This article was written by divers and writers at LiveAboard.com
News
Your Ultimate Guide to Shark Diving
In celebration of SHARK WEEK, here is your Ultimate Guide to Shark Diving…
Shark encounters are high on the list for many divers and rightly so. Nothing beats the thrill of seeing a shark during your dive or joining a dedicated shark diving safari.
Thankfully there is a variety of excellent shark diving destinations to choose from these days. Pick your preferred type of shark and read on to find out where you can swim with them.
Great white sharks
Renowned for its relatively warm water compared to other great white shark diving destinations, Guadalupe is the premier destination for encounters with these iconic sharks.
Calm waters make it easy to spend time in the cage, be that at the surface or at depth, and being crystal-clear, the water is also ideal for photographers wanting to capture that perfect shark shot.
When is go: Visit in July and August to see numerous energetic male sharks, or October and November to see the huge female sharks Guadalupe is famed for.
Our liveaboard top pick: The MV Horizon is a great budget-friendly option for divers and non-divers to go cage diving.
Whale sharks
If you’re a fan of whale sharks, you have plenty of world-class dive destinations to choose from where you can swim with these spotty giants.
An ever-popular dive choice, the Maldives has numerous whale sharks to encounter. Try scuba diving Ari Atoll, Huvadhoo or Thaa atolls for your best chance of seeing whale sharks there.
The wild and remote Galapagos Islands are another top dive destination for whale shark encounters, as is Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.
For somewhere more off the beaten path, take a liveaboard diving trip to Cenderawasih Bay in Indonesia, Djibouti or Madagascar.
All three destinations are known for the whale shark swims and are becoming more popular as word gets out.
When is go:
- Ari Atoll: December to April
- Galapagos: June to December
- Ningaloo Reef: March to June
- Cenderawasih Bay: July to September
- Djibouti: November and December
- Madagascar: September to December
Our liveaboard top pick:
- The Deli, a beautiful Turkish schooner, is a great option for sailing and diving Djibouti’s pristine reefs with just 12 other guests.
Great hammerhead sharks
Another popular shark diving choice, great hammerheads are a fantastic species to dive with.
Go liveaboard diving at Bimini, Bahamas to dive with these large sharks over white sands and in clear blue waters.
Rasdhoo Atoll in the Maldives and French Polynesia’s Rangiroa and Fakarava atolls are also both excellent options for swimming with these well-known sharks.
Whilst diving French Polynesia, you’ll also likely see the huge schools of grey reef sharks this idyllic destination is known for.
When is go:
- Bahamas: December to February
- Rasdhoo Atoll: October to March
- Tuamotu Archipelago: December to March
Our liveaboard top pick:
- The Bahamas Master offers Tiger Beach and Bimini combo-safaris, allowing you to dive with numerous species of sharks in one dive trip.
Schooling Scalloped Hammerheads
To dive with hammerhead sharks in large numbers, choose scalloped hammerheads. They are known for schooling in huge numbers at some of the world’s best dive destinations.
Cocos Island in Costa Rica is the best-known destination for schooling hammerheads, closely followed by scuba diving the Galapagos.
You can also spot scalloped hammerheads at Malapascua’s Kimud Shoal.
When is go:
- Cocos Island: May to November
- Galapagos: January to May
- Kimud Shoal: March & April
Our liveaboard top pick:
- The Nortada is a great choice for intimate Galapagos dive safaris, catering to 12 guests maximum.
Nurse sharks
Nurse sharks are a great dive choice for less confident shark divers.
These easy-going sharks can be found in large numbers at the Maldives’ Felidhoo Atoll, especially at Alimatha house reef; where you can go night diving with nurse sharks and numerous stingrays.
Nurse sharks are also commonly seen at Turks and Caicos dive sites, as well as at Ambergris Caye in Belize.
When is go:
- Felidhoo Atoll: January to May
- Turks & Caicos: December to March
- Ambergris Caye: All year
Our liveaboard top pick:
- The Ari Queen offers safaris that include Felidhoo, Ari and Rasdhoo atolls; where you can see whale sharks plus nurse sharks and hammerheads.
Tiger sharks
Easy to recognise, these large sharks are curious, photogenic and graceful as they pass by at close range.
Tiger Beach at the Bahamas is the top destination for dedicated tiger shark dives, where the diving is easy and shallow – plus filled with numerous sharks.
You can also find tiger sharks in the Maldives relatively-unexplored deep south; especially at Fuvahmulah Atoll.
When is go:
- Tiger Beach: October to January for peak shark season
- Fuvahmulah Atoll: December to March
Our liveaboard top pick:
- The Princess Haleema offers unique tiger shark expeditions to Fuvahmulah Atoll in the Maldives.
Bull sharks
Thought of as aggressive sharks by some, bull sharks are actually relaxed and rewarding to dive with, as well as not being intimidating.
Guanacaste and the Bat Islands in Costa Rica are famed for their large number of resident bull sharks and are accessed by Guanacaste Island liveaboard diving.
You can also see bull sharks at Tiger Beach, the Bahamas during certain months of the year.
When is go:
- Guanacaste & Bat Islands: June to August
- Tiger Beach: February to March
Our liveaboard top pick:
- The Okeanos Aggressor and Okeanos Aggressor II both offer Guanacaste and Bat Island safari during June to August each year.
Thresher Sharks
The elusive thresher shark can only be dived with reliably at one destination in the world; Malapascua in the Philippines.
These sleek sharks with their huge tails are easy to recognise and are usually shy masters of the deep. However, they come up to the shallow waters of Monad Shoal in Malapascua during dawn most days, offering a perfect start to your shark diving day.
When is go:
- Monad Shoal: All year
Our liveaboard top pick:
- You’ll want to be on a liveaboard to make the most of diving with thresher sharks given the early starts. The Infiniti offers Malapascua safaris that include both Monad and Kimud shoals.
Got time for one more shark dive?…Explore this shark diving hidden gem
Whilst Caribbean scuba diving is popular and well-known, Cuba has remained a relatively unknown shark diving destination within the Caribbean.
Cuba’s Jardines de la Reina is a haven for sharks, hosting numerous species of sharks, including lemon, nurse, bull, silky, blacktip reef, Caribbean reef and whale sharks.
It’s thanks to local conservation efforts that Cuba’s sharks and reefs are thriving, making this an excellent choice for both reef and shark dives.
When is go:
- All year for sharks, except whale sharks
- Visit in November for whale shark encounters
Our liveaboard top pick:
- The Avalon I & Avalon II are the flagship Cuba liveaboards.
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
Blogs
Northern Red Sea Reefs and Wrecks Trip Report, Part 3: The Mighty Thistlegorm
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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