Whale Shark Question

[bjack0013]

I'm heading to Belize July 2-9 and am wondering if we will be getting in too late to attempt to dive with whale sharks out of Placencia as the full moon is on June 26th. I've heard you can see the whale sharks for a few days around the June full moon but am not sure what the cutoff is.

We're trying to determine whether to hit Placencia first or head to Caye Caulker then Placencia (should catching the whale sharks not be a viable option). Any help / thoughts are greatly appreciated!

 

[diversteve]

Seahorse has this on their website:

WHALE SHARK SEASON
2010

MARCH 28th - APRIL 8th
APRIL 26th - MAY 8th
MAY 25th - JUNE 6th
JUNE 24th - JULY 6th

And Splash Dive has this:

2010 SPLASH DIVE SHOP WHALE SHARK SEASON DATES

March 28th - April 8th
April 26th - May 6th
May 25th - June 5th
June 24th - July 4th

There are several people who read this forum who are affiliated with dive operations in that area so they may have a better idea.
We were planning to go this year but looking at the end of May. Our thinking was that possibly waiting till the last week meant that they could be migrating further north by then. I have no idea if that has any merit except that when we saw them last year in Utila, the optimum times between Feb-May were mid-season in March-April. I would conjecture that they migrate from Honduras to Belize and then further up the coast to Holbox as the season starts there around June 1st.

 

[Ralph Capeling]

I'm heading to Belize July 2-9 and am wondering if we will be getting in too late to attempt to dive with whale sharks out of Placencia as the full moon is on June 26th. I've heard you can see the whale sharks for a few days around the June full moon but am not sure what the cutoff is.

We're trying to determine whether to hit Placencia first or head to Caye Caulker then Placencia (should catching the whale sharks not be a viable option). Any help / thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Whale sharks are predictable in that they will be there sometime during the period predicted but they will not be there for the entire time. Sometimes they come a little sooner or later during that time period. You would be better to come a few days earlier. If you decide to come you can check out Splash Dive Shop at Splashbelize.com or e-mail Patty patricia@splashbelize.com