We have just closed out our 2015 great hammerhead shark season here on bimini and enjoyed incredible diving with some great friends. Bimini great hammerhead sharks 2016 gopro 4 youtube. Thank you to neil watsons bimini scuba center for the truly unforgettable day. If you read our yearly great hammerhead trip reports one after the other, they all start to sound the same.
Join us in bimini for our 2016 great hammerhead adventure. However, we all would rather be in the water with the great hammerheads. These elusive giants have evaded divers for years, but now neal watsons bimini scuba center has access. Youll be allowed to snorkel alongside these incredible and increasingly rare giants. This winter, stuart coves invites divers on an exclusive excursion to encounter these sharks in the crystalclear waters off bimini in the bahamas.
The great hammerhead sphyrna mokarran is the largest species of hammerhead shark, belonging to the family sphyrnidae, attaining a maximum length of 6. The great hammerhead shark is the largest shark within the family of hammerhead sharks sphyrnidae with a maximum size between 5. Handfeeding hammerhead sharks in bimini allows photographers to capture openjaw photos of the apex predators. Scuba diving with great hammerheads in bimini, bahamas, is the newest, hottest shark aggregation. Great hammerhead shark safari bimini big game club resort. This is a highlight reel from our 2014 great hammerhead expedition off bimini island, bahamas. In addition to great topside conditions, november to may is also the best time for shark diving. Great hammerheads winter season marks the return of the elusive great hammerheads. All in all it was a great day in the water and we still made it back to the hammerhead grounds for dusk encounter with our favourite sharks. We spent two amazing weeks in calm, clear, 78f water.
Diving with great hammerhead sharks in bimini scuba diving. Since then bimini has become a shark divers pilgrimage. A little over a decade ago it was discovered that great hammerhead sharks, particularly females, aggregate at bimini island in the northern bahamas during the winter months decemberapril. Diving with hammerhead sharks in bimini is unforgettable orlando. This seasonal shark feeding scuba dive is only available novemberapril. After a short boat trip, you will arrive in the waters that great hammerhead sharks inhabit during the winter months. This package includes round trip ferry transportation onboard balearia caribbean on economy class 1 one carry. In the ocean realm, few high intensity experiences rival the excitement of diving among the amazing great hammerhead sharks. Bimini great hammerhead sharks 2016 gopro 4 steven paige. Bimini is best place in the world for this species. Diving with great hammerhead sharks in bimini, bahamas with photo pro andy murch.
Shark research experience in bimini, bahamas great. So if we wanted to see them, we would need to leave tiger beach and visit bimini island. Our direct exposure to the atlantic ocean and relatively shallow reefs make the biminis one of the most spectacular aquatic destinations in the bahamas. We will begin our trip staying in south bimini by shark lab at their guest houses, then midweek after finishing up our shark research experience we will move to north bimini for the great hammerhead dives. Bill fisher underwater photographers can get amazing openjaw photos of hammerhead sharks in bimini. Cruising around in a golf cart and exploring the beaches is a lot of fun anyway. Bimini has truly become a unique dive destination offering the best encounters with the generally shy great hammerhead shark. Its easy to reach bimini from florida, by boat, seaplane or commercial flight.
In north bimini we will stay at the historic bimini. Our great hammerhead safaris run for a limitedtime period each year, and have. Join likeminded divers as you spend your dive time at the shallow site observing these endangered sharks, recognised by their unusual and distinctive head. The great hammerhead can be distinguished from other hammerheads by the shape of its hammer called the cephalofoil. In other words, the availability of food in south bimini during the main great hammerhead divetourism season does not change the way that the sharks behave overall. The dives take place in shallow water, allowing for long dives with. The bulls are bold visitors to the hammerhead shark encounters but they are rarely aggressive. See what this epic hammerhead dive in bimini, bahamas is like.
Great hammerhead sharks of bimini an indopacificimages article. And so dive briefings fall by the wayside because the diving is rather simple and also because the hammerhead scene on bimini attracts a certain. Bimini scuba center oceanic whitetips shark diving. Great hammerhead encounters bahamas diving holiday. Searching for great hammerheads the bimini adventure p3. Choose an image to view a larger version, then use your back button to return. Once set in our hammerhead aggregate position, our guides will enter the water and begin the process of attracting bimini s most recognized apex predator. Scuba diving with great hammerheads in bimini, bahamas youtube. Searching for great hammerheads the bimini adventure p1. Bimini has emerged as one of the best places on the planet to encounter one of the oceans most amazing predators, the great hammerhead shark. Diving with hammerhead sharks in bimini is unforgettable. Tristan guttridge tags and follows giant hammerhead sharks to find out what brings them to bimini in the bahamas in early november.
Bimini is known for hammerhead sharks, but is also home to tiger sharks, bull sharks, reef sharks, lemon sharks and nurse sharks. These large predatory sharks can grow to over 20 making them the largest hammerhead and rival to the tiger. The dive with the hammerhead sharks was an incredible experience. Each year the great hammerhead shark makes bimini its winter home because of the warm waters throughout the winter months. In my humble opinion, bimini island deserves to be included in. These large predatory sharks can grow to over 20 making them the largest hammerhead and. I flew over to bimini for the weekend to dive with the great hammerhead sharks and also to test out my new ikelite housing for my panasonic lumix gh5. The dives take place in shallow water, allowing for long dives with these beautiful sharks join us on our next trip.
As for the hammerheads, we saw them everyday that we dove. Stuart coves dive bahamas heads to bimini for great. Oct 17, 2016 our record is 8 individual great hammerhead sharks on a single dive. Diving with great hammerheads at bimini island in the. Bimini is a very special place and an ideal spot to share sharks with just about everyone. Apr 22, 2014 as the sun set over the liquid horizon, a veil of darkness fell upon the tropical shallows of bimini. His findings on how sharks affect their environment and what they need in return, along with many other studies, confirm the importance of shark mangroves. They turn up at the feeding stations for a snack, but continue to do all the other things they normally do. In season s past we would need to travel to bimini island for a shot at great hammerheads. The bahamas andros, bimini, cat island, eleuthera, grand bahamas, nassau, san salvador, the abacos, the exumas, long island and the berry islands hammerhead season is from december to february, although there has been sighting all year round.
We had a great time talking and discussing the dive that was going to take place the next day. Shark experience in the bahamas with the bimini sharklab. Daily space is limited to 12 lucky guests who will experience these elusive giants up close. Jul 18, 2017 in other words, the availability of food in south bimini during the main great hammerhead divetourism season does not change the way that the sharks behave overall. I can only imagine how good it is going to be in 2016 when the hammers are even friendlier. Diving with hammerhead sharks in bimini, bahamas blog. It is found in tropical and warm temperate waters worldwide, inhabiting coastal areas and the continental shelf. We have enjoyed three straight years of exceptional hammerhead shark encounters. Swimming with great hammerhead sharks winter season only. The annual aggregation of great hammerheads was discovered by the staff of dr samuel grubers bimini shark lab back in 2002 but the lab managed to keep the whole thing to themselves for over 10 years. This is a great chance to get close up images of a shark with a notorious reputation.
Once set in our hammerhead aggregate position, our guides will enter the water and begin the process of attracting biminis most recognized apex predator. The ones we were diving with in bimini were adults, mostly female, around 912 feet long they are big sharks. He has created the worlds largest database of a shark population. Gopro video shark diving with the great hammerhead sharks of bimini and epic. Photographing the hammerhead sharks of bimini, bahamas watch. For the past 23 years the bimini biological field station, sharklab has been documenting the occurrence of great hammerhead, s. The hammerheads of bimini underwater photography guide.
This is our 2nd season visiting bimini during the great hammerhead. A quick boat ride to the western side of the island will put you right at their front door. Season 0, episode 71 great hammerhead invasion shark weeks dr. The great hammerhead sphyrna mokarran is the largest, with some estimating they can grow to twenty feet in length. In season great hammerhead shark diving safaris allow experienced divers to get up close and personal to these large predatory creatures during their annual aggregation of south bimini.
The great hammerhead sphyrna mokarran is the largest species of shark in the family sphyrnidae. While you are visiting bimini, make sure you visit the bimini shark lab, where you can get a tour to see the amazing work they do here to gain a better understanding of sharks and the ways we can help conserve them and their environment. In seasons past we would need to travel to bimini island for a shot at great hammerheads. Epic diving tiger beach, great hammerheads, oceanics. Keep in mind, average water temperature during hammerhead season is. Research experiences bimini biological field station.
Every year in spring there is a chance to meet the rather rare and shy great hammerhead sharks, who are extremely active here off the coast of bimini and ready to interact with the divers. Bimini is the closest bahamas island to florida and is just 53 miles from miami. The next morning at 10 am we meet at the boat again where we get the good news. So if we wanted to see them, we would need to leave tiger beach and visit bimini. Youll get consistent, closeup encounters and long bottom times with these elusive sharks. Big bull sharks regularly show up on our hammerhead dives.
We lost only one day to bad weather not a bad average for the bahamas during the winter months. See what its like to scuba dive with great hammerheads in the bahamas. Youll love seeing these amazing creatures up close in only 25 feet of water. Diving with great hammerheads at bimini island in the bahamas. Bimini scuba center packages hammerhead shark diving. In march 2019, i had the privilege of scuba diving with four great hammerhead sharks off the coast of bimini. Great hammerhead sharks of bimini an indopacificimages. Mar 26, 2016 the hammerhead season runs from december through early march, attracting divers worldwide to bimini, a chain of islands in the bahamas and only a 20minute plane ride from fort lauderdale. To dive with these prehistoric beauties, visit bimini in december through midapril. Bimini delivered endless epic encounters this year. However, november to may also represents high season for tourism in the caribbean. Scuba diving with great hammerheads in bimini, bahamas. The hammer season runs from december through april with peak time in january and february. With this newly focused research in bimini, commercialization followed, and a new hammerhead shark diving mecca was born.
An incredible opportunity to see and swim near these charismatic predators. Great hammerheads are without a doubt the pinnacle of shark diving in the bahamas. Great hammerheads, great conditions most of the time and great company. This was my first time to dive with sharks, ever, and it was phenomenal. Bimini is one of only two places in the world you can see the oceans most elusive large predatory shark found in the tropics, the great hammerhead shark. But as the waters of the bahamas warm in the summer months, the ones all of you boaters, swimmers, scuba divers and beachgoers enjoy, it gets just a little too warm for the hammerheads comfort. Mixed in with the great hammerhead sharks we also see quite a few bull sharks and nurse sharks. Plunge into the blue waters of bimini where youll encounter some of the oceans most iconic apex predators, like the great hammerhead shark. In addition to bahamas shark diving with the great hammerheads, divers will often encounter bull sharks and nurse sharks, as well as stingray and optional dolphin interactions. The hammerhead season runs from december through early march, attracting divers worldwide to bimini, a chain of islands in the bahamas and. Bimini offers one of the best opportunities in the world for great hammerhead shark diving. Bimini hammerhead sharks panasonic lumix gh5 youtube. Nov 10, 2018 as trips go, our bimini great hammerhead expedition was up there with the best. For about 30 years, samuel gruber has been researching the lemon sharks of bimini.
Great hammerhead sharks of bimini great hammerhead sharks of bimini discovery. During the winter months january april, a healthy population of theses elusive sharks congregate around the islands waters. This april 2019, neal watsons bimini scuba center will be offering oceanic whitetip shark expeditions from greenwood resort, cat island. Oct 26, 2016 see what its like to scuba dive with great hammerheads in the bahamas. Research experiences bimini biological field station foundation.
Once signaled, guests are welcome to enter the water to begin the captivating experience of diving the great hammerheads of bimini, as well as many other species of shark including bulls. The mysterious and endangered great hammerheads are frequent visitors of bimini during our winter season. In 2003 we located an area, the grate where these animals could be baited in for educational experiences and to facilitate tagging and genetic sampling. Jan 30, 2016 diving with great hammerheads off the coast of bimini courtesy of neal watson scuba center. Diving with great hammerheads off the coast of bimini courtesy of neal watson scuba center. As trips go, our bimini great hammerhead expedition was up there with the best. Youll find hammerhead sharks at bimini from december to march. There are some beautiful shallow areas where juvenile lemon sharks and nurse sharks can be spotted and provide a great opportunity for nonswimmers and young kids. Eye to eye with a great hammerhead shark is an epic experience. This unique trip takes place in 2 different areas of bimini. The year starts off in bimini where divers have the opportunity to dive with the great hammerhead shark, a rare and generally shy species. I was on day four of a great hammerhead expedition led by underwater cameraman joe romiero and.
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