Night Snorkeling off Grand Bahama?

[WaterWayne]

Most shallow water sharks (including reef species) are crepuscular, not nocturnal...

crepuscular \kri-PUS-kyuh-lur\, adjective:
1. Of, pertaining to, or resembling twilight; dim.
2. (Zoology) Appearing or active at twilight.

You're welcome.

 

[archman]

Thanks Wayne.

 

[jbilicska]

Most shallow water sharks (including reef species) are crepuscular, not nocturnal. Bump your night dive up a few hours after sunset. You can also minimize potential encounters with large animals by avoiding wall or seamount dives.

That said, unless Grand Bahama is unusually rich in sharks for the Commonwealth, odds are poor that you're going to see anything scarier than a nurse shark or large stingray. In some areas of the Bahamas you can't even find nurse sharks anymore.

I like to snorkel right of the beach in the Caribbean Islands as the sun sets. It is pretty fascinating to watch the day fish prepare for the night and see the night creatures start to appear.
Is this a bad idea to be swimming up on the surface during twighlight? I've never ran into a shark yet and don't think that this would be the best time.

Thanks
Joe B

 

[lungfish]

I wouldn't worry about being stalked and assaulted by a reef shark.... its the Tigers and the Bulls that need to be respected in this situation. These animals move on shore to hunt turtles and each other and it is not a good idea to be on the surface puddling around after sundown. Of course, they tend to be rather larger than reef sharks and are quite powerful and aggessive when motivated.

Things are changing in our seas, as well. Animals are turning up in places that weren't known for them previously. I recently read an account, and saw the pics to back it up, of the first documented Great White shark in Hawaiian waters. A very large female was filmed and documented in 40ft of water on the Maui coast...

I have done some pretty intense solo dives, deep waters, alone. I have been alone in the Coral sea off of Cape Tribulation and swam in on a drift.... miles back to the boat. I have had close encounters with a variety of critters but...No, I wouldn't snorkel/freedive at night.... tank diving is another story.

At least set some odds in your favor and get a shark repeller and a pole spear or some other equalizer.

Lungfish