Whale Shark probability

[Kharon]

... Tours are running at about $70usd (groups of 4-6) for roughly 2 hours with the whale sharks and a private boat for about $200usd.

2 hours - but not in the water. Mostly on the boat. If I don't see any with Splash I'll think about it. Then again I might try Splash again. Possibly, I'll just give up on that bucket list item. I'll know better after the trip.

 

[KeithG]

2 hours - but not in the water. Mostly on the boat. If I don't see any with Splash I'll think about it. Then again I might try Splash again. Possibly, I'll just give up on that bucket list item. I'll know better after the trip.

If you want guaranteed sightings then maybe consider the Georgia Aquarium?

When we go diving we know what life can be found but we create no expectations on what WE will see. Last LOB a few people saw a hammerhead. It was their first LOB trip. The boat DM missed it and has never seen one.

 

[kelemvor]

Hello,
I see that you decided to NOT go to Mexico to see the whale sharks but the simple fact is Mexico is the only place in North and Central America where whale sharks are 100% guaranteed. I have run tours in La Paz for three seasons now and we have never been skunked yet. The east side of Mexico does typically have clearer water and more whale sharks but significantly more tourists. La Paz has overall fewer whale sharks but much more intimate encounters.

Fact - The visibility in La Paz can be lower but it is affected by tides and the amount of plankton in the water. You can get visibility up to 60-70ft in the whale shark zone in the morning and than 10 ft visibility in the afternoon. Tours are running at about $70usd (groups of 4-6) for roughly 2 hours with the whale sharks and a private boat for about $200usd.

I have travelled the globe working in the diving industry, take it from me, Mexico is the place to go for whale sharks...

October/November visibility for diving in La Paz reaches 100ft+ so that is prob the best time to visit La Paz if you want to do both.

Eh.. what's this? I went with a group of about 100 scubaboarders in June 2015 to Mexico. Those of us who had signed up for the whale shark expedition were disappointed when the whale sharks did not show up.

Local operators blamed el nino or something like that.

I got to see them this year when I went back.

Saying they're 100% guaranteed damages your credibility because the facts don't fit your assertion.

 

[Streydog]

I did the snorkel trip off Isla Mujeres last week. On the way they expkaines that they could not guarantee anything because it was the wild. On the briefing the explained that sometimes they feed vertically and if we were luckh enough to see this we should keep our distance to not disturb them. They also mentioned that we could get lucky and see mantas. My first jump I got to see one small one feeding vertically and watched him for a couple minutes until a manta swam by so i followed him until two huge whale sharks were headed right at me and cur me off. Only issue with with visibility was what the were feeding on. Got to see quite a few more on 2 other turns.

 

[flyboy08]

Hello,
I see that you decided to NOT go to Mexico to see the whale sharks but the simple fact is Mexico is the only place in North and Central America where whale sharks are 100% guaranteed. I have run tours in La Paz for three seasons now and we have never been skunked yet. The east side of Mexico does typically have clearer water and more whale sharks but significantly more tourists. La Paz has overall fewer whale sharks but much more intimate encounters.

Fact - The visibility in La Paz can be lower but it is affected by tides and the amount of plankton in the water. You can get visibility up to 60-70ft in the whale shark zone in the morning and than 10 ft visibility in the afternoon. Tours are running at about $70usd (groups of 4-6) for roughly 2 hours with the whale sharks and a private boat for about $200usd.

I have travelled the globe working in the diving industry, take it from me, Mexico is the place to go for whale sharks...

October/November visibility for diving in La Paz reaches 100ft+ so that is prob the best time to visit La Paz if you want to do both.

Careful with being objective....you’ll get placed on the ignore list

 

[Kharon]

This trip might be the last of my diving. I slipped carrying gear to the water before two dives yesterday and almost certainly broke my wrist. I did the dives anyway and stayed shallow - just to breathe down two tanks that need a vis. Today, I feel like a wreck - sore, beat up and exhausted. It might be time to hang up the tanks & regs and go back to snorkeling.

At least I'll be back on Bonaire once more in December, then the Placencia trip. After those - we'll, I might be selling all my gear ( quite a lot of it brand new) sometime in May 2019. Gosh, I hate getting old.

 

[Saniflush]

This trip might be the last of my diving. I slipped carrying gear to the water before two dives yesterday and almost certainly broke my wrist. I did the dives anyway and stayed shallow - just to breathe down two tanks that need a vis. Today, I feel like a wreck - sore, beat up and exhausted. It might be time to hang up the tanks & regs and go back to snorkeling.

At least I'll be back on Bonaire once more in December, then the Placencia trip. After those - we'll, I might be selling all my gear ( quite a lot of it brand new) sometime in May 2019. Gosh, I hate getting old.

Sorry to hear of your troubles but to hell with giving up diving. If I can afford the gear then I can afford to pay someone to help me get it in the water if need be when the time comes.

 

[kelemvor]

This trip might be the last of my diving. I slipped carrying gear to the water before two dives yesterday and almost certainly broke my wrist. I did the dives anyway and stayed shallow - just to breathe down two tanks that need a vis. Today, I feel like a wreck - sore, beat up and exhausted. It might be time to hang up the tanks & regs and go back to snorkeling.

At least I'll be back on Bonaire once more in December, then the Placencia trip. After those - we'll, I might be selling all my gear ( quite a lot of it brand new) sometime in May 2019. Gosh, I hate getting old.

Sounds like you've abandoned all hope already. You just need to start diving in "full service" locations like Coz!

 

[Kharon]

Sorry to hear of your troubles but to hell with giving up diving. If I can afford the gear then I can afford to pay someone to help me get it in the water if need be when the time comes.

Sounds like you've abandoned all hope already. You just need to start diving in "full service" locations like Coz!

Yeah. I was just feeling sorry for myself. Bushwah on me. Just back from the orthopedic appointment. This break isn't as bad as the left wrist. And as far as being too worn and tired - eff that - I'll get to the gym more often and fight. I might not be able to play football (soccer) anymore but I ain't giving up. As per D. Thomas - "rage, rage against the dying of the light"

THanks for the encouragement.

 

[Diving Dubai]

Good for you.

If it's worth anything, 4 years ago I slipped/bust 2 discs in my back. I was effectively confined to a wheelchair for 6 months before I manned up and had the operation. 3 months after that I was back diving. Since then I've dived harder than I ever did (my record is 175 dives one year) and progressed my divign career more than I ever thought I would