Large critter dive in April?!

[gbone78]

Hi,

I'm looking for a place to go for about 7 days (5 diving days) in mid-April. I live in Chicago and am looking for somewhere in the Caribbean or maybe Mexico or Florida to dive with something big!! I'm in search of a whale shark or a whale or even dolphins and sealions. Asia, Australia and south-pacific are pretty much out of the question (If I'm going down there, I need at least 2 weeks there).....and no, I don't want to do the Disney Aquarium either LOL. Any suggestions? I was thinking Cabo San Lucas (but I think it might still be too cold down there) or the springs in Florida for a manatee (but you can't scuba dive with them)...... help!? I know that I really, really would love to see a whale (but am open to other possibilities)!!!

Thanks!!

 

[diversteve]

Utila for Whale Sharks. We're going the last week of March for one of the Peak Research weeks but they're seen through May. Deep Blue - Whale Sharks

Dolphins are either Anthony's Key Resort on Roatan or the SeaAquarium on Curacao. Both are semi-captive programs that allow you to dive with several animals. I've done both, the AKR program is probably slightly better. AKR can also set up a shark dive with Waihuka Divers while you're there. Last spring we saw a lot of Turtles on the north side of Roatan also - just about every dive.

For wild Spinner Dolphins you might try Bimini - with Bimini Underseas - but I believe it's snorkel only.

 

[robint]

Whales - diving with whales is pretty much non-existent, most places where whales congregate for birthing/mating during certain seasons (Hawaii Jan-Mar, Dominican Rep Feb-Mar, etc) the whales are protected. No scuba allowed in DR, only snorkeling from a liveaboard like the Aggressor or Nekton and those trips are booked up about a year in advance. In Hawaii the boats are only allowed within a certain distance from the whales and you cannot dive with them intentionally. Sometimes diving you can hear them in the water, but not see them as they are too far off.

Whale Sharks - Utila is known for whale sharks but they aren't guaranteed. Also Belize southern atolls gets them during the Mar-May season but once again, not guaranteed. Off Holbox Mexico during the summer, July-Aug the whale sharks show up but you can only snorkel with them.

Dolphins - there are lots of places with "dolphin swims or dives" which are in areas where dolphins are kept in enclosures. Not really wild encounters. Roatan and Curacao have the better ones from what I am told. We have gotten to have several wild encounters with dolphins in the Bahamas, diving off the Nekton liveaboard. Also we got to snorkel with some wild ones in Bonaire once during surface interval. In Hawaii, Kona area has lots of spinner dolphins and we had them swim through during our dives 4 times! We always see dolphins at the surface in Calif Channel Islands as they love riding the boat wake.

Sea lions - go to Calif Channel Islands or San Diego Coronado Islands to dive with these guys. Water is chilly, 50s-60s but worth the fun. I have a bit of video of one encounter with a group.

Other big animals - sharks are pretty common sighting in Bahamas as well as monster sized turtles. See my videos of the Nektkon Bahamas trip last year. We have done 2 trips on the Nekton in Bahamas, Cay Sal and Medio Reef itineraries and saw lots of sharks and also played with wild dolphins one day. Cozumel and Belize have lots of nurse sharks but you usually only see them napping under a ledge. We saw quite a few pregnant females in Bahamas (see my videos). It was late April, and it seems Medio Reef is a birthing area for sharks since we saw so many preganant females and so many baby sharks (we counted one group of 40 babies!) www.nektoncruises.com

robin

 

[CaptEsteban]

You can snorkel with manatees at Crystal River , Fl. I take people out & there are more manatees this year than I have ever seen. Only thing is, when the water gets warmer- SOON-, most manatees migrate back out into the Gulf. There are always a few hanging around all year, though.

 

[CaptEsteban]

You can snorkel with manatees at Crystal River. PM me for more info.

 

[gbone78]

Wow -- thanks for the info!!! I'll definitely have to do some researching now!!!