Top Pelagic Dive Locations

I had planned to take a trip to Sipaden this December but after reading the responses on the wetpixel forum regarding a major decrease in the shark count, I am considering changing plans.

Besides Palau and the Galapagos (which I have already experienced) what would you consider the top dive destinations for shark and other pelagic encounters?

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

South Africa

Tuamotu region, French Polynesia

The tiger shark Bahamas trip with Abernathy

beqa lagoon sharks in fiji

I don't know where you heard that Sipadan is a great place to see sharks. You get some hammers DEEP off the dropoff, otherwise it's all just reef sharks... even back in the early 90s.

Cocos is the best place for pelagics that encompasses sharks and other fish like tuna etc. Obviously the shark chum dives off FL and South Africa are popular. Stuart Cove in the Bahamas , Tahiti, Fiji, GBR in OZ all have similar shark feed dives.

I noticed you live in LA so you may want to think about the great white trips off of baja.

Thank you for your feedback MikeVeitch, Drew & MDB.

Based on your suggestions we have chosen to dive Rangiroa - Tuamotu/French Polynesia this December.

We will get a nice dose of warm and fuzzy critters this June in Indonesia, such as the blue ring octopus, scorpionfish, and banded sea kraits, and then in December we will do some adrenaline diving with the big boys in Rangiroa.

I've been to those spots and they just don't come close to the Coco Islands off of Costa Rica. The water is warm at 80-82 degrees, literally thousands of white tips, silver tips, silkies and galapogos sharks plus schools of hundreds of hammerheads and the occasional whale shark. This is not to mention the hundreds of marble and eagle rays, some mantas, millions of jacks so thick that if you swim into them you cannot see the water. I'm headed back there this August for the 11th time with a group and can't wait till then.

Tahiti had plenty of silver tips and the strongest currents I've ever encountered and I enjoyed myself but it just doesn't measure up to the Cocos.

My 2 cents;-)

Steve B)

Hey Steve,

Your week in Tahiti was one of the less good ones. It was still good diving but the way the cookie crumbles. When i went to Cocos we had a 'bad week' only 3 Silvertips at Silverado - all babies with fish hooks in their mouths - and very few Hammerhead sightings. I started skipping dives and longing to get back to Tahiti's warm clear waters.

Having experienced a bad week in Cocos and a bad week in Tahiti i'd rather take a bad week in Tahiti! It's warmer and there is better reef life should you be unlucky. When Tahiti is on a 'good week' i don't think it can be beaten, but that's just me

It would have been amazing to see Cocos when it's 'going off' though.

Oh, and by Tahiti i mean French Polynesia: Specifically Rangiroa, Fakarava and some other Islands in the Tuamotus.

Thanks for your 2 cents STEVE and SCUBA_SI.

I have a long track record of randomly choosing the weeks when I am told it is 'NOT going off', so I have accepted this and enjoy the experience regardless.

My fiance will be with me in Rangiroa (no, not the honeymoon) and she has only about 40 dives under her belt. Do you think that she will be too inexperienced for dives such as the TIPUTA pass?

You should consider the Maldives. Due to the dispersed nature of the dive spots, its best to do a live on board Safari Cruise to get to the various atolls. Most safari boats are well equipped and very comfortable. Its usually a one week or two week deal and normally they visit the central atolls of North/south Male (MAR-LAY) , North/South Ari, Rashdoo and Felidhoo. The best time would be Nov - March, although Oct and April would be fine too.

Pelagics:

Whale Shark (almost a given if going during the above dates)

Hammerhead (Only saw on two out of three trips there)

Mantas (almost a given if going during the above dates)

Gray reef sharks (almost a given if going during the above dates)

Also there are the rare safety stop dolphins, sailfish and wahoo.

If you travel far south to the equator (via a domestic flight), you can see Tigers and Oceanic White Tips. Thats usually a 2 week deal though and i personally havent done it myself. So caveat emptor.

I lived/dived off a boat called the southern cross. They have dedicated tables for camera equipment, on-suite toilets, air conditioning and even a small pool on the upper deck. The diving is done from a auxiliary boat called a Dhoni. It holds all the dive equip and the compressor ...etc. So at night (and during your afternoon naps) you dont hear the compressors. it was all very comfortable. let me know if you want more details.

Eudon

AMW,

Having not personally met your fiance, and others may argue against my advice, but I do not believe 40 dives would be adequate to do some or most of the pass flying in the Tuamotus. The same holds true for Cocos, 40 dives is not adequate unless you are proven to be an exceptional diver (at 40)? Most of the diving in Cocos was not that extreme, but I've seen a lot people not up to the currents and ability required for some of the sites there.

I think it can be a great experience in the Tuamotus, but you need to have experience and the ability to get down deep, fast and maneuver your body quickly. You need to know what you are doing or you can quickly get blow off and tossed around, and end up with some difficulties and challenges you were not prepared for. The corner dives should not be a problem for your fiance and you can still see the Silver Tips, other sharks, Eagle Rays and other highlights on the corner dives. Most dive operators will only dive the pass twice a day with relation to the incoming tide. I don't mean to rain on your parade and say she couldn't dive, not at all - I hope she dives a lot and you both have a great time! You should really consider if she is up for the pass flying, as you know her best. The Tuamotus is a beautiful area and different than the society islands of FP. Your fiance will probably appreciate the landbased portion over the 36 hour crossing Cocos would require. By the way, pack light for the inter islands flights!!!!

Have a great trip!

paquito