Great White in Jax

[Salmonboy97]

For those who think that they can outrun their buddy... go ahead. Sharks are attracted to LOTS of commotion! Everyone should just be quiet and still... that way we can watch!

I always note to my girlfriend that the sharks will attack HER first because she will have the higher heart rate and they will sense her fear! LMAO.

 

[matts1w]

I almost never see reef sharks in the Keys!! I have heard other people saying they see them on Molasses too but I dont dive that reef much. My kid likes the wrecks and other than that we stay south of Rod. Key most of the time for spearing and bugging.

Reefies are usually seen off the really deep edge of Molassis and French Reefs. You gotta really pay attention as they are usually on the move away from you. One usually just gets a glimpse when the vis is good.

By the way, I really believe the deep side of French Reef is one of the best dives in the Keys. Many people never dive it as they do a deep wreck then a shallow reef. Book a six pack and request the deep French Reef mooring ball as a drift dive. It runs to about 90 feet and is full of big critters.

 

[Chris Brown Tech]

Hawks Channel (the bit of water that runs between the reef and Key Largo) is FULL of sharks. They use it like the Turnpike

The reefs have a few resident big sharks, but not too many. My customers see a Great Hammerhead (Sphyrna Mokarran) on Elbow Reef or Grecian about once a month. I have seen the pictures of it and it has the unmistakable long dorsal fin and is much bigger than a scalloped. There is also a resident Bull shark on Grecian, but its very skittish and tends to run off when it sees divers.

Best place for sharks is the deep wrecks such as the Northern Light. First time I saw 15-20 bulls circling in the wreck I thought they were reef sharks and headed straight for them. I thought it was strange that my buddy didnt follow me

No Great Whites - they pass through, but are not resident here. One was tagged in Australia and tracked across to North America, where it stayed for a few weeks before it headed back. The tracking device dropped of on the way back. Evidence that they are truly ocean going and may regularly visit several continents.

Anyway designer diver - dont worry, I doubt you will see any big ones when you go out to the reef. John might when we take him to the wrecks though !

 

[deeper thoughts]

I was coming out of Tavernier creek once and saw what we thought was a group of dolphins messing with a huge turtle. Turns out it was 5-7 sharks eating a dead turtle

 

[drbill]

Jeez... I lived near Jacksonville Beach in the early 50's. Glad I was too young to really know or care about sharks then.

 

[100days-a-year]

Sharks in the Keys are much rarer than here.I see sharks there maybe 1 dive outta 10 and the majority are nurse sharks.I have seen hammerheads only 3 times in 20+ years and over 1500 dives in the Keys.Out deeper like the Bibb,Queen of Nassau,Wilkes Barre etc there are regular shark sightings.
Still you are safer underwater than doing the Duval crawl or driving US1.