Where to Dive with Blue Sharks
Have you ever wondered how it is to dive with one of the most curious, yet gentle sharks in the world? A mesmerizing adventure is waiting for you. We collected where to dive with blue sharks.
We have done all the research for you, to help you discovering blue sharks in their natural habitat.
In this article, you learn all about blue sharks and where to dive with them. You can read the whole article from the beginning or jump straight to the most relevant chapter for you:
Geographical Distribution of Blue Sharks
Diet of Blue Sharks Best Places to Dive with Blue Sharks
Get to Know Blue Sharks
Blue sharks are a favorite for divers and underwater photographers for their beauty and speed. Another characteristic of them, which makes them so attractive to dive with is there curious but gentle behavior.
In the recorded history of shark bites, which started in 1580, there have been only four fatal accidents — less than once every 100 years. Blue sharks are also incredible swimmers, traveling over 4000 miles within 3 months.
Before we dive in to where to find the most promising places to dive with blue sharks, let us give you some background information about them.
Endangerment of Blue Sharks
Blue Sharks are decreasing in number worldwide as 10 to 20 million sharks are killed per year by humans. This makes the blue shark the most heavily caught fish on earth.
Primarily, the shark’s fins are sought after by shark-fin soup enthusiasts. Decreasing the demand for this soup could already help to contribute conserving this beautiful and gentle shark species. Aside from the fins, blue sharks are not particularly tasty. Hence, the rest of their bodies are mostly used for fish meal production.
Today, the blue shark is marked as near threatened by the Red List of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.Level of endangerment near threatened
Blue Sharks are incredibly gentle creatures towards humans. Let’s focus on just observing instead of overfishing them.
Geographical Distribution of Blue Sharks
The blue-shark lives usually off the coast-shelf and dives into a depth of approximately 350 meters. It occurs as a resident in all tropical to temperate sea areas and is probably the most widespread species of all sharks.
Very often blue sharks are sighted in the North Atlantic from the south coast of Great Britain to Senegal as well as around the Azores, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, and Madeira. Blue sharks also populates the Mediterranean Sea and is a summer visitor to the North Sea, the Skagerrak, and waters off Norway. In the Northwest Atlantic, it is mainly found far off the coast of Florida and the Antilles, where it is a summer guest in the Gulf of Maine, off Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.
In the South Atlantic, the shark regularly occurs as a deep-sea species off South Africa and off the South American coast (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay). Also, in the Indian Ocean, blue sharks are occasionally found between the 35th and 13th southern latitude; near the coast (for the ones of you who are into geography ;P). In the Pacific ocean, it can be found in all warm temperate areas.
Diet of Blue Sharks
The blue shark, as a large deep-sea shark, eats almost everything it can capture. The main part of its food represents fish of any size, mainly schools of fish such as herrings, mackerels, sardines or tunas. In addition, it hunts smaller shark-types.
Fishery-remains thrown into the sea supplement their diet. Unfortunately, indigestible garbage can also be found regularly in its stomach.
Best Places to Dive with Blue Sharks
Blue Sharks are at home in the open ocean, hence, diving with them often involves being “out there”. It means waiting in the endless blue, but as wise men say, patience and endurance are the keys to the highest rewards.
As most blue shark dives are conducted in blue waters without any orientation during the dive, they should not be taken lightly. Generally, it is recommended to have great buoyancy control. Also, divers must always pay attention to their depth and orientation.
Do you like diving with sharks? Have a look at our recent article about Great White Shark Diving.
Often, a blue shark dive is experienced as the following: Divers hang in the water between 20 and 30 meters and their patience is tested before, if you are lucky, dark shadows arise in the distance coming closer and closer. Suddenly, the silhouettes of the blue sharks turn into detailed pictures just in front of your eye and are in reach, but before you know it they have turned around,
We show you the places on this planet where you are circled by these magnificent and elegant creatures rather sooner than later. Making sure your patience is not tested for too long…
Criteria to Rank the Best Places to Dive with Blue Sharks
The following rakning is sorted after criteria which are in our opinion the most relevant for divers. We were evaluating the most important criteria when someone aspires to dive with blue sharks, namely:
- How Likely is it to encounter blue sharks.
- How is the situation with diving schools at the respective blue shark diving spot.
- What is the water visibility like.
1. The Azores, Portugal
One of the most promising spots for encounters with blue sharks can be found within Europe’s “best kept secret”: The Azores. An island group that belongs to Portugal and lies in between America and Europe in the Atlantic Ocean. Already well-known to sailors as a pleasant stop on a cross Atlantic turn, now gaining more attraction with adventure tourists and divers. The green islands feature volcanos, dramatic waterfalls and chill vibes in restaurants and bars.
Besides diving with blue sharks, the Azores are also popular for diving with mako sharks, mobula rays, dolphins, hammerhead sharks, black marlins, and even whales. All of these animals can be found of the most renowned diving site on the Azores, the Princess Alice Bank.
Key statistics to diving with blue sharks on the Azores:
Best Diving Schools on the Azores for Blue Shark Diving
Multiple diving schools are offering blue shark dives. Here are the most reliable ones (Rated on Google Maps and Trip Advisor):
- Norberto Diver, Faial Island
- Cetacean Watching, Pico Island
- Dive Azores, Faial Island
- Twin Peaks Diving Centre, Pico Island
- Brizaçores, Pico Island
2. Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town has plenty to offer: hiking table mountain, exploring the local bar and club scene, visiting wineries, or cage diving with great white sharks.
Yet, you could make your trip to Cape Town even more remarkable by experiencing a dive with blue sharks in the open water without a cage.
As a result, watch the video below to get a glimpse of what this adventure could look like.
Key statistics to diving with blue sharks in Cape Town:
Best Diving Schools in Cape Town for Blue Shark Diving:
- Pisces Divers, Simon’s Town, Cape Town
- Into the Blue Scuba Dive Centre. Cape Town
- Shark Explorers, Simon’s Town, Cape Town
- Ollava Scuba, Cape Town
3. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Cabo San Lucas, known as a paradise for relaxation, nightlife, and sunbathes can also show a different side. If one is looking for a thrilled filled adventure connected to nature, then you ought to take a look at diving with blue sharks during your holidays.
Cabo San Lucas and the Baja de California
Cabo San Lucas is one of top destination for shark diving in the world. Just off the shore, there can be found the arguably highest concentrations of blue sharks and mako sharks. Diving schools offer dive trips 7 days a week all year-round. Besides blue sharks, mako sharks, hammerhead sharks, and silky sharks are also frequent visitors during dives.
Blue sharks can be spotted during all months, however, the prime time for them around Cabo is between January and May.
Key statistics to diving with blue sharks in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico:
Best Diving Schools in Cabo San Lucas for Blue Shark Diving:
A few diving schools are offering blue shark dives. Here are the most reliable ones (Rated on Google Maps and Trip Advisor):
4. Rhode Island, USA
Blue Shark encounters are most likely not the first thing that comes up to one’s mind when thinking about Rhode Island. However, there is an excellent opportunity for adrenaline seeking adventurers and nature lovers to discover another aspect of coast of New England.
Ocean view from Rhode Island
Blue shark diving in Rhode Island is only offered by one diving school. The trip is lasting the whole day and costs 450 USD. It can be booked with Rhode Island Shark Diving.
Key statistics to diving with blue sharks in Rhode Island, USA:
Fun Facts About Blue Sharks
1. The largest caught blue shark
Blue sharks, with slim bodies and long pectoral fins, usually grow to 7–9ft/2.5–3m. The largest blue shark ever caught was 9 ft/3 meter long and weighed 256 LBS. It took four experienced fisherman to get this fantastic creature out of the sea close to the coast of England. The fished blue shark was later released back into the sea where he reportedly was able to swim away.
Largest Blue Shark ever caught, still alive!
2. Blue Sharks are Explorers
Blue sharks need space. As they are used to the open water, it is no surprise that they not do well in captivity. The first attempt of keeping blue sharks in captivity was at Seaworld San Diego in 1968. The longest a blue shark was ever kept in captivity was 246 days in an aquarium in Tokyo.
3. Blue Sharks the Reproduction Machines
Blue Sharks give birth to between 40 and 63 babies dependent on the age and the size of the mother. The young sharks feed in the mother’s uterus on a yolk in the form of a yolk bag and are about 50 centimeters long at birth. The gestation period is between nine and twelve months.
From a length of about 2.20 meters the females become sexually mature, which corresponds to an age of four to five years. Nothing is known about the onset of sexual maturity of the males, but they are also believed to be of reproductive age from about four to five years. The oldest until today known animal was approximately 20 years old.
4. A Two Headed Blue Shark
In 2011, scientists, found two-headed female blue shark embryos. They were found inside a pregnant adult female that had been caught in the Gulf of California off the western coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico.
A researcher, Felipe Galván-Magaña, speculated, “Abnormal sharks showed a symmetric bicephaly that could be caused by the high number of embryos found in the uterus of the blue shark, which is the most fecund species of shark in the world. The abnormality probably began during the embryonic development.”
Summary
In conclusion, Blue Shark Diving is an incredible adventure. Especially for people who are diving with sharks for the first times in their live. Explore the beautiness of these amazing creatures.
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Originally published at https://www.animalsaroundtheglobe.com on August 28, 2019.
