Species results
Galeocerdo cuvier
3 destinations in the reference mention this species. Listed alphabetically — confidence is shown as metadata and never used to rank.
Regular at Manuelita Channel in recent years. Unbaited, unlike Tiger Beach.
Liveaboards run year-round; there is no closed season. The seasonal split is a quality trade rather than an access one: Jun-Oct rainy season gives the best hammerhead schooling and the worst visibility (9-20m), Dec-May dry season gives up to 30m visibility and less consistent schooling.
Destination detailResident population, present all year, with more animals reported Oct-Jan. Typically 4-5 in the water, up to 15. Encounters depend on bait; this is not an animal that would otherwise approach a group of kneeling divers.
Runs year-round. Jun-Sep is Atlantic hurricane season and individual trips get cancelled or rerouted, hence 'limited'. Note the two peaks pull in different directions: Oct-Jan for tiger numbers, Dec-Mar for great hammerheads, with Dec-Jan the overlap. Low operating
Destination detailNov-Mar, warm-water months. Dived here on baited drums since roughly 2002.
Runs year-round with no closure, but the surf launch means individual days are lost to sea state far more often than at a sheltered destination. The two headline seasons are opposed: ragged-tooth Jun-Nov in cold water, tiger sharks Nov-Mar in warm water, overlapping only in November. Low operating
Destination detail