Page 94 - Melanesia

Beqa Lagoon Resort: World Famous Shark Dive

T his project helps the villagers with sustainable farming prac- from the hands of the trained feeders). Only when the beqa bull
tices and organic farming. In the evenings, you’ll enjoy Meke, sharks step away do you need to start looking around for the most

traditional Fijian dancing and singing. Clap along with the warm impressive and illusive tiger sharks. Princess, the resident tiger

and friendly Fijians as they share this lively tradition with you. You shark, measuring close to 15.5 ft (over 5 metres), arrives and it is

might also find yourself clapping during the famous kava ceremo- no wonder that everyone else lets her eat as much as she wants

ny as you drink from a coconut cup. Kava is made from the dried when she appears.

roots of a pepper tree and is often drunk for social occasions. B eqa Laggon Resort is proud to help the University of the South
Pacific in monitoring the populations of sharks, sea turtles and
I magine descending down into the blue, the reef getting closer, rays in the waters of Fiji. Every April and November, Beqa Lagoon
as you start to see shapes forming. Distinctive dorsal fins glide
through the water as you settle onto the bottom in nearly 90 feet Resort asks it’s guests to become a part of The Great Fiji Shark

(30 metres) of water. The frenzy of fish; trevally, fusiliers, giant Count and help support the research that is being undertaken

grouper and remora, moving in every direction in excitement in ways to protect these species. You can learn more about the

parts in-front of you to reveal the apex predator of Beqa Lagoon. threats facing sharks and earn a certification at the same time

Described as one of the two best shark diving experiences in the with the PADI Shark Conservation Specialty course

world, along with Cocos Island. It is impossible not to return from R espect is the most important part of this dive experience. Only
the Beqa Lagoon ‘Big fish Encounter’ dive without being in awe of with full respect for the ability of these animals iis the resort
the beauty and humbled with respect for the sharks that you see.

With no cage around you this is an up close and personal experi- able to operate the ‘Big Fish Encounter’ dive with the highest level

ence with sharks. of safety. Dive briefings will give you all of the information you

W ith anything up to nine different species of sharks around will need to enjoy the dive to the fullest. In all of the years that
you have the chance of sharing the water with Indo-Pacific the dive has been operating there has never been an incident
involving one of the sharks. All guests are required to wear a full-

lemon, nurse, whitetip, blacktip, grey reef sharks and the numer- length dark coloured dive skin or wetsuit, covering arms and legs

ous and beautiful beqa bull sharks (feed large bait pieces straight during the shark feeding dives.