stuart Cove – a Bahamas-based dive op. famous for Caribbean reef shark feeding dives. I wouldn’t have known it from their website, but Scuba Diving’s article on Operation No Fear: Diving With And Photographing Oceanic Whitetips (Dec. 22, 2015) indicates they’ve done oceanic white-tip dives and have a satellite Cat Island operation.

7.) Big Fish Expeditions – they specialize in offering a range of big animal dive expeditions. They offer oceanic white-tip trips to Cat Island, Bahamas, tiger sharks at Tiger Beach, great hammerheads at south Bimini and great white cage diving off Guadalupe Island, Mexico.

8.) Epic Diving – offer great hammerhead, oceanic white-tip and tiger shark trips. Their boat the M/V Thresher is based out of Bimini, Cat Island or Grand Bahama, depending on which excursion they’re offering.

9.) Neal Watson’s Bimini Scuba Center – offers a range of excursions, including the Great Hammerhead Safari (Dec. – April). Trip Advisor Page. Facebook Page.

 

[drrich2]

Appendix VII.) Trip Cost.

Time, money and competing needs limit my diving. I’ve got non-divers in tow, so I can’t always do live-aboard or Bonaire-type trips (i.e.: 20+ dives/week). Good communities in the U.S. offer healthy environs and nearby modern healthcare that matter with a young child. My trip budget for self, wife, 4-year old daughter and mother-in-law:

1.) Airfare Nashville (BNA) – Fort Lauderdale Hollywood Airport (4 people): $935.52.
a. (‘Gotta Get Away’ tickets, non-stop flights, 2 checked bags apiece free, early bird check-in option).

2.) 1 Full-size SUV rental: $636.24 from Enterprise. When we picked up the Chevy Tahoe, I was offered insurance; $55/day for full coverage, $35/day for partial. We use State Farm on our vehicles, and didn’t know if it’d cover us, whether it’d cover the SUV, etc… Bottom line: I went for the $35/day version x our 8 day stay. Total cost close to a grand, & I’ll get billed for the SunPass tolls system from the highways. Call your auto insurance provider pre-trip and find out if you need this!

3.) 1 Room with 2 double-beds at Best Western Intracostal Inn: $1,061.52.

4.) 4 3-tank Shark dive trips with Emerald Charters (1 weekend, 3 weekday) + 6% tax would’ve been $450.50. It cost me less since I did 3 trips, and due to weather only 1 dive on the 1st.

5.) 3 100 cf Steel Tanks of Nitrox x 4 days + 6% tax: $273.48.

6.) Up to 16 lbs. weight (with 50% discount special offer) x 4 days + 6% tax: $42.40.

7.) Economy airport parking at Nashville Airport: $78.

8.) Food, gas, entrance & associated cost to Zoo Miami, Lion Country Safari, miscellaneous goods at Publix and Walmart.

Items 1 – 7 Total: $~4,000 + food, gas, miscellaneous. Might go ~ $4,500? For 4 people to enjoy an 8 day trip with non-stop air travel to coastal southeastern FL, 1 to get 7 specialty dives (+ 1 dive at Blue Heron Bridge) and 3 free days for family trips with a range of regional attractions and dining options, not bad! Food, gas and entrance to zoos, etc…run up the bill, but a fine family trip.

Without non-divers you could shore dive Blue Heron Bridge and sample West Palm Beach and Boynton Beach boat diving.

Last photo taken by a staff at Schooner's Restaurant in Jupiter.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

Great write up!! Thank you for sharing.

Safe travels,
Jay

 

[docmartin]

Great report - for US based divers the least expensive way to see tigers.

 

[vincent54]

Now that's a thorough write up!! Thanks

 

[diver0008]

Nice shirt.

 

[dorsal]

Great write up. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Johnoly]

Very detailed and great trip report that will be a resource for anyone thinking about a Jupiter dive. You explained alot of the the options including costs !!.

..... told divers if they felt more comfortable they could watch from the deck of the wreck further away and shallower, which some did....
.

I've dove down on the sand next to the sharks and it's exciting the 1st couple of times. But honestly watching all the action unfold down below you while sitting up on the wreck deck gives you an incredible view. It's similar to having front row glass seats at a pro hockey game and seeing only that 20 feet directly infront of you and then moving up to row #20 and seeing everything 360 clearly going on in the whole arena. Don't discount the cheap seats which can be much better at viewing everything.After doing so many of the dives, now I really like the higher deck seats for the 360 views. I've seen more hammerheads and tigers coming in high behind me that I could watch their behavior as they 'decide' whether to approach !!

P.S Shhweet fills !!

 

[Schwob]

@drich2:
Wow, didn't think that really was possible, but you outdid yourself. Most excellent writeup.
And nice pics. Above and below.

 

[They call me Tater]

Very thorough. Thanks.