Sandy bottom / Shark encounterMarine Protected Area

Bimini (great hammerhead)

Depth: 5–12 mLevel: Advanced (shark diving)November to April, peaking between January and March

Every winter great hammerhead sharks gather in the shallows off South Bimini, on a white sand bank at about 6-12 m. It is one of the few places in the world with reliable encounters with this endangered species, and it is dived without a cage, on very shallow profiles that allow long bottom times. The rest of the archipelago offers reefs, walls, wrecks and blue holes.

Depth

5–12 m

Recommended level

Advanced (shark diving)

Current

Variable; influence of the Gulf Stream at the outer sites

Protection status

Bahamas shark sanctuary (national waters)

Did you know?

Bimini's mangrove system is an important nursery area for juvenile sharks and home to a long-established shark research laboratory. In hammerhead season the water is cool for the Caribbean, and a 5 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves is recommended. Off the island there is also the "Bimini Road", a line of limestone blocks at around 5-6 m discovered in 1968 that fuelled the legend of Atlantis.

Sources consulted: Dive The World · Underwater Photography Guide · Epic Diving · Neal Watson's Bimini Scuba Center · Scuba Diving Magazine