One of the more surprising results of our Australian Travel Inspirations 2018 survey was the number one adventure activity preferred by baby boomers – swimming with whales, dolphins and sharks in exotic locations. To give you a taste of this underwater adrenalin rush, we check in with nature nomad Laura Waters, who recently went to Fiji to get up close and personal with these apex predators.
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Think of Fiji and a tranquil paradise of palm trees leaning over aqua lagoons might spring to mind, yet beneath the surface of its crystalline waters lies a Fiji guaranteed to boost heart rates, challenge comfort zones and spice up dinner party conversations for years to come.
© Mike Scotland
Like many others from around the globe, I’ve travelled to Beqa Lagoon, a few hours’ drive east of Nadi on the south coast, with one goal in mind – to dive with sharks. Not just any sharks but bull sharks, a powerful and chunky species often maligned by the press.
My adventure with Aqua-trek begins at a dive site called The Bistro. I slip beneath the surface, following our guide and chief shark feeder, reminiscent of a medieval knight in chain mail tunic and black hood, to a depth of 25 metres to discover a melee of hungry diners already waiting. The adrenaline rush is instant. There are no cages here. Only a low coral wall provides some token divide and we kneel behind it while safety guides hover behind us with long metal crooks, ready to fend off any overly curious animals.
© Mike Scotland
The feed begins less than five metres away, sending the assembled into action. I count forty sharks before losing track – a mix of bulls, silvertips, lemons and tawny nurses – yet despite the tornado of bodies, it’s a relatively orderly affair and the sharks appear nothing like the mindless man-eaters we’ve been led to believe. Supported by Aqua-trek’s unblemished safety record over 33 years of operation, I feel free to enjoy the spectacle without concern.
Opportunity for such close analysis of an apex predator is rare. A lemon shark cruises past, her pectoral fin barely 30cm from my face. We eyeball each other and I devour every detail from her textured skin to the sensory ampullae dotting her snout. Overhead, a silvertip flies so low I need to duck to avoid him, causing me to giggle and hoot into my regulator at the thrill of it all.
© Deborah Dickson-Smith
I’ve dived with sharks before, but Beqa Lagoon offers a close encounter like no other. An open water certification and about a dozen dives under your belt are all that’s required. If that’s out of reach, then you’ll only need a mask and snorkel to swim with reef sharks at Barefoot Kuata Resort in the Yasawa Islands.
Whichever way you choose, swimming with sharks is a thrill worth travelling for.
Do it yourself:
- Beqa Adventure Divers boast the biggest bulls at their dive sites while Aqua-Trek focus on attracting a broader mix of shark species.
- Trips depart year round from Pacific Harbour on the Coral Coast, perfect for exploring other land-based attractions.
- Stay at The Pearl Resort opposite the dive shops for slick waterfront hotel rooms, or try nearby Uprising Beach Resort for Fijian themed bures (wood and straw huts) and villas.
- Book with dive travel experts Diveplanit
Laura Waters is a freelance travel writer with a passion for inspiring people to connect with nature. She is loosely based in Melbourne but usually found roaming with a backpack and laptop in search of adventures in the great outdoors. www.soultrekkers.com.au
Would you swim with sharks? What would be your ultimate heart-starting travel adventure?
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