About Reef Sharks

Less than 39 miles south of the Bahamas lay the small island chain of Turks and Caicos. When scuba diving Bahamas (north of Turks & Caicos) you actually have a lesser density of "big fish" including sharks as compared to the waters surrounding the Turks & Caicos (just south of the Bahamas). Why? Our island chain is set atop a 3000 square mile elevated plateau or bank jetting upward from the ocean floor 6000 feet below. Because of this unique formation, the thermal forms unique to our 6000-foot vertical walls are drastic. Where you have these drastic water temperature changes- nature abounds. Where the big blue open ocean intersects our coral reefs along this 6000-foot walls- a natural habitat for Caribbean reef and hammerhead shark that has evolved here in TCI. The Shark Dive Bahamas phenomenon is over-rated as compared to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Caribbean Reef Shark Diving in Turks and Caicos is actually a better kept secret than the more well known shark diving of Bahamas (just north of us). We see reef shark all week long, in their natural habitat. Yes, sometimes you have to be a bit of a hunter, scanning your horizon for a glimpse of a curious reef shark (divers who coral peck, or dive with their mask focused in one direction often miss a lot of big fish- our dive guides are great spotters and will point out their sightings for you). Other times these reef sharks will virtually interact with you, making nearby curiosity passes between and around divers. Caicos Adventures has been shark diving Bahamas and Turks and Caicos for years, we have seen tens of thousands of reef sharks during our Turks & Caicos shark dives encounters and never had a negative encounter. Our experience is that the indigenous Bahamas reef sharks are merely curious.

In summary, we feel that shark diving Bahamas (in the real Bahamas) is more of a successful marketing gimmick. The Turks & Caicos shark population and shark diving here far exceeds the shark diving of the northerly Bahamas. Read about some great caribbean Bahamas Shark Diving Stories stories from guests who have dived with Caicos Adventures on our testimonial page. Again, we cannot guarantee anything, but we see reef shark approximately 80% of the dives, we see hammerhead shark about one in thirty dives (3%).