In Utila NOW-no whale sharks around? What's up with that?

[susan6868]

Okay, this post comes from Laguna Beach Resort. Before I got here, everyone I talked to said February, awesome time to see a whale shark. Now I'm here, have been out three days and our captain and DM tell us they haven't seen a bunch since last May, saw ONE on New Years eve?
Now, don't get me wrong, we're having a ball, the place is great, the people here are the nicest I've ever encountered in my travels, and the island is beautiful. I'm gona love this trip anyway but where the heck are the whale sharks?
I've only got till Friday to find one, any advice from the experts out there that I can pass along to our captain? I'm hoping we didn;t come a bit too soon!
Oh, well, guess we'll just have to come back, what a bummer (ha ha)

 

[Doc]

...any advice from the experts out there that I can pass along to our captain?

Tell him to disconnect your internet access and schedule another dive.

Fortune favors the persistent. Whale Sharks are not commonly found in the Internet Cafe (except on Tuesdays in August... very predictable).

While you wait underwater for your Whale Shark, go look for a Pipefish.

 

[lemurs2]

When were we there last week we dove with UDC who said that the sharks hang out on the other side of the island opposite of them. There was a couple that and their dm said they had seen one 2 days before we got there. We dove the whale side only once and then had to go back because the surge was getting strong going around the point. I'd think that if anyone would know about sitings it would be the whale reasearch place @ Deep Blue (i think)

 

[alcina]

We dove the whale side ... it would be the whale reasearch place @ Deep Blue (i think)

They are sharks, not whales Just putting it out there as there is a lot of confusion on that point.

Not sure on Utila's season, but am sure that these are wild animals and don't have a calendar! Hopefully you were given the correct information in planning your trip and that the animals are simply being uncooperative! I have my fingers crossed that you get at least one encounter before Friday!!

 

[susan6868]

Roatan Man- very funny..........after three dives a day the internet cafe is a great place to hunt for information but alas a lousy place to see a whale shark.
Lot's of pipefish though, way cool...........

 

[H2Andy]

that's ok... i went to Bonaire, supposedly the sea horse capital of the world
and saw a grand total of....

... one .... seahorse

on the last dive of the last day!!

 

[okidoki]

March would be a better time for whale sharks in Utila, but they are out there and with Wagner as captain you got a big chance to get your whale shark on friday. If not then come back another time to Utila with over 70 dive sites there is so much more to see.
Just enjoy and dive!!!!!!!

 

[UTLgirl]

Hi Susan 6868,

You're feeling the effects from the Northern. The North Side is one of the best areas to search for them, but with a Northern just passed, it's a little rough on that side.

Good conditions to find them, IMHO, are calmer seas. You need to have calmer seas to see the fish 'boiling' and the birds that are competing for the same food supply. If you can find those 2 characteristics, chances are good you've got a big guy just under the surface.

Not sure why they haven't seen any since May, I've been here since November & we've seen several, as well as wild Dolphin, Pilot Whales, and Sperm Whales on 2 occasions. Be patient, if we get a day when the seas look better for the North Side, go for it. The locals know the best spots, but the seas have to be right to be able to spot the signs. Unfortuneatly, with Winter lasting a bit longer in the states, so are the Northerns that come down from there.

Not sure if you guys will be able to see it from down there, as I'm not sure where the drop zone is, but the Military will be performing jump excercises on Thursday. Helicopter jumps, in water retrievals and simulated emergency medical response scenarios. Ought to be fun to watch!

 

[DeepBlueResort]

Hi

All I can say is March / April is the main time but we have already seen some this year..

Last year we also saw a lot in September, Looking at the records we saw some Whale Sharks nearly every month.

Just tell your captain Wagner you have heard that Swin finds a lot, he will know what that means and that will make him try hard lol

 

[tkring]

Hmmm. Sounds like I should come over and help you look for them. It so much enticing that the meeting that I am scheduled for today. Looking for whale sharks or attending a meeting. Choices Choices ...