top 5 big animal dive trips???

[seadweller 0]

what would you say are the top 5 big animal dive trips one can do? and lets keep it cageless.

[Mike L 0]

Tiger Beach in the Bahamas is a MUST for up close in your face shark action.

[seadweller 0]

Tiger Beach in the Bahamas is a MUST for up close in your face shark action.

 

ive heard definately on my must dive list. have you done it yourself?

[deepsea 0]

There are many excellent options out there

 

Snorkeling with Humpbacks in Tonga

Bull Sharks in Fiji

Greater Hammerheads in Rangiroa

Mantas in Yap

Galapagos - Hammerheads/whale sharks

Cocos -

Tubbataha in Philippines for Thresher Sharks

Sailfish off Mexico

Orcas in Norway

 

 

You need to do you research for these trips to pick the prime time to visit, they are all amazing in their own right. There are also more than this.

 

Hope this helps

 

Karen

[The Octopus 0]

sperm whales off of Dominica

Humpbacks off of silver banks

Sperm whales off of the azores plus other whales and dolphin

[scubaspud25 0]

I can't really say what the best places in the world are but i can definitely give you my personal top 5 for big stuff (in no particular order)

 

sharks, mantas, whale sharks and dolphins in Palau your one stop shop for everything

The manta night dive in Kona Hawaii a truly amazing experience

Grey reefs, silvertips and Lemon sharks in Tuomotus, French Polynesia so many of them they carpet the reefs

Mantas (tons of them) & Loggerhead turtles in Heron Island, Great Barrier reef absolutely brilliant especially on night dives

Grey Seals tugging on your fins, all over Ireland

[Drew 0]

My personal list:

1.The best is south africa during the sardine migration. Sharks, dolphins, whales, birds, tuna and even people. Best of all, you get natural predation on a grand scale. thousands of dolphins, hundreds of sharks, 10s of thousands of birds. It's not about adrenline rushes but raw nature.

After this, chummed shark dives seem fake and boring.

2. Swimming with humpbacks in great viz is about 80% of No. 1. But only when they are doing some sort of behavior. Ruruutu comes to my mind as the best humpback dive (done on rebreather) in my life, with mother calf or bulls fighting over the female.

3. Sperm whales: 78%. the world's biggest carnivore is absolutely majestic to dive with (rebreather again obviously). I only rate it lower than humpbacks because they are harder to work with. But when they play... Dominica, Bonin and Azores are the established spots, and having been to all 3, they are very good.

4. Whalesharks 75%: in the West Indian Ocean (Aldabra or Djibouti) or Belize:. Congregation of whalesharks feeding, enuff said!

5. 4 way tie:

a. Humboldt Squid Baja CA: great behavior esp hunting and stalking since YOU are the prey

b. Sailfish/Marlin baitballs: The Isla Mujeres Sailfish is excellent behavioral observation of the sailfish hunting, same for the Marlins in location XXX. Both make my insurance adjustor quiver with fear.

c. Mozambique: Big mantas, big sharks, big fish.

d.Southern Right whales: Not as cool as sperms or humpbacks, but awesome nonetheless. Argentina or NZ (you'll need special permits).

[cozumeldogs 0]

You might consider adding Malpelo Island off Colombia. Its often done with Cocos Island (Sea Hunter). Can be amazing. Large schools hammerheads and silkys in the 100s.

[seadweller 0]

wow! glad i did this post. some awesome trips you guys have done. especially drew. do the sperm whales ever get predatory with humans. must be intimidating to dive with the biggest predator in the world lol. thechnicaly wouldnt the blue whale be the biggest predator in the world? albeit they eat the smallest of the small but eat other animals none the less. lol. but i know what u mean.

[The Octopus 0]

You have to be careful as they can get real friendly!

[seadweller 0]

You have to be careful as they can get real friendly!

 

thats an awesome pic octopus i can see that they do. must be a very exhilarating experience to dive with such a big predator

[Travy 0]

what would you say are the top 5 big animal dive trips one can do? and lets keep it cageless.

 

A little late but my 2 cents.

 

From the Western Cape all the way up to Mozambique you will find all the species that were mentioned in this thread in one coastline.Whales,Dolphins,All shark species including Great Whites,Tigers,Bull,Thresher,Raggie's,Cow's,Whalesharks,penquins,seals,sardines,squid(chokka run)and the list goes on.Maybe not the best viz but good over all to see everything.Travelling to a specific place to see a specific thing does'nt all ways work out as i found out.

I was disappointed to travel to Richelieu Rock,Similan Islands in season and not see any Whalesharks and the same went for the Manta's at Koh Bon and Hin Deang.

[ronscuba 4]

sperm whales off of Dominica

Humpbacks off of silver banks

Sperm whales off of the azores plus other whales and dolphin

 

Are Dominica and Silver Banks reliable ? If I do a 1 week trip are good photo ops pretty much a sure thing ?

[Mike L 0]

I would also definitely consider adding French Polynesia to the list. If you go in the fall, August-October, I would go to Moorea for humpacks, then head to the Tuamotu Islands for some really good shark action!

[rtrski 20]

We were told actual snorkeling or diving with the whales off Dominica requires a special permit. You might check with Drew as to how he was able to do it; I suspect one has to be an established photojournalist and set things up well before hand. I don't think just "average" divers can go out and buy a trip to do it.

 

There are whale watching boat trips regularly for hire (check www.anchoragehotel.dm for example) but you do not leave the boat.

[Drew 0]

We were told actual snorkeling or diving with the whales off Dominica requires a special permit. You might check with Drew as to how he was able to do it; I suspect one has to be an established photojournalist and set things up well before hand. I don't think just "average" divers can go out and buy a trip to do it.

 

There are whale watching boat trips regularly for hire (check www.anchoragehotel.dm for example) but you do not leave the boat.

I'm not the one posting pics from Dominica.

[rtrski 20]

No, but you did post the following, in response to the OP, which certainly implies you got to dive with Sperm whales in Dominica, no? Please let me know what I'm not understanding. Was it my use of "photojournalist" instead of "videographer" or some such?

 

3. Sperm whales: 78%. the world's biggest carnivore is absolutely majestic to dive with (rebreather again obviously). I only rate it lower than humpbacks because they are harder to work with. But when they play... Dominica, Bonin and Azores are the established spots, and having been to all 3, they are very good. smile.gif

 

(emphasis added)

 

I believe my point stands. I was in Dominica recently and specifically told diving with sperm whales requires special permits. You appear to be implying in response to the OP's general question about big animal dives 'one can do' that it's more available than I believe. Clarification for the OP's sake might be in order.

Edited January 30, 2009 by rtrski

[Drew 0]

Rtski

The pic Octopus linked shows a person swimming with sperm whales in Dominica. I thought that would clarify what kind of interaction is possible. I'm sure everyone thinking of going to any destination will first do the necessary research (which 'may' include permits especially with member countries of IWC) and the local law, as I always do. Nowhere did I imply anything more than I've been there and it was very good. I'm sorry if you read it any other way.

PS: I don't respond to being called a PJ or videographer.

[rtrski 20]

Thanks for the clarification. That's all I was after. And yes, I did realize that the photo wasn't from your post.

Edited January 30, 2009 by rtrski