Whale Shark question???

[Cali_diver]

We are going on the Belize Aggressor on April 7th-14th. I have read that the whale sharks would be around between the 6th-16th so my question is....Can we pull off getting off the Aggressor and getting to Placencia in time to see the whale sharks? Is it worth the effort to try to catch them? Is Plancencia the only place to see them......?

Thank you for any advice!!!!!!!

 

[peterbj7]

I'm not sure about the dates without checking, but optimal time for seeing whale sharks is reckoned to be within three days either side of full moon. But my answer to your question is a definite NO. The chance of seeing whale sharks on a single outing is unpredictable, and those outings take a significant part of each day. I don't see any way you could either get to Placencia in time, nor if you managed that to get back to your liveaboard in time, unless they arranged things so you could make it. I'd check the full moon first to see if the dates work, then check with the Aggressor to see how helpful they might be, then check directly with someone like Splash Dive Centre in Placencia (one of the operators that does these trips - Ralph is often on here).

 

[beaverdivers]

The full moon is April 6. If you went to Placencia before your Aggr. trip, then you could give it a go.

You can fly to Placencia from the International airport.

Give yourself 3 - 6 extra days.

Brian from Seahorse is the one who discovered it.

He is very good.

Yes, it can be amazing or a blue water dive.

Go for it!

 

[Downing]

I took her question to mean whether she can make Placencia in time to see Whale Sharks after she finishes her week on a liveaboard.

my question is....Can we pull off getting off the Aggressor and getting to Placencia in time to see the whale sharks?

It's easy to get to Placencia from BZ City. Just hop a flight from the Muni Airport or Golden.

is it worth the effort to try to catch them?

You would be cutting it close, obviously, and your overall chances aren't good. But I understand April and May are the prime months to spot them. Worth it? That's always a hard question to answer for someone else. I'd rather chase WS than go back to work, lol.

Is Plancencia the only place to see them......?

You would actually be diving Gladden Spit. Placencia is an excellent launching pad to get there. Boat time is about an hour and a half. I'm sure it's not the only place but I don't know that any place else, like Hopkins, would be much closer.

I suggest contacting Ralph Cappeling or Patty Ramirez of Splash Dive Center in Placencia. Splash is a ScubaBoard sponsor and Ralph frequently drops by this board. I'm sure they could answer any questions. I dived with them for two weeks last sumer and am headed back in June. We chased the elusive WS on two days with no luck, but I had a blast trying to find them and look forward to doing it again in 93 days. Whether they give it a try on a particular day depends on the feedback they get from the fishermen.

 

[Cali_diver]

I can extend the trip on either end so I think I was asking about the feasibility over all. Should I attempt it on the front end or back end? I did PM Ralph and he told me they usually book people after the full moon (which is on April 6th). But he also said they could come earlier or later. Creatures with minds of their own imagine that. Thanks for the advice.. always appreciated. This will be our first visit to Belize and we are looking forward to it!!!

 

[Downing]

I'm thinking Ralph or anybody else who does these dives professionally would be in a better position to advise as to which end would be better.

For what it's worth, I was there for two weeks last June, which encompassed the ten-day Whale Shark season so pretty much every day was a potential WS day. Based on the feedback Splash was getting from the fishermen, the two days we chased them were during my second week and if memory serves were not consecutive. But June is supposed to be the worst month and April and May are supposed to be the best.

Maybe one thing to consider is whether you're also interested in doing anything on the mainland like Mayan ruins, jungle hikes or just soaking up the vibe of rural Belize. Placencia is also a great launching pad for that sort of stuff. You could do the Agressor first, then go chase Whale Sharks and end your vacation with an adventure on the mainland before flying back to BZ City/home the next day.