The world‘s finest diving

Bahamas

For me, it’s hard to get enough of the Bahamas. These waters offer some of the most exhilarating underwater moments a diver will ever experience. Tiger Beach, Bimini & Cat Island are now amongst the world’s top venues for shark encounters & I’d have to say that some of my favorite diving tales are drawn from our Tiger Shark charters there. One diver wrote to me after a Tiger Shark trip to say that the experience, for her, was life-changing.

To be in the water with these enormous & powerful creatures and to have no fear of them, to find nothing but peace & beauty in the “air” is astonishing . . .  And the sunlight that filters through the turquoise water, relected by the stark white sand in the shallow depths, is exhilarating.   To quote another diver, it is like “sacred meditation”.

A word from Dom

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Bahamas Liveaboards

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FAQs

To help you plan your trip, we’ve prepared a list of basic information you’ll want to know before you book.

Ease into a Tranquil Diving Paradise ...

Scuba diving in the Bahamas has always presented lovely & traditional diving filled with a delightful variety of the most colorful & charismatic reef fish, healthy corals, large sponges, rays, sharks, groupers and even a bit of shark action …. plus the attraction of a rather exotic visit to the Lost Blue Hole (included on most Exuma Cays itineraries).  The rim of this curious blue hole lies in 40 feet of water and is surrounded by coral formations. You’ll get fish, sting rays, lobsters … and plenty of the petite creatures such as jawfish & gobies.   Plus, there’s almost always a shark or two lurking …

 

... or Plunge in with Powerful Predators

On the flip side of the coin, for the truly adventurous divers amongst you, there are extraordinary scuba diving opportunities for up close and personal shark encounters – tiger sharks, lemon sharks & reef sharks at Tiger Beach ….  massive great hammerheads, bull sharks and nurse sharks at Bimini  ….  oceanic white tips at Cat Island.  With the shimmering, turquoise crystal-clear water carpeted with miles of white sand, the photo ops are beyond belief.

Let a Dive Liveaboard Whisk you Away from the Crowds

You can dive from a few land-based options but serious divers who wish to experience the most remote areas and to access the best of the diving in the Bahama, will want to be on a dive liveaboard.  We have chosen the vessels we have full confidence in.  They run reliable, safe-conscious, professional diving adventures which we recommend without hesitation.

Looking for Exceptional Shark Trips ?

If you’re as shark-mad as we are, check out the titillating opportunities in our shark encounters section.  Trips with great whites, tigers & lemons, silkies, hammerheads, bull sharks, oceanic white tips … And more.

Go for CALM  ... or HEART RACINGadventure.   Start with classicCORAL REEF scuba diving … with COLORFUL & CHARISMATIC REEF FISH, healthy corals in every color of the rainbow & large, exotic sponges.    Don’t forget the shimmering, turquoise CRYSTAL-CLEAR WATERcarpeted with miles of white sand. Add the up-close & personal shark encounters with TIGER SHARKS, LEMON SHARKS & reef sharks.  Mix in massive great HAMMERHEADS, BULL SHARKS and nurse sharks … and the fearsome OCEANIC WHITETIPS, You may even dive the exotic LOST BLUE HOLE in the Exumas National Park.

Explore Bahamas Diving Regions

Tiger Beach ... Dive With Tigers & Lemons in Crystal Water Atop White Sand

Simply one of the world’s finest diving venues for shark encounters.  Crystal clear turquoise waters, white sand …. tiger sharks & lemon sharks.  Shallow waters.  Dive as often as you like.  Pure magic.  On the slightly “extreme” side of the Caribbean, you find Tiger Beach in the Bahamas.  Tiger Beach is the ultimate tiger shark encounter!  6–7 foot lemon sharks mingling with 10-14 foot tiger sharks.

Occasionally even a great hammerhead joins the fun!  With the stunning underwater white-sand beach & the clear turquoise water, this is a site-to-die-for for photographers & videographers!

While no one can ever guarantee shark encounters, the diving trips to Tiger Beach have so far had 100% success.

With 5 dive liveaboards now available to take you to this exhilarating destination, you have a plethora of choices & styles. See the liveaboards here for detailed information about each …. and check our search for spaces to book your trip.A spectacular lifetime experience!

 

Exuma Cays Diving ... Reefs, Wrecks, Prolific Fish Life

A National Underwater Park.  You’ll dive miles of undersea coral gardens in gin clear waters with lots of fish, plenty of critters, a blue hole & a bit of pelagic action  …..  There’s no fishing, spearfishing or collecting allowed resulting lots of fish, plenty of critters and a bit of pelagic action. Your cruise will explore the waters surrounding several hundred largely uninhabited islands, graced with beautiful beaches. For over 30 years, much of this area, known as the northern Exumas.

Your cruise will explore the waters surrounding several hundred largely uninhabited islands, graced with beautiful beaches. For over 30 years, much of this area, known as the northern Exumas,

Your itinerary will almost certainly include a visit to visit Lost Blue Hole, the rim of which lies in 40′ of water surrounded by coral heads, sting rays and schools of fish.

Beyond that you’ll find the dives to be varied, incorporating a couple of wrecks, lovely & healthy reefs with prolific fish life (including everything from small critters such as pirate blennies and garden eels to large parrotfish, sergeant majors, butterflyfish and angelfish.)

On one dive you’ll find black coral and orange elephant ear and tube sponges plus plenty of pelagic action, featuring eagle rays and sharks. Indeed, many of the dives offer encounters with friendly groupers, Caribbean reef sharks, nurse sharks, the powerful lemon sharks and even hammerheads from time to time.

In addition, you can expect some strong currents, fantastic wall dives, lovely caves and crevices and swim-thrus.

Aqua Cat and the Bahamas Aggressor both dive these waters.

 

Dive Cat Island ... with Oceanic Whitetips

Cat Island in the Bahamas is a splendid place to experience being in the water with the awe-inspiring Oceanic Whitetips, as there are probably more of these sharks around this island than in any other single spot around the world.  Although the Oceanic Whitetip is a fierce predator – dining on turtles, tuna, sea birds, even sting rays – you’ll find these magnificent creatures, in general, quite calm and curious with divers.

Oceanic Whitetip sharks are massive and powerful animals ranging in size up to 4 meters (over 12 feet) in length.

Of course, while in the water with them, you’ll always be accompanied by a highly trained and experienced dive team to ensure your safety.

As a plus, in these waters, you’re likely to encounter silky and dusky sharks and if you’re lucky, you may have the occasional blue marlin passing by.

You’ll be able to participate in scuba or free diving – or both. The important thing to note is that you’ll be in blue water with no cage so advanced certification is required and free diving experience is recommended.

The best period for Oceanic Whitetip encounters is March through June, as that’s when you’ll find the Oceanic Whitetips in the greatest numbers (although the animals are around Cat Island all year).

Remember, the Oceanics are in deep water locations, so this isn’t the white sand photo-op of Tiger Beach and Bimini …. but still, Cat Island offers terrific conditions with calm, crystal clear water which does provide the great photo ops you’re longing for with these sharks!

 

Bimini Islands Diving ... Great Hammerheads, Bull Sharks & White Sand

Is there a creature on Earth with a more astonishing appearance than the hammerhead shark?  Diving with them, photographing them  …. this is the stuff dreams are made of.  January through March each year is the period when the great hammerheads are found in large numbers around the Bimini Islands in the Bahamas.  After that, they generally begin to migrate in search of cooler waters.

And, at Bimini, you get all of this with great viz in aquamarine waters with white sand bottom to accentuate your photos!

The great hammerhead is the largest of nine identified hammerhead species and individuals can reach 20 feet (6 meters) in length and weigh up to 1,000 pounds (450 kg).  Now, that’s a serious shark!

As with other scuba diving locations in the Bahamas, you’re likely to be treated to more than one species of shark while you’re in the water.  It’s common to see nurse sharks, Caribbean reef sharks and particularly bull sharks in this area … plus plenty of other marine life.  Some trips may offer optional dolphin encounters.

 

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