We've reserved two different trips with JASA for 2008, each offering a unique range of special experiences. Depending on your interests, choosing between them could be pretty tough. Luckily, you don't have to - we've planned these trips to run consecutively, so you can easily do both trips back-to-back. Another logistical perk is location - both trips are based out of West Palm Beach, Florida, so no international air travel is required for anyone residing in the U.S.

Here are the details:

Bahamas, DOLPHIN and SHARK expedition (live-aboard w/ JASA's Shearwater, 6 nights) July 9-July 15, 2008.

Cost: US $3,300 plus Bahamas Departure Tax

Concentrating on the Northern Bahamas, the trip starts with several dives at a very scenic reef near the Gulf Stream's edge. Reef fish are varied and abundant, but the obvious stars are Caribbean Reef Sharks, which are attracted to several bait crates suspended just off the reef. Although they rarely exceed 7 feet, these are impressive animals, supremely muscular and perfectly proportioned. Moving effortlessly through the clear blue water, they present an image of sheer beauty and grace; I never tire of watching them. And, if you're a photographer, you'll revel in the photo ops--not only great shark portraits, but a chance to include colorful reef scenery as well.

The main attractions of this trip, however, are daily opportunities to swim with WILD DOLPHINS, large LEMON SHARKS and huge TIGER SHARKS. This program is unique in the world, a rare chance to experience the thrill of close interaction with some of the ocean's most inspiring animals in their natural habitat.

© Mark Strickland

Here, in the shallow, transparent waters of the Little Bahama Bank, a large population of wild Atlantic spotted Dolphins spends every day playing and feeding in an area known as White Sand Ridge. Fast, agile and acrobatic, these playful animals can't resist putting on a show as the boat approaches, racing to ride the bow wave and often leaping clear of the water. The best part, however, is when the boat slows down and we don snorkeling gear to join the dolphins in their reverie. Although they can swim rings around us, these dolphins show considerable curiosity about humans, and often hang around for in-water encounters. Sometimes it's only a quick "fly-by", but extended encounters occur with impressive regularity, sometimes lasting for hours. These dolphins have never been fed or captured, and interact with us purely out of natural curiosity. Coming eye-to-eye with such exquisite animals on their own terms is an incredible experience, bound to create memories to last a lifetime.

The other big feature of this trip revolves around a very special site that was discovered and developed by JASA: TIGER BEACH. With a white-sand bottom and depths that average only 12 feet, this place really is reminiscent of a bathing beach, except that you're surrounded by sharks! And not just any sharks--typically there are a dozen or so large Lemons, plus a number of Tiger Sharks, some of which measure 12 feet or more! This amazing experience is the result of years of effort by Jim Abernathy, gradually learning how best to interact with these awesome animals. Defying conventional wisdom, Jim has never utilized a cage for these encounters, something he has found unnecessary. Instead, he relies on well-practiced procedures, positive behavioral reinforcement, clear communication between dive leaders and guests, and a generally cautious attitude.

© Mark Strickland

O.K., I admit that caution probably isn't the word that comes to mind when we talk about swimming with big tiger sharks, but safety really is priority #1 with JASA, as you'll learn during the extensive pre-dive briefing. Still, few divers won't feel at least a twinge of apprehension before their first dive at Tiger Beach. However, most find that their nervousness disappears within moments of jumping in, replaced with pure awe and inspiration upon seeing such impressive predators up close. And, while the crew's professional approach does a lot to inspire confidence, for me it was the behavior of the sharks themselves that put me at ease. Far from the excited, nearly frenzied aggression shown by certain reef species in baited situations, these sharks move with the smooth confidence of the apex predators they are. These animals know the program well, and are generally interested only in the bait, casually ignoring the divers. Their approach is typically steady, almost methodical, but rarely aggressive towards anyone but the bait handler. Participants are given shark billies just in case, but in two trips and dozens of dives there, I never found them to be necessary. It would not be accurate to characterize this experience as risk-free, as there is no denying the potential for serious injury. However, I believe that JASA's methods and perfect safety record speak for themselves. For me, there is no question that the rewards of being up close with such impressive animals more than balance out the risks.

Although big animals are the main attraction of these trips, there are also spectacular drop-offs, beautiful reefs, and colorful tropical fish at many sites. For those who are "critter oriented", consider joining us before or after the trip for a little-known but amazingly diverse "muck dive" near JASA headquarters, home to an array of fascinating animals including stargazers, batfish, sea robins, sea horses, pipefish, hairy frogfish, snake eels and juvenile fish and invertebrates of all kinds.

© Mark Strickland

© Mark Strickland

Added Bonus: The Everglades

For anyone who's interested, there will also be an opportunity to explore and photograph in the Florida Everglades during the days between Shear Water trips. The Glades are less than 3 hours drive by rental car, and offer a tremendous opportunity to observe and photograph all manner of wildlife, including a great variety of birds and of course an abundance of resident alligators.!

© Mark Strickland

The boat: M/V Shearwater is not an overly spacious or fancy boat, but is very well equipped and suited to her purpose; I have many fond memories of time spent aboard. Here are some specifics: She is a 65 ft. custom built, USCG and Bahamas inspected, sportfisherman-style motor vessel, air-conditioned throughout, featuring 2 shared bathrooms w/ hot showers, 800 gallon per day water maker. 3 cabins with 2 beds in each (over/under) and 6 beds in the bow common area w/ privacy curtains. Two 30KW generators supply continuous 110v power. Salon is well equipped with battery charging stations and multiple power strips, plus 25" TV, DVD/MP3/VCR/CD entertainment system. Fully equipped galley with refrigerator/freezer, stove, oven, and microwave. Ample oxygen supply, fully stocked first aid kit, and full compliment of navigational electronics and safety equipment. 12 ft. inflatable dinghy w/ outboard motor lives on the foredeck. 2 11 CFM compressors provide tank fills; nitrox available on request. There are several large camera rinse tanks on the dive deck.

© Jim Abernathy

Click here for more information about our other planned trip on Shear Water.

Click here for more information about Shearwater and JASA

On both of these Bahamas trips, I will be partnering with fellow marine photographer Andrew Sallmon, who brings a wealth of knowledge and many years of experience into the equation. He's a veteran of many trips on the Shearwater, an extremely talented photographer and teacher, and a really nice guy - we are very lucky to have him along! For more about Andy, see his bio below, or visit www.seait.com.

If you are interested in joining us for either of these Bahamas trips, please contact me via e-mail at: markstrickland@verizon.net for more information or to reserve your spot. Please do NOT contact Jenny at Reef & Rainforest Travel about the BAHAMAS, as she is only handling the Solomons and Thailand/Burma trips, and we don't want to bother her unnecessarily.

About ANDREW SALLMON:

Andrew is a freelance underwater and nature photographer specializing in images of marine life. His love of the sea has taken him all over the world looking for ways to capture dynamic portraits of its creatures large and small. He hopes that through the viewing of these images people will someday learn to appreciate and understand the awesome beauty and fragile nature of the oceans and to ultimately change some of the detrimental practices of humankind toward the sea.

A native of California, Andy spends much of his time diving and photographing the rich temperate waters of his home state, but also travels abroad several months each year to create new images for his stock file. A Scuba Instructor since 1980, he picked up his first underwater camera that same year and slowly converted from underwater hunting to the challenges of underwater photography. It was the slower pace of observing and trying to approach marine life closely that helped him to see and understand the intricacies and miracles of the ocean ecosystem. As he learned to appreciate the living sea, his photographic skills also grew and now he is one of a fortunate few that earn a living as an underwater photographer. His work has been featured in hundreds of books, magazines, calendars, posters, catalogs and advertisements. In addition, some of his images are on display at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Smithsonian Institute.

Check out Andy's stunning imagery at www.seait.com