Jim Abernathy's Liveaboard

[JillGadget]

I agree that the tigers are impressive, but I've been to Tiger Beach with my wife and kids (ages 11 and 15 at the time) and did not feel threatened.


My daughter and I even did a night tiger shark dive which was very cool.


Yes, you need to show them respect but Jim does a great job at tiger beach. The summer trips are often shark/dolphin and some of those trips include a day or two at Tiger Beach while others do not. I agree -- know what you are comfortable with and know what you are signing up for.

Those pics are awesome! Where is Tiger Beach? What kind of camera do you have? Your right about the respect... I love sharks and have a healthy fear of them because of respect. But gotta tell ya, after watching "sharkman" on discovery and also seeing prevues of SharkWater (sharkwater.com) I just want to hug one:no Crazy? Maybe, my husband gets a kick out of telling everyone I was the first to jump in during our shark feeding with Stuart Cove.
Jill

[debersole]

Tiger Beach is a "secret spot" of Jim Abernethy's, though not so secret anymore. It's part of the trip on the shark trips and the shark/dolphin trips. He actually found it one day when he was hiding from rough seas. It's only about 20 feet deep and a sand bottom. Gotta be the best place on the planet to get "up close and personal" with tiger sharks.

If you go in the winter, it's sharks, sharks, and more sharks. A better trip for my family has always been the summer shark/dolphin trips. Water is 86 degrees, the seas are usually calm and the diving consists of reefs, walls, pinnacles, shallow wrecks, night dives, etc. You also see reef sharks, lemon sharks, and tigers, and maybe a bull. In the afternoon you can then snorkel with dolphin. The only shark you don't routinely see in the summer are great hammerheads. For these you need to go in the winter.

Thanks for the kind words about my photos. I shoot a Canon 300D in a Sea & Sea housing with dual Sea & Sea YS 110 strobes. More photos are on my website at www.debersole.com. However, if you go to Wetpixel (www.wetpixel.com), a premiere underwater photography website run by Eric Cheng (www.echeng.com), EVERYONE has been to tiger beach and has as good or better images than me!

[diversteve]

Some of Eric's Tiger stuff: http://echeng.com/travel/bahamas2005/tigersharks/

Also there used to be some videos on the site that Eric shot. Some of it is pretty intense. You see Jim A fending them off with his strobe and a couple of Tiger "puppies" rubbing themselves on Eric's housing while he's filming. Good place to have an alert buddy..Gives you a sense of what to expect.

PM if you can't find the videos...

Definitely on my short list, maybe I can sneak on in 09'. I think next years (08') trip is already sold out.

[JillGadget]

I

Thanks for the kind words about my photos. I shoot a Canon 300D in a Sea & Sea housing with dual Sea & Sea YS 110 strobes. More photos are on my website at www.debersole.com. However, if you go to Wetpixel (www.wetpixel.com), a premiere underwater photography website run by Eric Cheng (www.echeng.com), EVERYONE has been to tiger beach and has as good or better images than me!

Thats the 3rd time I saw a Conon 300D (Rebel) We are looking to get a good camera but we know nothing, but want a camera that will grow as we grow as photographers. Our point and shoot with no strobe is out dated! I think when we go to Reef Photo in FL we will get some professional advise.

Thanks for the info. I just called them and am waiting a call back
Jill

[JillGadget]

Me and my wife had the same idea as you folks. We really wanted to see some sharks, but I too am prone to sea sickness (I think God gave it as my weakness to keep me humble ). Instead of comitting 7 days to a liveaboard on a boat like that, we made our way to North Carolina. We saw Sand Tigers every day, some as big as 9 to 10 feet. Some dives we'd see 6 or 7 swimming around the wrecks at the bottom.

Jason, OMG I just got into Olympus dive center site. I can't believe the water is so much different from North Caroline than South Jersey. If m husband did not have drill weekend this weekend, I'd make him take me!!
Jill

[debersole]

Here are some of my photos from diving with Olympus in Morehead City this past July. It's great fun.
Typical Sand Tiger Shot

My daughter on her Sport Kiss CCR


Sand Tiger with his own ecosystem

There's always plenty of sharks to photograph


Other photos are here:
http://debersole.com/layout/0001/gallery_view.cfm?g=110

BTW, Ryan Canon at Reef Photo is great and will definitely take care of you. Tell him I said hello.

Doug

[bobmaggi]

Tiger Beach is a "secret spot" of Jim Abernethy's, though not so secret anymore. It's part of the trip on the shark trips and the shark/dolphin trips. He actually found it one day when he was hiding from rough seas. It's only about 20 feet deep and a sand bottom. Gotta be the best place on the planet to get "up close and personal" with tiger sharks.

If you go in the winter, it's sharks, sharks, and more sharks. A better trip for my family has always been the summer shark/dolphin trips. Water is 86 degrees, the seas are usually calm and the diving consists of reefs, walls, pinnacles, shallow wrecks, night dives, etc. You also see reef sharks, lemon sharks, and tigers, and maybe a bull. In the afternoon you can then snorkel with dolphin. The only shark you don't routinely see in the summer are great hammerheads. For these you need to go in the winter.

Thanks for the kind words about my photos. I shoot a Canon 300D in a Sea & Sea housing with dual Sea & Sea YS 110 strobes. More photos are on my website at www.debersole.com. However, if you go to Wetpixel (www.wetpixel.com), a premiere underwater photography website run by Eric Cheng (www.echeng.com), EVERYONE has been to tiger beach and has as good or
better images than me!

Hey! we have some pics just like yours! Tho we didn't do any tiger shark night dives. We went on Jimmy's shark and dolphin trip last summer(2006) and had a wonderful time! The whole time we were in the water with the tigers and the lemons, I kept thinking, I can't believe I am doing this! Especially when one tiger once was curious and I had to use my tiger stick all around my body to keep him away. But we never felt threatened at any time, and now have a healthy respect for tigers. The last day we did this at tiger beach, we had 5 tigers and 20 lemons in the water with us, and it was wild!!! Especially when once when the boat crew up on the boat, had the bait box on a rope, and when they pulled it up, the 14' tiger grabbed it in his mouth. . . his tail was on the bottom. . . we were in 15-20' of water!!! And I thought, now HOW are we going to get out!!!!! On our trip there were also some regular dives, as well, like night and day dives at 'sugar wreck.' As well as dolphins!

We will hopefully do it again before we retire in a few years. we would go again in a heartbeat, if not for the $$! We also went on just a general dive and dolphin trip with him in 2005. He is getting very popular and has charters booked for most of 2008 already. And his prices keep going up and up. It is not too fancy, but hey, its fun and the food is FABULOUS!! Esp with Wade cooking!

I tend to get seasick rather easily, too, and the ONLY time it bothered me on these trips, was the night crossing over the gulfstream, at the beginning. And 2 dramamine pills didn't even help with that. Otherwise, I just took a dramamine pill in the morning and one at night and I was fine. HOpe this helps. Have fun! Maggi