While Bikini Atoll is famous for its numerous wrecks, it is also known for Shark Pass, where you can swim fin to fin with silvertip and grey reef sharks, as well as massive napoleons, tuna, and jacks. The reefs here are crowded with tropical fish and are absolutely teeming with macro life. It can be difficult to decide which way to look, as you will be surrounded with magnificent creatures of every kind as you make this dive of a lifetime.
The Sharks
Shark Pass is located between two small islets that sit on Bikini Atoll’s southwest corner, and it was once common to see at least one hundred grey reef sharks traversing the area on a single dive. Other sharks in the lagoon area include Indo-Pacific Lemon Sharks, Tiger Sharks, Silver Tip Sharks, and Black Tip Sharks, as well as White tip reef sharks and even Galapagos Sharks. Outside the lagoon, silky sharks and oceanic white tip sharks have been seen, and so have a very limited number of hammerheads.
In 2003, illegal shark fishing was reported, as divers had noticed that the number of grey reef sharks had dropped significantly, to about fifty percent of the numbers that were once commonly seen traversing Shark Pass. Divers also saw sharks with hooks and wire leaders still attached. It became evident that these sharks were being mercilessly slaughtered for their fins. Finally, a ship called the Bone China was spotted laying out longlines in a prohibited area: the culprit had been found.
After a campaign conducted by Bikini Atoll residents and authorities, an investigation finally occurred and the fishing company, Edgewater, which was the owner of the ship seen fishing for sharks in prohibited waters, was fined. The closest that fishing vessels have ever been allowed to come to the atoll is 12 miles, and this limit is now well-enforced.
Today, the sharks are coming back, although it will take years of conservation efforts to bring their numbers up to the levels previously known.
Is Radiation a Hazard at Shark Pass?
Many divers are concerned about the possibility of encountering excessive radiation levels while enjoying the ghost fleet and shark pass; as Bikini Atoll is best known for the nuclear testing that took place there more than half a century ago. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the islands and the surrounding waters are now safe, and the cesium deposited in the lagoon has been dispersed by the ocean.
The bottom line is this: If you love the idea of encountering dozens of sharks on a single dive, and you are completely intrigued by the history surrounding this enchanted atoll and the wrecks and reefs that brim with healthy aquatic life, then this is one area that ought to make it into your itinerary at some point. The fish and sharks are very healthy, and if you’re concerned about food and water for yourself, you can relax. Everything you will consume while enjoying a diving vacation at Bikini Atoll has been imported. The dive operators here are top-notch, and the amount of marine life you will encounter simply cannot be beat!