Rangiroa-shark feeding

[bqualls]

I'm interested in diving in Rangiroa, but not interested in diving with sharks that have been fed by humans. Did a couple of shark feeds a few years ago in Oz & PNG--& I've had enough of pavlov's dogfish in a frenzy. Anybody got info on this?

 

[TSandM]

We dove with Top Dive in Rangiroa, and they did not do shark feeding dives with us. We saw plenty of sharks without it!

Many of the other places we dove on that trip did feature the feeding dives as their première attraction, but I don't remember it being mentioned on Rangiroa.

 

[rocketfodder]

We dove with Top Dive in Rangiroa, and they did not do shark feeding dives with us. We saw plenty of sharks without it!

Many of the other places we dove on that trip did feature the feeding dives as their première attraction, but I don't remember it being mentioned on Rangiroa.

Agreed. The shark feeding stuff is more limited to the Society Islands (Bora Bora), not the Tuamotus (Rangiroa, Fakarava, etc.)

I dove with 6passengers on Rangiroa and there's no shark feeding there. I don't imagine any other dive shop would do it, either.

 

[mbs]

We used top dive in 2006 and I can't imagine why they would even need to feed them! Plus if you are shooting the pass with them I don't see how it could be done safely. Bora Bora they did feed them. Even when a group of us said we would prefer if they didn't they said they had a bunch of divers from another resort that requested it... After diving Rangiroa first and then Bora Bora I was shocked at how the sharks came at you in Bora Bora. Did not like it at all! Here is a very cleaned up shot from 90 feet looking down in the Tiputa pass. Enjoy! Its a great place!

 

[mmmbelows]

LOL, if they tried to feed the sharks in Rangiroa, they'd need a dump truck full of grub with the amount of sharks that are there all the time.

Absolutely no sane reason to feed sharks to attract them to divers in Rangiroa when they are all over the place already.

 

[Wingy]

Totally agree - absolutely no reason to feed sharks in Rangi they are everywhere. Top Dive should be avoided at all costs - many many far better and more ethical dive ops. Top dive Bora Bora absolutely sucked cattle boat and arrogant guides, krud gear and really only for new divers who dont know any better. What top dive dont have on their marketing blurbs is there more than one shark bite incidents on both bb and moorea.

 

[Shasta_man]

We did a shark feed after snorkeling while in Rangiroa at the far end of the lagoon. The speedboats were tied up with the rear over the reef and you walked from the island in knee deep water out to the boats. AS we walked out, there were sharks all over the place. Going between us and the people in front of us as we walked, etc. The guides said let's do a shark feed in just a few feet of water right next to the boat. People and kids all around. Turned them into a swirling mass of sharks, etc only a foot away from us as we hung on to the mooring line. There wasn't enough room for one shark so it squeezed between my wife and the mooring post she was next to. Afterwards, the kids and everyone just went for a snorkel. I stood on the boat and looked around and there were literally hundreds of sharks in the water around the area. Then they handed us raincoats and told us to hold on. Then we drove straight into the waves going back to the resort for what seemed like a half hour straight. Pounding through the waves. Beat the crap out of us. Anyone with a back problem would have went straight to hospital after that. We learned a lot about sharks that day.

 

[Freewillow]

Have been to the Tuaomotu's. No shark feeding during normal dive operations. For "documentary" filming, this may be a VERY different story, from discussions that I had with a local diver involved in "security" for these type of filming crews

The only "shark feeding" one will see is, at restaurants, where they traw leftovers in the lagoon at baby reef sharks.

 

[TSandM]

We actually had a marvelous experience with Top Dive in Rangiroa, but I understand the fantastic DM who really made the days for us has moved on to Fakarava. Serge was delightful, enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and we thoroughly enjoyed diving with him.

 

[mbs]

Back in 2006 we used top dive in both Rangiroa and Bora Bora. We had a real good time in both locations, but I have to say Bora Bora attracts a different type of diver. So are there dive ops there that cater to the more experienced diver or are they all servicing the needs of the resort divers? I'm sure a lot has changed since 06. I believe the owners are no longer the 2 Swiss brothers. We stayed at the top dive resort. It was fantastic! I guess that doesn't exist anymore either? We actually dove one dive with one of the owners and got a wonderful tour! But a couple of days, including the shark dive day there were a ton of resort divers that they clearly catered to. Hey, its a business. On Rangiroa we dove with a bunch of really well trained French folks and were treated very well. The dm was VERY strict and yelled at us a couple of times the first day or 2, but eventually chilled out when he realized we were not going to be a problem. We almost had a problem because he yelled at me for checking on by wife/buddy's air. He thought that was his job. We agreed to disagree on that I guess where I am going with this is that dive ops change. And even differ in one location versus another.