Diving with Hammerhead Sharks in Bimini with Virgin Voyages

Join us on an exhilarating journey as we dive into the turquoise waters of Bimini with Hammerhead Sharks, creating memories to last a lifetime.  Bimini is a chain of islands in the Bahamas that are known for their beaches, fishing, and diving. It's located 50 miles east of Miami, and is the closest point in the Bahamas to the mainland United States. This was the last stop of our Eastern Caribbean Antilles Virgin Voyage and the location of Virgin’s Bimini Beach Club!

Arriving in Bimini

We arrived in Bimini at 8 AM, however we did not have to report for our dive until 11:45, so we slept in a little and had lunch on the ship.  Virgin has large golf carts that shuttle you around the island and to / from the boat as it’s a long walk from the pier to the shore.    

Hammerhead Shark Dive

We booked a dive with Neil Watson’s Scuba Center via the Virgin app.  I booked this immediately when I saw it was an option, as I was scared it would sell out.  This is truly a once in a lifetime experience as Hammerhead Sharks have eluded diver’s for years.  The Neil Watson center found an area the sharks use for nursing and they come back yearly to the same area, allowing up close and personal study over time.  This opportunity is ONLY available from December through April each year when the sharks are around, so all the stars aligned for this incredible experience.

I’ll be honest.  I was scared.  I just felt a little uneasy, but was ready to take on the challenge.  The dive itself is about 75 minutes and only 20-25 feet deep.  You are heavily weighted, and just “sitting” at the bottom in a semi circle while the dive masters take turns attracting and feeding the sharks by HAND!

Plenty of you are screaming “HELL NO” 🤣 That’s ok.  I was like that too.  I NEVER would have expected to be able to jump off a boat and right into the middle of a shiver of sharks.. But I did it.  And yes a group of sharks is called a shiver.  Like the sensation they cause you to feel up your spine!! 😨

These animals are beautiful and graceful.  This dive was a lot of waiting around for the chance to see them (and there are no guarantees).  There would be nothing going on and then out of the blue, literally, you would see the prominent head emerge, swim in and snatch a quick snack.  Oh, and the entire time we are surrounded by Nurse Sharks, which being that close, I will never fear again. They are basically just sand sifters, and hung around hoping to catch some scraps.  Like little dogs.  😍

Watch this dive on our YouTube

Trouble in Paradise

The dive was amazing, but very, very long to just be sitting in one place, breathing underwater wondering, "how much longer?"  If you are a diver, then you can likely relate that there are times you just feel “uneasy” and you have to wrangle that in.  Adding sharks to the mix, including one of the largest predators out there and potentially a Tiger Shark who could show up for the fun, added some anxiety.  Will was very relaxed on the boat ride out and did not really do his pre-dive check appropriately. 😳 

On the ascent back up, his regulator popped off the hose and out of his mouth.  He panicked and made about 5 mistakes, including shooting up to the top, in a current, heavily weighted, with sharks in the water.  He did not attempt to use his backup regulator, mine, or inflate his BCD once he reached the surface (wearing about a 20 lb. weight belt). Connor, one of our dive master’s, was able to help get him safely back to the boat, but man - this was a close call and could have been much much worse.  

I cannot stress how important it is for you to be 100% comfortable with your gear and the dive plan before starting.  It wasn’t just Will; I also learned a lesson as a dive buddy.  I need to ensure that my partner is ready to go and insist upon pre-dive checks and signal review together.  While this time we were lucky, if we had been at any depth below 30 ft, and he shot to the top like he did, he risks decompression sickness, lung collapse, even death.  So yes.  This was a very important lesson that we were humbled and grateful to accept.  

Sunset at Bimini Beach Club

After the dive and that life scare, we were ready for a drink!  Since we booked the afternoon dive, it was already 5 PM so we only had an hour to check out Virgin’s Bimini Beach Club!   Everyone was already leaving, including most of the staff, but I just wanted to take a few pictures and have one beverage to relax.  

Travel More Tip:

Don’t pass up the Beach Club in Bimini.  If we hadn’t booked the dive, we would have hung out here all day.  It is modern, chic, consistent and on brand for Virgin (which is why I love them and Richard!).  The Beach Club is staffed with familiar faces from the boat and they have action going throughout the day with DJs, big adult pool floats, foam parties, a bonfire at sunset, and a sandy beach to enjoy the ocean!  There are plenty of loungers available, but if you’d like to reserve a special area or cabana, that is an option.  Rockstars also have their own private area within the Beach Club.  

Return to the Boat

We hopped on a golf cart and headed back to the boat.  Bimini is very small and most of the island was “resort” focused.  There is a huge Hilton Village and it seems most people do end up renting golf carts and get around the island that way if they are staying for longer.

Ready to dive into Bimini's blue waters? 

Go to the “Contact” page now to easily schedule an initial discussion with us to get things started!  Thank you for reading and following our travel adventures!  Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel and to follow along @travelmorewithkristin on Instagram for the latest travel tips, tricks and our newest locations visited.  

Thank you!

Kristin & Will

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