KNOW YOUR BULL SHARKS

Bull Sharks differ from other species of sharks as they produce lots of testosterone, they are faster and more unpredictable than the Caribbean Reef Shark for example. They are smart creatures that can retain information and after the first time of approaching a feeding they remember it so they are able to repeat this action. Juvenile female bull sharks can be distinguished from an adult by their size and behavior. The adult is way bigger and has no fear to get close to our feeders to get a bite, instead the juveniles are more shy and will probably get close only after seeing an adult set the example. When we have many juveniles they most likely won’t get close to the feeders.

Bull sharks can thrive in both salt and fresh water and can travel far up rivers.

According to their mood, these sharks can change their skin tone to be darker than usual. They have special sensing organs, called electroreceptors “the ampullae of Lorenzini”, forming a network of jelly-filled pores, which allow sharks to orient and feel the electromagnetic waves of an injured fish.

Exactly like people, every shark is different and has a unique personality. They react differently according to their mood and they have preferences regarding the feeder. Different sharks interact in different ways towards different feeder.

Every shark has a name, according to their physical characteristics.

Sharks that visit us are 50% new sharks and the other 50% comes regularly every year. We can recognize sharks because we marked them, with the help of the association Saving Our Sharks.

ANA    

During this season our feeder Ramon Magaña had much interaction with a shark named Ana, a big female. She has been coming for three season already. Her name comes from a transversal cut on  her anal fin.

She likes a lot interacting with Ramon and she is very playful with him. Instead, with David, she becomes more nervous and doesn’t like to interact.

The Shark´s behavior  can change according to these factors: their mood, the stress of the feeder, if there current or not, how many people are in the area..

Last season we met a very big female, probably 3 mt with a black spot  on the right side, underneath the dorsal fin and we called her Marilyn.

A shark that visits us every year is ROOSTER. She has a malformation from birth in the tip of the fin, that makes her look like a rooster.

DEDOS

This shark most likely was injured from a propeller and has many cuts on a pectoral fin. It looks like she has three finger, that’s why we called her DEDOS, in Spanish fingers. In one occasion this shark came before the season, she stayed during the season, and after the season, till August.

FRIZZIA

This female adult comes every season and has a specific mark on her right side gills. She has a malformation from birth as the gills are joined together.

To learn more about these amazing creatures you can also take the PADI Shark Observer Certification. So next season, be on the lookout for these girls and try to identify them.

WHY ARE SHARKS SO IMPORTANT?

Dear fellow divers, 

As you may already know, many people are still very scared of Sharks, thanks to some famous movies that contributed to their bad reputation. The truth is that they should be more scared of humans, than humans of them. Each year more than 100 million sharks are killed for their fins, and in many countries shark finning is still very common. Shark finning refers to the terrible practice of removing a shark´s fin while the shark is still alive, then the shark is discarded in the ocean again. Unable to swim they are condemned to die slowly of suffocation or eaten by other predators.

For these reasons, nowadays it´s becoming more and more difficult to see a shark while diving.

This is a cruel and wasteful practice that happens daily around the world being a terrible threat to the health of the ocean and the entire marine ecosystem, which is made up of very intricate food webs. Sharks are at the top of these webs; as apex predator they help by removing weak and sick fish as well as keeping the balance with competitors, helping to ensure species diversity.

They are considered to be the “keystone” species, which means that removing them will cause the entire structure´s downfall.

In Playa del Carmen, Phantom Divers collaborates with the association Saving our Sharks (SOS), with the main goal to know and protect our sharks, in order to keep our ocean as healthy as possible and raise awareness for these extremely important creatures. 

The main focus are the lords of the ocean that visit our waters every year and keep attracting tourists and divers from all over the world to the Mayan Riviera: the legendary Bull Sharks. For every dive you book with these magnificent creatures, you are given an orange bracelet representing your support and donation to SOS. So we would like to thank all the people that joined us this awesome season and see you back in November. 

Dive Fun - Dive Safe - Dive Phantom

How about diving with Bull Sharks?

Cageless Baited Bull Shark Diving:

If you're up for an adventure of pure adrenaline, join us on this trip of a lifetime!

This season is on fire!

While most divers around the world seek to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of a colorful coral reef, others seek a unique experience such as diving with the extraordinary bull sharks.

Bull Sharks visit the coasts of Playa del Carmen in Mexico every winter from November to March.  Females arrive in a pregnant state to give birth to their young and deposit them in the coastal lagoons and mangroves, where they will feed on the nutrients until they reach the juvenile stage and then make their way to other waters. This is where Phantom Divers, pioneers in the Mexican Caribbean with more than 20 years of experience, have developed their own technique to make this a safe, educational, and unforgettable dive.

Increase your adrenaline level with this great scuba diving experience and get ready to be surrounded from 8 up to 25 large pregnant females, admiring nature upfront and at it´s best. Below you can see the explanatory video of this dive.

If you are ready to change your way of seeing nature forever, take the first step by sending an email to INFO@PHANTOMDIVERS.COM to get more information about how you can also live the adventure of your life.

Tips to plan your diving vacations

Adventure is our middle name…..only because SAFETY is our first.

Scuba diving is one of the most mesmerizing experiences on this earth.  As divers we love to explore the depths of the ocean and allow nature to surprise us every time, but we also know that planning in advance plays a very important part in having a better and safer experience. This can be the key to any successful scuba diving trip.

These are a few essentials we recommend you to consider when planning a scuba diving trip.

DO SOME RESEARCH. Look up activities to do at your vacation site and book in advance to save time at your arrival. Remember to book in advance so you don´t risk missing a spot on the daily dives during high season. 

Here are a variety of trips you can book with us.
All year round:
Diving in cenotes, reefs in Playa del Carmen and Cozumel, MUSA in Cancun (Underwater Museum), ship wrecks.
Special seasons:
Diving with Bull Sharks (November-March)
Snorkeling with Whale Sharks (June-September) and Sailfish (January-March)

FIND OUT ABOUT THE LOCAL MARINE LIFE. Study your marine life, this way you will identify  the animals and corals you will see and make the experience even more exciting by putting together your own marine life-sighting booklet. We can provide you with a previously elaborated booklet to mark off all the species you see during your dives. It´s greatly recommended that you find out about possible poisonous corals and animals in the area to avoid them. Remember, diving has the same rules as a museum- do not touch!

CHECK THE WEATHER FORECAST. The weather is fairly unpredictable as is the rest of nature, but finding out when are the best seasons to visit a site can save you on surprises and allow your trip to be more enjoyable.

CHECK IN WITH YOUR DOCTOR. Diving can be dangerous if you have certain medical problems. If you’re considering the sport, ask your doctor how diving may affect your health. Yearly checkups are greatly recommended. Remember to book your dives at least 12hrs previous to your flights. 

CHECK YOUR GEAR. If you don´t have equipment or will only bring a few essentials, we have full equipment rental and ready for your use. If you are going elsewhere to dive, be assured that the gear is in good conditions and the maintenance check is up to date.

 

BOOK ACCORDING TO YOUR SKILLS. As we said before, scuba diving is one of the most mesmerizing experiences on this earth, and to have fun it´s always good to take your safety precautions, even if you are a certified diver. If you haven´t dove in a while it would probably suit you more to do a couple of practice dives before heading out for the bigger ones. Ask the diving team about the sites they will take you: their conditions, difficulty, and visibility.

If you´re an experienced diver you can widen your certifications with our different specialties. If you´re not certified, scuba diving is also for you! You may take our Open Water Diver or Advanced Open Water courses to get world wide recognized certifications and continue your diving adventures anywhere, anytime. If you are not looking to get certified and would only like to live the experience, with our Discovery Scuba Diving course you´ll be cruising the ocean floors in a day´s time. The course includes all your gear, a 30 min class where you will learn the diving basics and do the necessary exercises before heading out to the crystal clear waters to fully enjoy this experience. Your instructor will be with you at all times. 

So plan your vacation and always remember the most important thing- DIVE FUN, DIVE SAFE, DIVE PHANTOM.