Jim Abernethy’s Scuba Adventures

Destination: Bahamas

Price Varies p.p.p.n

Jim Abernethy’s Scuba Adventures Quick Pitch

Jim Abernethy’s Scuba Adventures (JASA), based in South Florida, innovated and set the bar for diving with large predatory sharks without a diver cage. For decades Jim Abernethy’s Scuba Adventures, Inc. has conducted top rate charters and expeditions in South Florida, Mexico and the Bahamas. In 1999, JASA added a 10-passenger live-aboard vessel (M/V Shear Water) and has since been the leader in photography/video expeditions with a mission of interacting with some of the world’s largest predatory sharks.

Pricing 

Varies, depending on the type of package. Contact us for more information.

Location 

Jim Abernethy’s Scuba Adventures is based in South Florida.

Dive Overview 

Experience tigers, hammerheads and a variety of other sharks in the clear shallow waters of the Bahamas. And divers have long known Palm Beach County has the Best of Everything! Five of the seven species of turtles, goliath grouper aggregation in the summer months, a huge variety of sharks, and clear warm gulf stream water make this the premier dive location on the east coast!

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Accommodations

Types of Rooms, Amenities and Photos

M/V Shear Water Liveaboard

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• The M/V Shear Water is a USCG and Bahamas inspected 65 ft. liveaboard vessel. Custom designed with you in mind it has all the comforts of home. Our professional Captains and crew provide the best vacation experience possible, and do it at the most reasonable price available. With a group size of only ten passengers, your experience will be comfortable and intimate.

Hotels Near Jim Abernethy’s Scuba Adventures 

The following hotels offer guests of Jim Abernethy’s Scuba Adventures special rates and amenities.

The Best Western Plus Palm Beach Gardens Hotel & Suites and Conference Ct

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• Located minutes from our shop on US #1. This hotel is located near The Gardens Mall, MacArthur Beach State Park and many restaurants. Rates include complimentary continental breakfast, free wireless internet and complimentary parking. 

The Best Western Palm Beach Lakes

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• Just minutes from our location and right across the street from the new Palm Beach Outlets. Rates include complimentary continental breakfast, free wireless internet and complimentary parking. This hotel features newly renovated rooms and a meditation  garden.

The Palm Beach Gardens Marriott

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• Conveniently located less than 5 miles from Jim Abernethy’s Scuba Adventures. Rates include hot breakfast for two, 20% off food & beverage (excludes alcohol), wireless internet & complimentary parking. This hotel features first-class amenities, heated pool and a full-service restaurant. 

The Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Resort and Spa

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• Located less than 3 miles from Jim Abernethy’s Scuba Adventures. This resort features elegant amenities, an oceanfront location and luxury condominium style suites located on beautiful Singer Island.

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Dive Information

Diving Palm Beach

Take advantage of the warmest, clearest waters on the eastern seaboard. The nutrient-rich Gulf Stream is an ocean highway bringing a huge diversity and abundance of marine life right to us. Experience the ease of drift diving above healthy reefs and exciting wrecks. Expect to see a variety of sharks, as many as five species of sea turtles, countless tropical fish, rays, goliath groupers and much more.

Divers have long known Palm Beach County has the Best of Everything! Five of the seven species of turtles, goliath grouper aggregation in the summer months, a huge variety of sharks, and clear warm gulf stream water make this the premier dive location on the east coast! 

Palm Beach and the Bahamas Species Encounters 

With the Gulf Stream running between the coast of Palm Beach and the Bahamas, we are fortunate to have many different species of marine animals using this path to travel north and south, and at times coming close enough for us to see them. Manta rays, Minke, Sei, Fin, Right, Pilot, and Humpback whales, Mola–Mola (Ocean Sunfish) and whale sharks are just a few of the fun surprises we have been fortunate to encounter. We have learned to “expect the unexpected”, and always have our cameras ready.  

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Packages & Rates

Jim Abernethy’s Scuba Adventures Packages, Details and Rates 

Bahamas Shark Expeditions

Dive up close with some of the largest sharks in the world! Experience tigers, hammerheads and a variety of other sharks in the clear shallow waters of the Bahamas. As these unique shark trips are cage-less, they are for shark enthusiasts and photographers with advanced diving experience. The emphasis is on getting quality in-water time and photo opportunities; space is therefore limited to a maximum of ten people.

• Tiger Beach Year-Round - The most popular of all trips is to the world famous “Tiger Beach.” This spectacular location is unlike any other in the world. At Tiger Beach, you will have one of the most unique underwater experiences of your life. Imagine yourself surrounded by lemon and tiger sharks as far as the eye can see; amidst a gorgeous backdrop of crystal blue Bahamian water and powder white sand — all this in less than 20 feet of water.
• Bimini Great Hammerheads November–April - The primary goal is to interact with great hammerhead sharks. These spectacular animals are among the most impressive, yet rarely observed oceanic predators. The great hammerhead should not be confused with the smaller and more common scalloped hammerhead, which can be seen schooling in many locations around the world. Encountering the great hammerhead, with its spectacular angularity, its Orca-like dorsal fin, and its bristle-toothed mouth, is at the very pinnacle of wildlife adventure.
• Oceanic Whitetip 10 Day Expeditions in April - There is no mistaking the oceanic whitetip. For their commandeering 
• presence, this impressive shark is one of a kind. These pelagic explorers appear to spend most of their life cruising the surface area of abyssal waters. From early times these sharks have been given a bad reputation, but we are hopeful to change the way humans perceive them with our amazing Oceanic Whitetip shark encounters.
• In April we travel to areas in the Bahamas where we have been fortunate enough to encounter the endangered Oceanic Whitetip shark. They are named because of the whitetip on their dorsal fin. Elegant pilot fish are usually found accompanying these majestic sharks. On occasion, we have even encounter juveniles no larger than 3 feet in length. With their oversized paddle-like pectoral fins you will not find a more endearing shark photograph.
• Of course, no trip to the Bahamas would be complete without diving the crystal clear water and dazzling reefs. Surrounded by an abundance of marine life, both large and small, the reef’s beauty will take your breath away. Caribbean Reef sharks, large groupers, moray eels and numerous fish will adorn a single wide-angle photograph.

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Wild Dolphin Encounters

Discover the magic of swimming with a pod of wild Atlantic spotted dolphins in their natural habitat. The shallow waters of the Bahamas provide an aquatic sanctuary where dolphins frolic and feed on a daily and nightly basis. Whether you’re watching the dolphins from the deck of the liveaboard vessel or snorkeling among the pod, this life-changing experience is perfect for water enthusiasts of all levels.

As we cruise over bright white sand, in water so clear it looks like a giant swimming pool, we see something in the distance that catches our eye. It’s the sleek gray body of a dolphin speeding towards us, jumping high out of the water. But wait, there are more – two, four, ten, we can’t count them all. They are coming to meet the boat and ride the pressure wave under the bow. We run to the bow and see them crisscrossing around each other, rolling over on their backs to have a look at us, looking down at them.

The more we swim underwater, in the awkward way we humans do, the more excited they get. Even if you are not a strong swimmer, you will still have a most memorable encounter. The water depth is only 10 to 30 feet.

These encounters can last 5 minutes or 5 hours; it is up to the dolphins. We are in their world, on their terms. These dolphins have never been captive or fed. They are with us because they want to be. They have become accustomed to humans cruising these beautiful waters and over the years have learned to interact with us. The numbers of dolphins can range from 2 to 50, we really never know. One thing is for sure; each interaction is different and special in its own way. It is an amazing feeling to “connect” with a dolphin, eye to eye.

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shark expedition

Tiger, lemon, reef, and nurse sharks can be seen all year long. During our winter and early spring months (November-April) we offer expeditions to dive with the great hammerheads as well as tiger sharks. In the summer months (June-August) we offer Tiger & Lemon Shark Expeditions and Tiger Shark & Dolphin Expeditions.

To attract sharks we will be using crated bait in the water. Before diving guests listen to an extensive safety briefing. There will be at least one crewmember in the water with divers to monitor divers, bait, and sharks. Please be aware that these are not “cage” dives; these are open-water experiences. Each dive location is different; depth and current vary from site to site.

The amount of diving available to guests is based on safely staying within no-decompression limits. Most days have unlimited diving. However, if we dive at deeper reefs, we may be limited to 3 – 5 dives a day. Guests may choose to dive as much or as little as they would like. Trips run throughout the year and can be extended on request for photographers, film crews, and private or group charters. These trips are specially geared towards professional photographers and videographers, and we are delighted to assist our guests in setting up the perfect shot. In addition to a large rinse bin for photographic equipment, the Shear Water is equipped with plenty of charging stations for camera equipment.

Sample Itinerary

• Boarding Day: Check- in is between 4-5pm at Safe Harbor New Port Cove, board the boat at 5pm, and enjoy dinner on board at 7pm. Day 1 -Clear customs in the Bahamas between 8 and 9am, and then head out to the first dive site.
• Days 2-4: Continue diving throughout the day and night, visiting various dive sites. Trips including Great Hammerheads in the winter or Dolphins in the summer we will include 1-2 days in Bimini. We try to fit in at least one night dive!
• Day 5: After the last dive of the last day around 5pm, we have dinner and head back to US waters.
• Return Day: Clear US Customs between 8 and 9am, and disembark between 9am and 11am.

Shark and Dolphin Expeditions

If you are new to the Bahamas, you might be interested to know that tiger, lemon, reef and nurse sharks can be seen all year long. During our winter and early spring months (November-April) we offer expeditions to dive with the great hammerheads as well as tiger sharks. In the summer months (June-August) we offer Tiger & Lemon Shark Expeditions and Tiger Shark & Dolphin Expeditions.

To attract sharks we will be using crated bait in the water. Before diving guests listen to an extensive safety briefing. There will be at least one crewmember in the water with divers to monitor divers, bait and sharks. Please be aware that these are not “cage” dives; these are open water experiences. Each dive location is different; depth and current vary from site to site. The amount of diving available to guests is based on safely staying within no-decompression limits. Most days have unlimited diving. However, if we dive at deeper reefs, we may be limited to 3 – 5 dives a day. Since dolphin travel in pods, we will be spend a day cruising amongst the pods of Atlantic spotted dolphins and bottlenose dolphins. A snorkeling session with the dolphins can last anywhere from 5 minutes to 3 hours depending on the dolphins’ behavior. In addition to our safety briefings, our crew gives thorough briefings to maximize the guests’ enjoyment of this wondrous experience. Guests may choose to dive with the sharks or snorkel with the dolphins as much or as little as they would like.

Sample Itinerary

• Boarding Day: Check- in is between 10am and 4pm at our dive shop in Lake Park, Florida. Board the boat at 5pm, and enjoy dinner on board at 7pm.
• Day 1: Clear customs in the Bahamas between 9 and 10am, and then head out to the first dive site at Tiger Beach.
• Days 2-4: Continue diving throughout the day and night, visiting various dive sites. One night we will travel to Bimini to snorkel with the Dolphins and depending on the best conditions, we will spend 1-2 days in Bimini.
• Day 5: After the last dive of the last day around 5pm, we have dinner and head back to US waters.
• Return Day: Clear US Customs between 8 and 9am, and disembark between 9am and 11am.

best of the Bahamas Epic Shark Expeditions

M/V Shear Water Liveaboard Rates 2023

Pricing is as follows (please note the pricing is subject to change):

JASA can also help design a custom liveaboard charter to suit your group. Click here to see the complete schedule and rates.

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Palm Beach Diving Rates

Charters

Tank & Gear Rentals

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Rates & Availability 

For more information on rates, availability and to book, drop us an email at info@bluewaterdivetravel.com or call us today at +1-310-915-6677. We will gladly help you plan your dream vacation!

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Other Information

Practical Information

• Time Zone: UTC-5
• Local Currency: USD (US Dollar) & BSD (Bahamian Dollar)
• Language Spoken: English
• Electricity: 120V

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Underwater Gallery

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