Wetpixel Expeditions: Whale Sharks, Cancun, Mexico, July-August 2014.

If you wish to see more whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) in a single day than Jacques Cousteau saw in an entire lifetime of roaming the seas, then this is the trip for you! This is an opportunity to visit the largest aggregation of the largest fish in the ocean. Simply put, nothing prepares you for the sight of so many large fins in such a “small” area when you arrive on site on your first morning.

There is a great thread with amazing images from the 2013 trip on the Wetpixel forum, and Eric Cheng’s images are also on his blog.

Quite simply: If you want the best opportunity on the planet to capture amazing images of whale sharks, to have the ability to experiment with creative ideas using them as a subject, or wish to video one of the most amazing natural spectacles in our oceans, you need to be on this trip. Like all Wetpixel trips, it is designed to be underwater imaging friendly, with boat timings specifically tweaked so that we can maximize the quietest times on the water when the sharks tend to be in a dense conglomeration.

The trips tend to be heavily oversubscribed, in no small part due to the fact that when you have been once, you tend to want to came again! The dates for 2014 are:

Trip 1: July 26, - Aug 1, 2014. 5 days on the water (July 27-31)
Trip 2: Aug 1-7, 2014. 5 days on the water (Aug 2-6)

This is a snorkeling trip and so is suitable for non-divers. The nature of wildlife trips means that there is no 100% guarantee that sharks will be present. They have been there in significant numbers for several years, so it is likely that they will however. The 2013 trips witnessed a “new” phenomena where the sharks were joined by significant numbers of mantas.

Both trips will be led by professional photographer Jason Bradley and Wetpixel Editor Adam Hanlon.

The cost of the trip is $2,750 USD per person, which includes:

Private boat charter (7:00am - 4:00pm for 5 days) with experienced captains, and plenty of space and shade, simple lunch on boat + non-alcoholic drinks, golf cart rental to get around the island (group rental), airport transfers in Cancun to ferry terminal (from and to), tip, hotel, dual occupancy (7 days, 6 nights: 1 day before to 1 day after).

Single accommodation, suites (with jacuzzi) or bungalows are available for a supplemental fee. There is also a house (with a small pool) available at an extra fee for small groups who wish to room together.

You are responsible for airfare to and from Cancun, ferry cost (~$14) breakfast, and dinner.

Isla Mujeres is easy to get to. You fly to Cancun, take a shuttle to the ferry terminal (~35 min), and take a ferry to Isla Mujeres (15 min).

$1,000 deposit secures your space. Trip balances will be due April 1, 2014.

For more information or to book, please email Dan Baldocchi, or call him on 773-564-9579.