Back into the water we go. Over the last couple years I have been creatively moving into the marine world. Following last years experience with Humpback whales we decided to do something with a little more bite (yes, pun intended). How about some quality time with Hammerhead sharks. One of the best places on the planet to see these unique predators is Bimini, Bahamas. This small island lies mid way between the main Bahama Island group and Florida, USA, right on the edge of the gulf stream. As a result marine life such as Whales, Whale sharks and various other types of sharks migrate through this area. The sharks we're searching for here are the Great Hammerheads reaching sizes of 20 ft and over 1000 lbs. These beautiful creatures, like all sharks, are endangered due to humans. Attacks by Hammerheads on humans are rare, but have occurred and no, we were not in a cage.
Upon arriving we sorted out our dive schedule, double checked our dive gear and double...triple checked the camera equipment. Our first day featured a few regular dives on the local reef to get our feet wet and make sure all was good with the equipment. The next day we started out on our first shark focused dive. I'm on the still camera and my wife Lisa has the Gopro. The following images are the result...
An added bonus was the fact that Bull sharks, which can reach a length of 10 ft.+, would likely be joining us on this dive. These sharks can be very aggressive and have been linked to attacks on humans worldwide. Shark attacks of any type are incredibly rare, especially in clear water, and 99.9% of shark related incidents are accidents, because the shark thought you were something else. Knowing how to behave and respecting what is around you at all times is half the battle. Our dive started with the immediate presence of Bull sharks.
Bull Shark
Bull Shark
And a number of Nurse sharks, very passive little puppy dogs of the ocean and up to 15 ft in length, were also present. If a shark can be cute, this is it.
Nurse Shark
Nurse Shark
It didn't take long and off in the distance a silhouette appeared. It was "Hammer Time!" (Ahh come on, it had to be said).
Great Hammerhead Shark
Great Hammerhead Shark
What a rush. Throughout the rest of our dive, we had 3 Great Hammerheads weaving in and out of our group with the largest being 15 ft. On the edge of our visibility two Bull Sharks circled the perimeter and a half dozen nurse sharks seemed constantly under fin. At one point a Hammerhead grabbed Lisa's video camera and broke the telescopic pole it was mounted on.
Today we had an encounter with one of the most remarkable creatures on the planet, the Great Hammerhead Shark. This incredible first day made the trip worth while ten times over. The exciting part is we have just begun. With a couple more days in the water we can only hope to add to this adventure... stay tuned.