Diving with Sharks

Hammerhead sharks may just be the most iconic species of shark, and certainly the most recognisable. Their extraordinary design helps them find and catch their favourite prey, the unfortunate stingray. It also makes a fascinating encounter for any diver.

There are actually nine species of hammerhead in total, and all share the same basic body plan. The distinctive head shape is known as a cephalofoil. It helps to greatly increase their vision and awareness, while they also use it to ram prey and trap stingrays to the ocean floor. The most commonly sought out species for divers are the scalloped hammerhead and the great hammerhead.

Scalloped hammerhead sharks often school in large numbers, creating a hugely impressive spectacle. Cocos Island off Costa Rica is the most famous place in the world to see large numbers of scalloped hammerheads, particularly between May and October, while they can also be seen in the Galápagos Islands and Socorro. Sightings are also possible in the Red Sea, South Africa, the Philippines, the Maldives and Palau.

Great hammerhead sharks are the largest in this group of animals, reaching sizes in excess of four metres. While their distribution spans the globe, they are more solitary and nomadic in behaviour, which makes encounters less common. There is one specific area in the Bahamas where these mighty creatures can be seen regularly in shallow waters. This provides divers with an ideal opportunity to view and photograph one of the most beautiful and impressive of sharks.

Tiger sharks are another iconic species of shark. They gain their name from their distinctive markings, with stripes along the sides of their bodies that resemble those of a tiger. These impressive animals are one of the largest sharks and known to be aggressive hunters, but safe diving encounters are possible with the right care and precautions.

One of the best places to dive with tiger sharks is on a liveaboard in the northern Bahamas. Tiger beach is an area with good visibility and a shallow sand bottom where these apex predators are regularly seen along with other shark species. They can also be encountered in South Africa & Mozambique, Mexico’s Socorro Islands and the Maldives.

Thresher sharks may win the title for the most elegant and graceful of all shark species. Their large eyes are a result of time spent in deeper waters, while their beautiful tails, which can reach up to three metres in length, are used to stun prey in a whip-like motion.

Thresher sharks are in the same group of sharks as the great white shark and are incredibly fast, reaching speeds of 60 kilometres per hour. Like great white sharks, they sometimes breach, launching themselves out of the water in spectacular fashion.

There are three types of thresher shark – common, pelagic and bigeye. They are known to inhabit waters around the globe, but are one of the more elusive sharks to find. The best place in the world to see them on a regular (in fact, almost daily) basis is the little island of Malapascua in the Philippines. Here, a population of bigeye thresher sharks rise from the deep to the top of nearby plateaus to prevail of the services of local cleaner wrasse. On occasion, they can also be seen around Egypt’s Brothers Islands, in certain areas of Indonesia, or in the Maldives.

Whale sharks are one of the most wonderful animals that can be seen by divers or snorkellers, and are the largest – and most gentle(!) of all sharks. In fact, we love them so much, we gave them their own page!

If you’d like to learn more, head to our diving with whale sharks page.

While the above may be the most commonly sought out species, they are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sharks. Other encounters that can be enjoyed by shark lovers include large gatherings of docile, yet terrifying looking ragged tooth sharks in South Africa, oceanic whitetip sharks in the Red Sea, blue sharks in the Azores, and Galápagos sharks in, well, the Galápagos Islands of course!

If you are keen on a particular shark encounter, get in touch with the friendly Regaldive team today and start planning your adventure.