Beqa Lagoon Fiji Shark Dive

DESCRIPTION

Review by Anna Clague
Images by Anna Clague and Andrew Simpson

There have been many ‘shark dive’ reviews written and for good reason - they are awesome!!

Initially I was unsure about an organised shark feeding dive…wouldn’t it be unnatural? change the behaviour of the sharks? alter the whole ecosystem in the area? be so controlled that it looses the thrill of diving with sharks? Whatever the answers were to these questions the overriding question was Would I enjoy this dive? The answer is - yes absolutely, I loved it!

From start to finish the guys at Beqa Adventure Divers looked after us superbly. Good thorough dive briefings, milo between dives and plenty of in-water supervision including the shark feeder and the guides with their magic stick.

We started our dive by following the reef wall down to the first feeding area at about 25m. Here we settled down with our back to the reef and waited for the sharks to start feeding. The ‘shark feeder’ started doling out the food from a big wheelie bin that was suspended above the area in front of us. This had been placed in the water earlier in the morning as a form of ‘chumming’ to let the sharks know that today was a feeding day so come on in. This was a mobile feeding station as the bin was moved across the line of viewing divers, which gave us an opportunity to see the sharks as they approached and as they exited – quite different behaviour. There were close to 20 big male Bull sharks (the bigger females were all up the coast birthing their pups at the time of year we were there). Over the course of the two dives we did that day (and review of our photos later) we were able to start recognising a few individuals during their numerous passes almost down to their freckles with the proximity we got!! After 25 minutes we were moved up to the second viewing area where the shark feeder proceeded to hand feed the sharks. We still had all the bull sharks but we were now joined by a mooching tawny nurse shark as well. The sharks are fed on a strict left to right pattern, any new comers to the feed are fended off from the right hand approach by the minders with their magic stick. This allows a measure of control to be attained by the guides contributing to the safety of the feeder and divers in the water.

On our second dive we started with the second feeding area for another hand feed with many many bull shark photo opportunity passes and then progressed up to the third feeding area where the bull sharks are left behind and the reef sharks come to the party. The feeder hand feeds many black tip and white tip reef sharks and at this feeding area you are facing back into and over the top of the reef. These are feisty little guys but sharks none the less so we still afford them the measure of respect they deserve. This view of the sharks with the reef below and surface ripples above gave us some completely different photo opportunities.

All in all a highly recommended addition to any Fiji Dive Holiday!