The World’s Best Shark Dive

When someone finds out that I photograph sharks for a living, they invariably ask two questions: Have I ever been bitten and where is the best place to dive with sharks.

I’m pretty good at answering the first question: “No, I haven’t. In fact, most sharks want nothing to do with me. I have to hold my breath and avoid eye contact just to get close to them”.

This often leads to a period of confusion and disbelief followed by a funny look of disappointment. Then they generally walk away nursing their shaken preconceptions. I can’t be sure but I think a lot of them are thinking; what does he know? He just photographs them. I’ve seen Jaws. This guy is an idiot.

The second question is vastly more difficult to answer because I have never been able to decide where the best place to go shark diving is.

It really depends on your expectations. Do you want to see lots of sharks or just big sharks? Great white shark encounters at Guadalupe Island, South Africa or Australia can be pretty amazing.

But, beyond Guadalupe there are so many outstanding shark dives. There is Cocos Island off the coast of Costa Rica where scalloped hammerheads school in their hundreds and where other omnipresent species like silky and Galapagos sharks cruise above every reef top. Then there is Tiger Beach in the Bahamas where tiger shark and lemon shark sightings are virtually guaranteed. Fish Rock in Australia is high up on many diver’s bucket list due to its colorful wobbegongs and squadrons of grey nurse sharks. And what about the whale shark spots at Ningaloo, Holbox, La Paz, Utila and elsewhere. There are also chumsicle feeds in the Bahamas, wild rides through the entrances of current swept South Pacific atolls packed with reef sharks and places where you can wrestle with an ocean full of spiny dogfish sharks. You see the problem. There are simply too many amazing choices.

I generally try to gauge my audience’s interest level before launching into a monologue about all the different encounters they could enjoy. Some people are just vaguely curious but others want to know all the details. If they really want to talk about sharks I don’t hold back. Sometimes I can see the excitement building behind their eyes. Those people walk away not just with information but with plans and if I can be the catalyst that leads to their first shark encounter then I will sleep well because I’ve never met a shark diver that didn’t want to help protect sharks and in the 21st Century, sharks need all the help they can get.

Unfortunately, I can’t talk to everyone personally so if your interest is starting to peak I have one bit of advice; don’t worry about Jaws materializing out of the abyss at the first sign of blood, become a shark diver. Once you spend some time in the presence sharks you’ll soon develop a new appreciation of their intelligence and grace. And then after a few years (once you’re as addicted to shark diving as me) get back to me on that second question and tell me where the best place to dive with sharks is.

For the sharks,

Andy Murch

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