Shark Dive

[tridacna]

My own biases aside, it is easy for me to see how someone, particularly who has not had the opportunity to dive with many sharks, could decide to do this dive. My friend, @tridacna has considerably more dive experience than I do, he enjoyed the dive very much

Your friend grew up diving in False Bay, South Africa and had many many experiences with many kinds of sharks. Always positive.

I had 12 divers with me on my last trip to Roatan, most of who had not dived with sharks before. They had a wonderful experience. As did I. Would I repeat? Nope. But the rest of the group want to do so!

 

[js1221]

If you are going to AKR, then Marco's Place (that is what the dive boat captain call's it, it is also called Cara-A-Cara) is not a regular dive site. It is on the other side the island from AKR.

I was there in May and did the shark dive because others in the group wanted to. We caught the boat early in the morning and transited to the site. We then dropped down onto the site, where the sharks were already gathering. We were given time to swim with the sharks before the feeding, which was good for those who had not been close to sharks before. Some of them would swim very close, some almost close enough to touch. It is an excellent opportunity to get good pictures/video. After awhile we were all moved to one area and the food bucket was opened. Took about 90 seconds for them to empty the bucket and be gone. Several people were able to find teeth on the bottom afterwards. In a week of diving at AKR, this was the only time we saw sharks.

Everyone has their feelings about it, good or bad. I can take it or leave it. My wife has been terrified of sharks since she started diving but doing these kind of dives has made her less fearful. I wouldn't take her to Stuart's Cove to dive with tigers, but she enjoyed this dive and that was what mattered to me.

 

[morecowbells]

I have done the Roatan shark dive three times. Each time was unique and fascinating. The first time, I followed the group along the long surface line, then down line. I got kicked in the face, tanked on the head by some wretched divers. On the following two dives, I descended down, then swam over to the coral head. I definitely preferred this approach; although it may be in issue if the current is strong.

The boat is like a large bathtub. Not much for shade and not a comfortable(20 minute)ride. One diver in our group was not allowed to take his GoPro camera. Other cameras were allowed. Their rationale was that the sharks were attracted to the GoPro's. Who knows.

I know this sounds corny, but doing this dive has been a great confidence booster. I loathe public speaking. When I am faced with the inevitable; I think to myself that I can swim with a dozen sharks around me, I can do this!

 

[ThatsAmore]

My husband and I did a shark feeding dive in Nassau, and it was worth every penny. As you said, it’s a unique opportunity to see a large number of sharks, in close proximity, and in relaxed circumstances. It’s fascinating. They (the sharks) do it every day and have no interest at all in the gawking humans. We were just obstacles for them to swim around in between nibbles of fish. I say do it!

 

[Damselfish]

Even though I said I wouldn’t bother, I will say seeing a bunch of sharks swirling around at a feed is quite the sight if you haven’t done it before. It’s also true diving at or near a feeding site, when there’s no feeding going on, is kind of interesting. You’ll probably see a fair number of sharks cruising around, closer and more persistent than normal behavior.

 

[Doc]

This thread has surprised me with all of the really introspective comments.

/rant: I try to not exhibit my easily jaded slant after 62 years diving and ‘being on’
Roatan since 1984, but the “Shark Dive thing” …that it exists at all… is a benchmark in any island’s march into the future. In 1984, my first visit, it was …really all of it- an iffy trip. Really adventure dive travel, Clutch Cargo level. The questions I now see on Twit Advisor make me cringe, laugh and cry. My god, Roatan has a Golf Course, a 4 place ski lIft, a Ferris wheel and that Shark Dive. DID YOU KNOW: This Shark Dive where two competing DMs went all Thunderball and had a one-on-one fight underwater (to near-drowning) in front of the Cruise Ship Pod People. There’s your f’n Shark Dive. Progress. /rant off

I made my original comment and then asked the MODs to move it to this forum, but the information offered here is univesally quite applicable to “most” Shark Dives.

Scuba Board never disappoints as a great resource !

 

[ReefHound]

From my prior post, my thinking was:

1) if you can go to dive sites near the actual "extra pay" shark site, chances are you will see many sharks coming over to check you out
OR
2) if you can go to the "extra pay" shark feeding site on a a dive that charges the normal dive rate (with no feeding),

Don't know if either of these are possibilities in Roatan. If I were to ever get to Roatan, I would be asking if people dive the shark feeding dive site on normal dives - if the answer was yes, I would save my money and ask the dive op to make that one of my regular dives as sharks will have been trained to be there.

The problem with feeding the marine life is they associate divers with food and expect to be fed. I wonder if it is wise to dive where these sharks are expecting you to feed them and then you don't feed them? On top of that, divers behaving very differently than they are accustomed to divers behaving. I think one of the reasons shark dives are strictly regimented is so things are very consistent and predictable so the sharks clearly understand what is food and what is not food.

 

[jonhall]

The problem with feeding the marine life is they associate divers with food and expect to be fed. I wonder if it is wise to dive where these sharks are expecting you to feed them and then you don't feed them?

No doubt about it. The dive site at Grand Bahama, Shark Junction (highlighted during Shark Week 2018 and 2021,) is where a shark feeding takes place. I have dived the site 3 times - each time, upon entry the sharks come calling. They stay around for the majority of the dive, ~55 minutes at a depth of about 50-55 feet. Not saying it's wise or unwise to dive the site where they are expecting food, but I haven't heard of any bites on these dives and, although I was a little apprehensive the first time diving there, I didn't give it a second thought on the next dives.

 

[ReefHound]

No doubt about it. The dive site at Grand Bahama, Shark Junction (highlighted during Shark Week 2018 and 2021,) is where a shark feeding takes place. I have dived the site 3 times - each time, upon entry the sharks come calling. They stay around for the majority of the dive, ~55 minutes at a depth of about 50-55 feet. Not saying it's wise or unwise to dive the site where they are expecting food, but I haven't heard of any bites on these dives and, although I was a little apprehensive the first time diving there, I didn't give it a second thought on the next dives.

They aren't going to be interested in eating divers when there is something so much better to eat available. The issue comes when they show up for dinner and the only thing there to eat is you.

 

[Doc]

Visiting a shark feed dive site during “off hours”?

I know of NO dive charter-op that does that. [10+ reasons ‘why not’]

[#1 reason: why take you there on the ‘same regular dive’ if they can charge +$50 additional for the cost of a bucket of frozen fish guts?]

Certainly, not Roatan’s site.

If you’re diving off of a live-aboard and it’s ‘Shark Dive Day’, that is your only option.

Sharks are right next to you, a lot. Gaze off and down into the blue. I know I’ve seen hundreds of shadows over the years, then they move away (so far).

Bahamas was OT’d here… what ever happened to the “Submarine Buoy”? Hanging over 2000’ (?) in the dark waiting for Mr.Grey? Too AOW was it?