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4 Places to Go Diving with Large Marine Life

4 Places to Go Diving with Large Marine Life

Written by Leisure Pro Staff
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Published on December 4, 2016

When it comes to diving with large marine life, many scuba divers seek out two of the largest varieties: whales and sharks. Here are just a few spots around the globe where you can experience unique and up-close encounters with some of your favorite giants of the ocean.

Bahamas

Cat Island in the Bahamas offers guided shark dives in waters teeming with these large predators. Guides are careful observers of the sharks’ behavior, knowing how to tell a relaxed beast from one ready to go on the offensive. Oceanic whitetips are not a docile species and all due caution should be taken when diving with these magnificent creatures. Visiting divers can expect unspoiled landscapes and pristine waters, with mild temperatures year round.

Southern California

A pelagic species, blue sharks are not a common sight to scuba divers. In Southern California, however, divers can experience cage-free encounters with them. Operators chum the waters to bring the sharks in, their namesake indigo coloring making them hard to miss in these sparkling waters.

Norway

With their sleek black and white coloring, orcas are unmistakably distinctive in the wild. If your desire to go diving with large marine life includes these giants, head to Stromsholm, Norway. Orcas favor cold waters, so you’ll need a drysuit here. You will be rewarded with the singular sight of watching these stellar beauties glide through the water, as well as hear their unique song as they call to one another.

Dominican Republic

Forty feet of magnificence, the humpback whale is a favorite of large marine life aficionados. If this is on your dream dive list, head to the Silver Bank in the Dominican Republic, where the humpbacks gather seasonally from late January through early April to breed and calve. Organized and knowledgeable operators bring snorkelers to prime humpback spotting sites for a truly personal encounter with these intelligent mammals.

Diving with large marine life is not risk-free — always choose a reputable operator or guide, one that will keep your safety and that of the marine animals as a top priority!

Leisure Pro Staff

Leisure Pro Staff

Marketing Director for LeisurePro