Shark feeding in the Bahamas!

[ItsMandy227]

My dive shop is planning a trip to the Bahamas in February. I'm very interested in shark feeding. The trip is around $500 plus $75 for an extra dive to watch the feeding. Just wondering if it's worth it. Do you get to feed the sharks or just watch with your arms tucked. Also if anyone knows the depth and bottom time. I really appreciate everyones in put!

 

[Aquatic Eagle]

Hi and welcome to the board. I don't know for sure, but I think most shark-feeding dives don't let you feed. You kneel on the bottom in a circle with the divemaster in the middle feeding the sharks. Like I said, I don't know for sure but that's what I've heard.

 

[ScubaK-Dawg]

Yes, it's definitely worth it. I did it a few months ago with Stuart Cove. One of the best dives I've ever done. If you go with them, you'll do 2 dives. The first you'll actually be swimming with the sharks. They took us to two wrecks on this dive, which was cool. The second dive was the shark feed. The divemaster feeds the sharks, customers do not (although I think you can take a class to learn to feed them, but it's expensive). It was very cool. They film the whole thing too, so you can buy the video for $55 after the dive.

 

[Natasha]

I did the shark feeding dive back in 1998 with UNEXSO.
I enjoyed it. It was at 40 feet and you need to keep" tucked in."
It got cold because we could not move around, so be sure to take a wet suit.
P.S. I liked the Dolphin dive much more..so if that's offered be sure to do it.

 

[Rick Murchison]

While personally I find them a bit contrived, and therefore less enjoyable than true "in the wild" encounters, I do think everyone should attend at least one.
Here is a short clip from our last Blackbeard's trip at the duty shark feed. (file is about 2.5M, Windows Media Player movie)
Rick

 

[R_Deluca]

The Sharks feeds are definately worth while! I have done several of these dives with Stuart Coves Dive shop in the Bahamas. The depth of the last shark feeding I did was about 40ft and 40 mins of bottom time. Have fun!

Safe Diving!

 

[ItsMandy227]

Thanks everyone for you input. I'll definetly do it if I end up going in February.

 

[DocVikingo]

The Bahamas encompasses about 5,400-sq. mile & has about 2,700 islands & cays. Only about 30 of those are permanently inhabited, and only about 10 of these have substantial scuba infrastructure. Map of the Bahamas---->

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mapshells/caribbean/bahamas/bahamas.htm

Obviously it depends on where in the Bahamas you intend on diving.

As others have mentioned, there is shark diving on New Providence (Nassau), although other ops besides Stuart Cove's also offer it. Additionally, such dives are available in the Abacos (Walker's Cay) & Eleuthera (Valentine's Dive Center, Harbour Island).

At one time they were also offered on Grand Bahama Island (Freeport) by ops like UNEXSO. However, after several swimmers had nasty run-ins with sharks (IMHO having nothing whatsoever to do with the feedings) about a year ago the GBI government banned them.

Have fun.

DocVikingo

 

[fgray1]

I went on one a last year. I had more fun swiming with them.
When they feed the sharks you just sit there. Don't waste your dive time just sitting there. Do the regular dive see what ever happens to be there and enjoy swimming with the sharks.
I got some great video of the sharks when I went.
Be careful when you step off the boat. At times they are there waiting. Last year my buddy stepped off and he ended up with about a 10 foooter between his legs. It was hovering about 5ft below the surface at the back of the boat waiting for the feeding to start. LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP !!! It's funny now but it wasn't then.
Was kinda fun watching my freind do an emergancy acent while he was picking his legs up as high as he could get them.

Still more fun to just swim with them though.

Fred

 

[DocVikingo]

Stating that, "I went on one a last year" provides grossly inadequate information.

The Bahamas encompasses about 5,400-sq. mile & has about 2,700 islands & cays. About 30 of those are permanently inhabited. About 10 of the inhabited islands have substantial scuba infrastructure, and at least 3 of those (Walker's Cay, Harbour Island & New Providence) offer shark feeding dives. The quality of the shark dives vary substantially between islands.

Which did you do?

Best regards.

DocVikingo