Whale Shark probability
- Thread starter Kharon
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Trevor JC Brown
Contributor
If you do return sign up with us and we'll get you in the water with them so much you'll be too tired to do anything else afterwards. It is unfortunate but most whale shark operators in La Paz are more concerned about money than customer service and pack as many people as they can on the tours.
OP
Kharon
Contributor
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
I'm impressed. You are one tough bugger. Whah, give some cheese with my whine. LOL In another thread I showed a breakdown cane that I made from PVC for Bonaire entries. Maybe I better start using it up here. I also promised that when the cane wasn't enough I'd make a PVC walker. I should have gotten angry rather than wimpy. Bee a bad summer though. I've been in a sling or splint every day since May 3rd except tuesday. Oh well this break isn't as bad as the other.
Sounds great. Actually, if we see them or not I'll book with you. What time of year and moon cycle should I shoot for?
Ghosty
Contributor
I did a W.S. snorkel trip with "MexicoWhalesharks.com" from Isla Mujures last Sunday morning. It doesn't matter whether you come from Mujeres or Cancun, because the boats pretty much zip between the two ports picking up passengers. We had people from both sides on our boat.
Worth the $130, I got to jump in twice, and both times I was swimming next to a pretty decent sized W.S. for about minute or so each time. Got GoPro footage too. Luckily I had one that wasn't super fast, so I could "almost" keep up. Our boat had about 9 passengers, 1 captain, and 1 guide that swam with you and the sharks). All our tourists got to go twice. Except for me it was all husband/wife couples and the guide.
Basically there looked to be about 25 to 30+ boats out. It took about an hour out in the Holbox W.S. zone before all the boats converged on the area where they spotted them. At first it was complete "semi-organized CHAOS" with boats almost on top of each other, but the captains were pretty experienced, no bumps that I witnessed. After awhile, groups of 4 or 5 boats would gather and try to form a sort of "line" or "order" for each of the dozen or so sharks out there. "Park" in front of a shark so that the sets of divers/guides could drop in front and start swimming. The trick I guess was to watch as the shark was coming towards you, then try to turn around and start swimming at speed, before you got to the gills, along side of the shark, then try frantically to keep up, keeping 6+ft. away. After the first time, it was pretty easy, even though it sounds complicated.
I'm glad I went, it was totally worth the money, and the only downside was obviously SO MANY boats and people. So we only got 2 turns each, and each turn was only from 30secs. to a minute "next to" each shark. But still worth it! Yes I'd do it again, but hopefully be able to dive, not just Scuba, like in Belize or similar place. Yes I still want to visit the Atlanta Aquarium and do that dive too, despite the huge $325+ price.
Worth the $130, I got to jump in twice, and both times I was swimming next to a pretty decent sized W.S. for about minute or so each time. Got GoPro footage too. Luckily I had one that wasn't super fast, so I could "almost" keep up. Our boat had about 9 passengers, 1 captain, and 1 guide that swam with you and the sharks). All our tourists got to go twice. Except for me it was all husband/wife couples and the guide.
Basically there looked to be about 25 to 30+ boats out. It took about an hour out in the Holbox W.S. zone before all the boats converged on the area where they spotted them. At first it was complete "semi-organized CHAOS" with boats almost on top of each other, but the captains were pretty experienced, no bumps that I witnessed. After awhile, groups of 4 or 5 boats would gather and try to form a sort of "line" or "order" for each of the dozen or so sharks out there. "Park" in front of a shark so that the sets of divers/guides could drop in front and start swimming. The trick I guess was to watch as the shark was coming towards you, then try to turn around and start swimming at speed, before you got to the gills, along side of the shark, then try frantically to keep up, keeping 6+ft. away. After the first time, it was pretty easy, even though it sounds complicated.
I'm glad I went, it was totally worth the money, and the only downside was obviously SO MANY boats and people. So we only got 2 turns each, and each turn was only from 30secs. to a minute "next to" each shark. But still worth it! Yes I'd do it again, but hopefully be able to dive, not just Scuba, like in Belize or similar place. Yes I still want to visit the Atlanta Aquarium and do that dive too, despite the huge $325+ price.
Ralph Capeling
Contributor
At Splash we are scheduling whale shark tours April 19 to 30, May 18 to 29 and June 17 to 28. There is an earlier whale shark moon from March 20th to 31st but we do not take pre-bookings for that one as the success rate is lower – we monitor the whale shark zone at that time and if the whale sharks show up and we have interested guests – away we go!
Note that Easter Friday is on the 19th of April and Placenica is very busy on the Easter weekend as Belizeans from all over Belize flock to Placencia.
I do not know which is the best day for whale shark encounters. Conventional wisdom used to be just before and around the full moon. That gradually changed to right at and after the full moon. Our experience in recent years is that the best time starts about 3 days after the full moon.
Note that Easter Friday is on the 19th of April and Placenica is very busy on the Easter weekend as Belizeans from all over Belize flock to Placencia.
I do not know which is the best day for whale shark encounters. Conventional wisdom used to be just before and around the full moon. That gradually changed to right at and after the full moon. Our experience in recent years is that the best time starts about 3 days after the full moon.
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