Shark Diving Season: 2023 Tiger Beach Review

We love data! Here’s some information about our 2023 shark diving season at Tiger Beach, between early February and the end of May.

Which Sharks Returned to Tiger Beach?

The tiger sharks really never disappoint at Tiger Beach! We were thrilled to see so many of our favorites back on the dives. There are a few sharks that we didn’t see, but keeping our hopes up they’ll be back later in the year. Throughout the season we saw:

During the 2023 winter/spring shark diving season, we also saw the return of Queen, a massive great hammerhead that we haven’t seen in a few years. She’s big, healthy, and was a frequent visitor on the dives, making for incredible memories for guests.

Throughout the season, we also had visits from another 2 great hammerhead sharks. Blondie was around for only about a week or so, and toward the end of the season we say a very small male hammerhead.

2023 Shark Diving Season – Missing Sharks.

We were expecting to see Pearl and P!nk this season, but they were a no-show. We’re hoping they just took a break from the beach and will be back for next season. They are two of the larger sharks at Tiger Beach, and we’ve known P!nk for 10 years now!

What Other Animals Do We See?

Tiger Beach is certainly a sharky dive spot. The Tiger Sharks are not the only given on the dives. You can also expect to see Reef Sharks, Lemon Sharks and Nurse Sharks. There are high chances of seeing both Great Hammerhead and Bull Sharks as well. Aside from the sharks, it’s common to see southern stingrays hiding in the grass or cruising along the reefs. We often see turtles, including huge loggerheads on the dive sites. And we can’t forget the grouper, who often try to steal the limelight during the reef dives.

How Deep Are The Shark Dives?

Tiger Beach is a large area on the Little Bahama Bank, technically in the Atlantic Ocean. There are a variety of dive sites that we visit. So what kind of depths can you expect on the dives at Tiger Beach? The average sites are between 20 – 40 feet, or 6 – 12 meters. Some of the sandy or even grass or sargassum dive sites tend to be on the shallower side. They’re great options for introducing divers to the sharks and getting comfortable with the dive conditions. With some of the sites being quite shallow, they also make great options for the last dive day prior to flying home. Some of the amazing reefs at Tiger Beach tend to be around the 30 – 40 feet depth, (10 – 12 meters).

What Water Temperature Can I Expect during the shark diving season?

Water temperature is a common question for divers planning their trip to Tiger Beach. There are plenty of charts available, and we have one on our website here. But it does just represent seasonal averages by month and there’s obviously quite an overlap. Here’s the temperature chart from my dive computer download during the season:

So, obviously, there’s a trend toward warmer temperatures as we get further from winter and into the spring months. Even still, there are some days were we did experience an odd drop in temperature.

Overall, 2023 has continued with the tradition. Tiger Beach seems to get better and better every year! We love seeing all of our sharks returning to the area healthy and often pregnant. As they head off in the summer months, so do we. We’re excited to get back next season and see who’s back at the Beach!

If you’re interested in joining us for these incredible dives, take a look here and send us a message!