Breathhold diving at Tiger Beach

Shark Diver Just finished a trip to tiger beach in the Bahamas, where we encountered up to 6 tiger sharks at a time.

Chris and Euse were freediving during our expedition and have written about their experience here.

They have also taken this amazing picture.

If you want to experience your own "real shark week" and come face to face with the incredible sharks at tiger beach, give us a call at 619.987.4275 or send us and email at staff@sharkdiver.com

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO
Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

Tiger Beach, Bahamas 2012 - Take Out for Tigers

Last week Scotty Gray from the venerable and always fun M/V Kate and Blue Iguana Charters entertained a few of our divers at Tiger Beach, Bahamas.

As many of you know it's an exciting dive site and one of our go-to sites for the many film and television productions we do each year with the help of the crew from the Kate (seriously these guys are the best).

One of the Tigers decided to try and take her dinner Take Out (that bait tube is 4 feet long). You never really know what or who you'll get at Tiger Beach when you dive there looking for big sharks, which makes this dive site one of our favorites on the planet.

Like a puppy with a chew-toy.

Let's go shark diving!

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

A Classic look at Negaprion brevirostris Bahamas

Shot somewhere "recently" in the Bahamas. A classic look at everyone's favorite local sharks:

 

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Tiger Beach Expeditions 2012 Three Spaces Going...Fast

Christy Fisher at Tiger Beach w lemon friends

The 2012 Tiger season in the Bahamas has been a busy one this year and we are looking at the last three spaces of the entire fall season on:

September 2-8
September 9-15

The fall season is when we get the really big gals on site and yes, you will see sharks, that's an absolute guarantee.

After a decade Tiger Beach has proved the world over to be one of the top shark diving sites.

These last three spaces will be gone soon, come and join us with the fine crew of the M/V Kate, the water is fine.

Let's go shark diving!

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Diana Nyad Swim 2 - Shark Handlers on Duty

Photo Credit: Malcolmobbs.com

 For those in-the-know long distance swimmer Diana Nyad is 2/3rds of the way through her third attempt at crossing from Cuba to Florida.

Her shark team this time around features Tiger Beach, Bahamas very own Capt Rob MacDonald who recently had a successful run in with a curious Oceanic Whitetip shark.

By successful, he was able to deploy non lethal techniques to keep the animal disinterested in Diana's long distance attempt.

Around 1 p.m. -- and don't everybody get excited here -- an oceanic whitetip shark was spotted near Diana in the midst of the three-boat flotilla. Diana is deeply committed to the safety of these extraordinary animals. Rob MacDonald, one of her talented safety divers, swam towards the shark, where they faced off within 10 feet of one another. "I guess he thought I was more aggressive than him, and he turned in the other direction," said MacDonald. Everyone else, it must be said, breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Kudos to the entire shark team out there right now and to Diana herself for what looks to he another harrowing but ultimately successful (fingers crossed) attempt at the record books swimming a total distance of 103 + miles.

Diana is the stuff that real legends are made of - the right stuff.

All those involved on the recent 18=30 mile media fiasco should be paying attention.

2011 Tiger Beach Expeditions - Trip Report

It's been a busy few weeks for the crew of the M/V Kate and Shark Diver as our first divers are coming back from Tiger Beach in the Bahamas this year having once again had the time of their lives.

As April approaches we're looking forward to meeting our next months batch of shark divers at perhaps one of the planets top Tiger sites.

Newly minted Tiger diver Brad Bamford was with his buddies last week not sure what to expect, what he got was shark diving in paradise:

March 15-22 Tiger Beach Trip Report

The week our group spent a Tiger Beach was incredible. We had excellent weather the entire trip and lots of shark action. We had 5 different Tigers ranging from 10-13 ft and anywhere from 20-30 big Lemons.

Even when we went off Tiger Beach to dive the various reefs we had big Tigers show up!

I was surprised at how massive some of these sharks were. They were extremely curious which gave us lots of close-up encounters and great photos.

To mix things up we went swimming with the dolphins for an afternoon and dove a pristine reef with giant Loggerhead turtles. This was definitely the most extreme shark adventure I’ve been on and can’t wait to get back out there.

The food aboard the M/V Kate was excellent and the crew worked tirelessly to make sure we had an awesome trip.

They did not disappoint!

Miss you guys and hope to see you again real soon!

Cheers,

Brad Bamford

Tiger Beach Expeditions 2011 - New Fall Dates

With the surprising interest in our spring 2011 expedition dates to Tiger Beach this year aboard the M/V Kate we have decided to offer even more.

Announcing our fall 2011 line up with Tigers in the Bahamas. Departures are from Freeport and the maximum number of divers will remain at just six, which means extra days diving, and ultimate expedition flexibility:

September 24-01

October 3-10
October 13-20
October 22-29

November 01-08

Join us this season. If you thought spring Tiger sharks were fun wait until you meet "The Big Ladies of the Fall".

Shark Diver Tiger Beach information here.

Image Wolfgang Leander - who else could have made this shot?

Tiger Beach Bahamas 2011 - Shark Diver

In just a few short weeks we'll be back at our second home, the Bahamas, to dive with our favorite locals - the Tiger sharks.

We're also back with Scotty Grey and the MV Kate one of the best vessels operating at the beach right now with one of the most accomplished and flexible shark crews out there.

We use Scotty and crew exclusively for all our Bahamas operations, from film crews to commercial diving they deliver safety, value, and comfort.

This season we're only running six divers per trip and this is the key for us. Small families and dive groups enjoy a private charter set up on the 65' MV Kate, and this allows us the ultimate flexibility on site and at other sites as well.

We cannot wait to get wet this March-May, and frankly, like you, we're tired of the winter.

Here's to 80 degree days, sunshine, Tigers, lemons, reef sharks, and oh yeah, we'll even throw in a day swimming with the spotted dolphins, or not, it's your expedition after all.

Image Frazier Nivens

Understanding Tigers like Guy Harvey Does

Thanks to the Guy Harvey Foundation and tagging work being done in Bermuda through the invitation of veterinarian Dr. Neil Burnie, who has independently running a tiger shark research effort, the once elusive world of Bahamas tiger sharks is opening up.

Or are they Bermudas tigers?

Recent tagging data is showing a migration pattern that is interesting to say the least.

For the past decade the question of where these animals vanished to periodically was on commercial shark diving operators minds in the region.

Last year Guy Harvey's Dr. Mahmood Shivji, and company decided to find out. They reported back with an in depth discussion on conservation, marine protected areas, and current tagging with Dr. Neil.

Last month a tiger was sport caught in Bermuda setting off a storm of controversy, tigers are also sport caught with relative impunity in Bahamian waters as well.

With this latest data interesting questions about protection for these animals comes up. As commercial shark diving operators ourselves we have long advocated and enabled in depth shark research at the primary dive sites we operate in. Understanding the animals we work with is the key to working with the resource beyond just the commercial which leads to greater protections backed by in depth site data.

Local efforts to shepherd and steward sharks is the hallmark of commercial shark diving in many places worldwide. Kudos to the work being done by Dr.Neil, Guy Harvey, Dr. Mahmood, and others who are in a race to uncover the once secretive world of tigers.

Only good things can come of this latest discovery.

Tiger Shark Eats Video Camera

From You Tube December 17th, 2009:

"Tiger Shark eats diver's video camera while it is still rolling. Get a first hand view of what it looks like to be chewed up by a giant shark. Filmed By Stuart Cove and his team from Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas and documented with still photography by world renowned underwater still photographer Stephen Frink."

When Saying "Bad Shark!" Just Won't Do

We got the following email last month and sat on it a while. In the world of shark diving and on site protection from sharks there's a growing group of inventors and existing products out there. We have tested most of them from rare earth magnets, to Killer Whale sounds over the years.

This latest one need may need further testing...maybe Tiger Beach?

Hi Shark Diver,

I discovered your site through a link from sharkdivers.blogspot.com.
It's a great website quite with brilliant content. As true shark experts I'd love to know what you think of my product, it's a mask strap that can help you avoid a shark attack.

It might sound bizarre but it is based on scientific evidence, there's a link to this 'evidence' below. The idea was inspired by a report I read about Tiger attacks in the jungles of India. My website was launched last week and I'm really excited about it as I've been obsessed with sharks since a kid. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Warm regards,

XXX XXX

P.S. A product for surfers will be out next week based on the same principles.

Theater of the Grotesque-A Family Shark Kill?

We're still trying to drill down the "when and where" of this Tiger Shark kill and the images keep getting worse. We had seen some of these but not all. Kudo's to Trules Jemtland for finding this full image suite online. Nice bit of detective work.

If this is the Bahamas-which is likely, these images could still serve a media purpose leading the way for fisheries changes in the Bahamas. These,sadly, are the kind of images that do effect change and garner "sympathy for the devil".

On a personal note, this is a crime, made worse by the fact this was a gravid female. The pile of bloody shark pups is something we hope we never see online again.

Warning:These images are graphic.



TIGER SHARK MARCH 2008

Bahamas? Mystery or not this image is out

This image is part of a series we looked at a while ago. It is reportedly a dead Tiger in the Bahamas, obviously gravid.

Like other images such as the Great White in the Bahamas this spring, we waited until we had confirmation to post the image and back story. This Tiger image "pedigree" has eluded us thus far. No one knows anything, not the marinas, not the commercial docks, not the fisheries department.

Unlike the imageless story of another dead Tiger at Old Bahama Bay Resort this spring-we confirmed with the staff at the resort and the dock master that indeed a female, and once again gravid, Tiger shark was taken and killed there.

Helmut Nickel from the Shark-l has post two of the images online with the question we're sure everyone wants to know...is this the Bahamas?

Time it seems, for even "well known sharks", is not a given or even a luxury. This mystery remains if you know anything about this image let us know.

Iconic Shark Image 2009-Amanda Cotton

Recently Wolfgang Leander introduced us to Amanda Cotton. We have been big fans of Wolfgang's honesty and pure love of sharks. Wolf has quietly been the voice of conscience within the shark community for a number of years now. He's got a rare and unique talent with these animals in water that is "organic".

Amanda shot what we believe is the "Iconic Shark Image" of 2009 featuring Wolfgang and a female Tiger with a hook in her mouth. As a stand alone image the story telling is terrific and as an ambassador image to the plight of sharks worldwide there are few that compare.

We have always been partial to black and white underwater images of sharks. It is much harder to shoot in black and white because you are "compelled to tell a story" with the image-and that takes talent. As talented as Old Wolf is with his shark interactions so is Amanda with her seemingly organic ability to "be there for the image".

Zombi Two 1979's Reel Shark Horror

The following video clip has been "sitting in our craw" for a number of months now. The details- where it was filmed and when-have been a mystery, until today when we decided to look in Wikipedia. Now the story can be told:

Memorable Scenes

The film became infamous for two scenes in particular, aided by special effects. One features a zombie (Ramon Bravo) fighting a shark underwater. The actor scheduled to fight the shark was unable to perform the day the sequence was to be shot, so the shark's trainer was used instead.



Editors Note: Sharks trainer?! You mean "Fisherman and killer of Tigers", trainer we think not. Thankfully this was in 1979 so there's a better than 99% chance we'll never see a shark horror film like this one ever again.

Challenger Banks Bermuda-Tiger Central?

It's no secret that Big Tigers can be found in Bermuda. In fact next to the Bahamas this site shows a lot of promise for a new commercial site application.

It's called Challenger Banks and unlike the Bahamas Tiger Beach, this site sits in about 400 feet of water making it similar to what you might find with Mark Addison's Blue Wilderness in South Africa.

Thus far this playground is one for just a few shark researchers and the odd filmmaker. Time and desire from shark divers will tell if it see's commercial development or not.

Click here for videos

Christie Fisher and "One Eyed Jack"

The two images you are looking at were taken at Tiger Beach in 2007 and 2008. Shark Diver Christie Fisher has been diving with us for 4 years now. She's also been honing her underwater shark photog skills. To say she's become fearless in her new pursuit is a complete understatement.

In 2007 she was introduced to a frisky Lemon shark who's one eye was damaged beyond repair. This particular animal from the looks of things took a "liking" to Christie.

This week she was going through her images and emailed us:

"This is the SAME shark (One-Eyed Jack)!! I was looking
through last year's pictures tonight and noticed the eye again."

There's a lot going on at Tiger Beach with the sharky wildlife at this site. Having the same Lemon shark in what is usually a complete cloud of critters show up two years in a row is why divers come here year after year.

For Christie it's just another day at her new office in the Bahamas.

Tiger Beach-Bahamas Rare Event

For the past 8 days Shark Diver's Luke Tipple has been the dive safety operations manager for a simply massive film crew, shooting Tigers and Dolphins in the Bahamas.

The shoot spans three continents and is styled after Blue Planet. While they are still in production we cannot give you any more details, we'll update you as soon as we can.

We can share with you this image he sent into the office this morning.

What you are looking at is "Raw Nature" to quote Luke (*add Australian accent here) a green turtle who lost out on a turtle vs tiger encounter off Tiger Beach last week.

It looks like this little critter had quite the rough time of it. When you're a turtle and you show up to Tiger Beach, it's like driving through a bad neighbourhood. Always keep your doors locked, drive fast, and do not stop for gas late at night.

Underwater Shark Park-Bahamas 2013

The proposal is simple. The details enormous.

What would it take for the Bahamian Government to enact laws that not only protected all species of sharks in their water, but simultaneously created a series of Shark Parks or protected areas where sharks would be guaranteed safe sanctuary?

The idea is not so new and with global shark populations shrinking at rates never before seen- unique sites like Tiger Beach become prime sites for big ideas like these.

Recently, this blog covered several sites worldwide that are loosing their sharks to short term fishing pressure and turning, perhaps too late, to tourism to save these animals.

Tiger Beach, Bahamas is one site that has everything going for it, a stable government, a thriving eco tourism client base, researchers who have expressed interest in studying these animals, and the good will of many members of the dive community.

The question remains, what would it take? Who would step up and make it happen?

One thing is for sure, looking into the Crystal Ball 15 years from now, we will look back at this blog post and say one of two things.

Hopefully it will be-"Let's go see some of the only remaining Tigers at the Shark Park this week".

Tiger Beach Bahamas 2008 - Fly Fishermen Kill Shark

Sometimes the news we get here is news you never want to hear.

Last week a fly fishermen from the USA seeking a trophy catch deliberately hooked and killed a 15 foot Tiger Shark and brought it back to a marina for a weigh in.

Those on site who witnessed the event say the animal weighed in at 1200 pounds, and when cut open, revealed a few full term pups, one of which was put into the marina and as of last week was still seen "swimming around".

This report was confirmed by speaking with the marina manger "Peter" this morning who also added that "the same vessel was at the marina last year and caught another shark of similar size".

The crew of Shark Diver are distressed to hear of any gravid animals harvested for sport, especially coming from Tiger Beach where fishing for Tigers is like shooting fish in a barrel. We would like to propose legislation for this site to protect these animals in Bahamian waters.

Perhaps it's time for those within our community who have spent the past few months attacking Bahamian dive operations over the recent Shear Water Affair to re-focus on more pressing issues like this one.

It's a big step in leadership, let's see if anyone is up for it?