Newbie and sharks

[maj2]

Also UNEXSO on Grand Bahama runs reef shark feed dives. And dolphin dives. Bahamas Scuba Diving & Interactive Dolphin Activities

If you go with UNEXSO, I would actually avoid their shark feeding dive. They do plenty of non-feeding dives to the same site (called Shark Alley or something like that). The reef sharks are so conditioned to the sound of divers arriving that they come in from all directions. Some will swim off when the diver wearing a chain-mail suit and carrying a tube of chum does not enter the water, but you still see a ton of them on any given dive to the site. The feeding dive is a pricey premium...
In a week on Grand Bahama, I did the feeding dive first, and then ended up at the same site for two additional dives during the rest of the week. By the end of my first non-feeding dive at Shark Alley, I regretted having paid the extra for feeding dive.

 

[drrich2]

I don't know your best options because you're based in Denmark, and I'm not familiar with what works best for your region. You may eventually make it to the U.S./Caribbean/Pacific coast of North/Central America & South America region. With that in mind:

1.) I don't recommend diving with tiger sharks until you work your way up.
2.) There are a number of places reef sharks and nurse sharks are fairly common. Jupiter and Key Largo (Florida), St. Croix (north coast), live-aboard diving out of Belize and the Caymans, and especially the Turks & Caicos.
3.) North Carolina has off-shore wrecks, some frequented by sand tiger sharks. Not shark feeding or baited.
4.) Jupiter, Florida - especially winter when the lemon sharks aggregate. You can do non-shark feed diving (e.g.: Jupiter Dive Center) or shark feed diving (Emerald Dive Charter).
5.) The Socorros region by live-aboard, which has a range of pelagics (not just sharks).
6.) Cocos Island by live-aboard.
7.) Galapagos by live-aboard.
8.) Shark Feed/Baited diving is a very contentious topic, with intelligent, reasoned arguments on both sides. Read up on the topic and make your own decision.
9.) Diving with Great Whites is usually done via shark cage. Guadalupe, Mexico is the main regional draw for that. It's done elsewhere in the world, too.

Not all of these (or most) would I recommend at 24 dives, but a look at the bigger picture may help you decide how to plan to build experience.

Here are some trip reports to help with places I've been.

Key Largo with Rainbow Reef Dive Center 2013 - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/fl...iving-key-largo-rainbow-reef-dive-center.html
Jupiter 2014 - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-diving/491927-jupiter-trip-report-9-7-14-9-11-14-a.html
Morehead City, NC August 2015 - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/no...us-dive-center-aug-9-13-2015-trip-report.html
Emerald Charters Trip Report 2017 - Emerald Dive Charters Trip Report
St. Croix Research Report Aug. 2017 - St. Croix Research Report Aug. 2017
Sun Dancer 2 (Belize) May 2015 - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/li...ving-belize-via-sun-dancer-2-may-2nd-9th.html
Cayman Aggressor IV May 2016 - http://www.scubaboard.com/community/threads/cayman-aggressor-iv-trip-may-2016.527640/
Turks & Caicos Aggressor II Report Apr. 2018 - Turks & Caicos Aggressor II 4/21-4/28 Trip Report

Richard.

 

[rongoodman]

When you have 10X the dives you do now book a liveaboard to either Cocos Island (off Ecuador)

It's the Galapagos which lie off Ecuador. Cocos Island is 350 mile west of Costa Rica. They both have lots of sharks. I don't think he would need 250 dives to be comfortable at Cocos Island.

 

[nolatom]

I know only what I've done, Jupiter and West Palm quite a few times, but for sharks, go in late Feb, with Jupiter Dive Center. Verrrry cool, in 90-foot depth you drift at about 70, while the lemons swim between you and the bottom at about 80'. Then they swoop back around and do it again.

Most of the rest of the year, there are a few reef or nurse sharks around as you drift those same reefs, but not nearly as many as in Jan-Feb, when the pregnant Lemons come for the "right temperature" water (meaning about 72-74F), before migrating somewhere else, I think in the Bahamas, to give birth a couple months later.

I think the drift-diving off West Palm is well-suited to a fairly new diver such as you. Sort of a group-dive, all jump in at same time, follow the Divemaster, and it should be low-stress, as long as you don't mind doing a free ascent ( since the boat drifts with you so no mooring line to ascend on). I did this first time after about 20 dives, it was fine, and fun.

If you're coming from Denmark, December through February's when a fair number of north Europeans come for east coast Florida vacations. The Stuart-Jupiter-West Palm area is good for beaches, golf resorts, and either wilderness or glitz in the same day. And within easy driving distance of Miami, and doable but longer mileage to the Keys, and Key West.

 

[diversteve]

It's the Galapagos which lie off Ecuador. Cocos Island is 350 mile west of Costa Rica.

oops...

 

[drbill]

Likewise the Bahamas. Tahiti would be another sure bet. Palau as well.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Hi. Im owd from denmark. I have 24 logged dives. Havent been diving in currents. Or Any deeper than 13,5 meters. I dont fear sharks. I respect Them and adore Them. So My question now. Were could i anywere in the world either dive in less deep waters or snorkel with sharks.... Not cat sharks or Whale sharks. It seems Africa and the blues and makos Are more a Lucky Thing. Because animals and weather does their own. Were would i be most certain to se sharks, and within My newbie range?

Your first consideration should be what kind of dive environment you are comfortable in before adding sharks to the mix. Some of the sites mentioned (Jupiter in Florida, North Carolina, Cocos, Socorro, Red Sea) are deeper sites with more adverse conditions. Jupiter in particular can involve 2-4 knot currents, and I've had dives on the Outer Banks where I've felt like a flag on the descent line. Now, if you're snorkeling instead of diving, some of these concerns are alleviated - Jupiter for instance has a couple of snorkel charters that go out for sharks.

The second consideration should be starting with smaller or less aggressive species. The Bahamas has Tiger Beach, but that site has some very big tiger sharks (4 meters plus) that are not shy about getting right in your face or even grabbing the camera right out of your hands. Same with Beqa Lagoon in Fiji. Those are probably not good options for your first shark trip, even if they are in shallow water. Again, this may be less of an issue with snorkel charters as you're generally hanging onto a tag line a few meters from the boat, but I probably wouldn't recommend starting off with 20 bull sharks.

Based on that, the Bahamas (nurse/Caribbean reef sharks) would probably be the most forgiving option in terms of conditions and species. If you want to go straight to the top without much risk, two other options are snorkeling with whale sharks (several locations around the world, but Isla Mujeres in Mexico seems to be the hot spot these days) or cage-diving with white sharks (which is usually either on snorkel or surface-supplied air). In the former case you're mainly concerned with not getting run over by a 6-meter fish focused on sucking down plankton, and in the latter you just have to keep hands and feet inside the ride at all times.

 

[Hoag]

My recommendation would be a week on the Turks & Caicos Explorer II. I did a week on her a few years ago and the boat was comfortable. The food was good. The crew was amazing. And the diving was "sharky". We saw Reef and/or Nurse Sharks on almost every dive.

There was no "Shark Feeding Dive", because the sharks were simply there on most dives and there wasn't a need to entice them. The sharks were at times curious and would come over to "say 'Hi', but they were never aggressive in any way.

If you want to see sharks, this is a trip that will almost certainly meet your needs.

 

[60plus]

As you are in Denmark Portugal is about the closest place you may see a shark. The Red Sea seems to be the place where seeing sharks is near certain. I was talking to some divers a few months ago who had been to St Johns reef in the Red Sea and there were plenty. I know they are seen at the Northern Red Sea resorts as well.

 

[kasper wendelboe]

Isnt Portugal only for advanced divers ?