Bull Sharks' Annual Migration
Every year, pregnant female bull sharks make their way to the waters around Playa Del Carmen from December to March to give birth. This annual phenomenon creates a unique opportunity for divers to observe these majestic creatures up close in their natural habitat. Where they actually give birth is mostly a mystery though!
Phantom Divers
I decided to go with Phantom Divers. They are located right in downtown Playa Del Carmen, close to 5th avenue and only a short walk to the beach where their boat departs. You can message them ahead of time on whatsapp to start planning your trip. When I went in December, they were running the trip in the morning and afternoon.
Gear Restrictions
I usually like to bring my own basic dive gear so I was prepared with my mask, fins, dive computer and wetsuit. I always rent the BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) and regulator because it's not worth the expense of carrying on a flight. However, the Phantom Divers Dive Shop has strict requirements regarding the use of personal equipment based on their years of experience diving with bull sharks. The dive instructors emphasized the necessity of full-length wetsuits for safety and advised against any colourful or eye-catching gear. My yellow fins for example were deemed too colourful for the dive (although it’s interesting to note that I used these exact ones for my Bull Shark Dive in Fiji). Instead, I used a pair of blue fins from their dive shop which was quite narrow and short and didn't offer a lot of power. Gopro sticks are also a no-go, although you are still allowed to bring your camera but with the short handles only. I thought it was thoughtful of them to ensure that other people's camera handles do not get in your way and everyone gets to enjoy the dive without having their view obstructed.
Diving with Pregnant Bull Sharks
While I was making my way over to the dive shop the morning of my dive, I received a message from them that the dive was cancelled. As it turns out, if the weather is deemed unsafe, then the port is closed and dive operators are not allowed to run tours. Fortunately, I was able to rebook for another day. If you are only in Playa Del Carmen for a short time, I recommend booking the shark dive as early during your trip as possible so you have enough time to reschedule for another day if the weather doesn't cooperate.
Once at the shop, all the divers watched an introduction video that explained the behaviour of bull sharks and the dos and don'ts during the dive. Everyone then geared up and we walked down the street to the beach. The dive site is conveniently located only a short boat ride from the shore, just beyond the reef. The flat sandy bottom is at a depth of 22 meters.
When it comes to diving, it's rare to get the opportunity to dive with a marine biologist who is conducting scientific research. It was my lucky day that we had two scientists aboard with us who were studying the sharks! More on that below. You will be overweighed on this dive to ensure you stay anchored to the sea floor and do not move around easily with the current.
The Dive
The boat took us for a 5 minute ride just past the reef. It was crazy how close to the beach we were. We would see still see people on the shore. Once we got in the water, things got hectic quickly. The visibility wasn't optimal, and the bubbles from divers entering the water made it challenging to see clearly. Fortunately, I spotted the Dive Master and stuck close to him.
We then descended straight down to the bottom. Being overweighted is very tricky because the narrow fins from the dive shop have almost no power so it is very hard to move around. We were taken to an area with a rope that we were required to hold onto throughout the dive. Both hands had to remain on the rope at all times. If you had a camera, you had to ensure it stayed below the rope to avoid obstructing the view of other divers.
Then, the show began. There was no effort required from the divers. We remained still as the divemaster started feeding chunks of fish to the sharks. The sharks came right up to us and one even bumped into me! Apparently, a group of divers altogether just look like some blob inanimate object to them and they don’t see us as individuals when we are all shoulder to shoulder.
The Scientists
What made this dive truly special was the chance to dive with scientists who were studying the bull sharks. They had developed an ultrasound prototype to collect data to prove that the sharks were pregnant. This data would be crucial in persuading the government to expand protected marine areas. While it remains uncertain whether the sharks give birth in this area or in the nearby mangroves, the presence of baby sharks in the mangroves suggests a connection. While the divers and scientists know the sharks are pregnant, you need data to publish scientific research! The rest of the dive was like watching a nature documentary. The feeder brought the sharks in close to the scientists so they could perform their ultrasound.
After about 25 minutes, the food was gone and it was time to ascend. The narrow, small fins made it difficult to maintain control during the ascent and the extra weights made buoyancy control a little tricky during the safety stop.
As we got back on board, the bull sharks had followed us up back to the boat. That part was actually more terrifying than the dive itself! We looked over on the side of the boat and could see the sharks circling us.
The cool scientist performing an ultrasound on this pregnant bull shark
It's hard to know when booking wildlife encounters or "eco" adventures how much harm you could potentially be doing. In Bali for example, tourists wanting photos with monkeys has led to humans feeding them in order to photograph them. Elephants in Thailand are abused for tourist rides. In this case however, the expertise of the dive shop allowed the scientist to study them in order to protect them. The sharks are fed scraps of fish so it does not replace their diet or ability to hunt and feed themselves in the wild. And most importantly, the dive master asked us to follow the rules because the entire beach community of business owners and workers depend on tourism for their livelihood and one bad shark accident could lead to their dive shop being shut down and them being out of work. They highly value these sharks alive and their concern leads to protection rather than fishing and emptying the oceans.
In conclusion, my adventure diving with pregnant bull sharks in Playa Del Carmen was nothing short of extraordinary. It was a thrilling journey that combined adventure with scientific research. If you're a diving enthusiast and have a chance to partake in such an adventure, don't hesitate!
If you are heading to Fiji, check out this blog post below!
