Bull Shark Diving in Playa

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Dr. Love

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Hello, I'm new to the board so forgive me if I'm posting this in the wrong place. But has anyone ever done the bull shark dive in Playa Del Carmen? I'm going in a couple weeks and have been reading horror stories about it. I've done the Stuart's Cove shark feed in the Bahamas, but I hear bull sharks are more likely to attack than Caribbean reef. Anyway, just let me know!
 
I don't believe they have lost a diver to date :wink:

Search box will provide mucho info......
 
What's the nature of these 'horror stories?' Is it something about how people claimed dives were conducted, or do you just find the idea of fairly large, potentially dangerous sharks in your vicinity alarming? Specifically what did you hear/read that worried you?

Richard.
 
I did it a couple years ago with Dive Balam. They used a couple pieces of tuna to bring them in close but that was it just laid in the sand and watched. The only spooky part of the dive was the safety stop with about eight bull sharks circling under us. The first dive I did in Playa we saw a bull shark without even trying.
 
My son and i were on a dive last year in playa del carmen when we encountered bull sharks during the dive. We watched as they circled us for a few minutes and the bull sharks left when it became apparent that they were not going to be fed. The guide had us in a circle watching each other's back and at a safe distance away from the bull sharks. It was a by chance encounter, and we did not feel threatened. I believe that feeding the sharks would cause a more aggressive behaviour and would likely lead to problems. Some people get a thrill out of being close enough to touch sharks, I am more of a laid back and just watch and don't disturb type.
 
I did it a couple years ago with Dive Balam. They used a couple pieces of tuna to bring them in close but that was it just laid in the sand and watched. The only spooky part of the dive was the safety stop with about eight bull sharks circling under us. The first dive I did in Playa we saw a bull shark without even trying.

I did some "recent" dives from Moorea in French Polynesia in July and although the dive shop I dove with didn't feed the ~3m/9' Lemon Sharks, they came to us as soon as we bottomed, followed us the whole dive, and circled underneath during the safety stop. The instructor told us that other shops feed them.
 
I did it, you just seat at the sand bottom and they will approach you, as soon they feel that you wouldn't feed them they go away, it's very comfortable dive with the right guide.
Cheers
 
Note that chumming for the sharks likely changes their behavior, and can have negative impacts for the sharks. Your choice if you want to participate in any chumming dives.

Below is cut and pasted from another post:


For whats it worth, this is my impression of a bull shark dive I did in Playa last Nov.

I did not plan to do a bull shark dive. I was booked with a small dive op for a regular ol dive. But they had another guy who came over specifically from Cozumel to do the bull shark dive, so I went with it.

At first, I admit it was exhilarating -- they swam around at arms length. However, after awhile, the bull sharks just seemed to be waiting around, swimming without purpose. And the dive consisted of us stuck on the featureless bottom, watching the sharks. At the end of the dive the DM fed them.

So, I feel like I wasn't seeing typical wildlife behavior. They actually reminded me of my dogs when they want a treat. My girls walk around and around the cabinet where we keep the treats until they get one.

In retrospect, I don't agree with chumming and will take care to avoid it in the future.

On another dive, I caught sight of a baby bull shark in the distance. I remember this more fondly, bc I feel I actually saw a shark doing what a shark does in the wild. The bull shark dive I did was a bit like watching trained circus animals.
 
We did the dive a few years ago through a dive operator in Cancun. Interesting operation. You go down to a beach in Playa del Carmen. There were many small boats that went back and forth constantly between the beach and the dive spot a quick boat ride from the beach. Wade into the water. As small boat drops off a group of people. You throw your gear onto the same small boat bouncing up and down in the shallow water near the beach. You quickly put your gear on during the ride. You quickly jump out and go to the sandy bottom. It is a deep dive. We think we may have seen one shark in the distance on the way down. No other sharks or fish to see. You surface and the boat takes you back. You quickly jump out and wade onto the beach. It was interesting to seeing all the boats and how they appear to just keep going back and forth all day long. It was a good excuse to visit Playa del Carmen. Not a leisurely dive due to above (until you got in the water for the dive) and not much too see in the water.
 
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