Sharks, also known as mono in Hawaiian, are abundant here because they are protected by state and some international law. More importantly, Hawaiians believe sharks are their ‘aumakua, family, and ancestors that passed on to be sharks to protect and provide. Therefore It is severely frowned upon to harass, fish, or hunt them, which is great for us and even better for the sharks! Shark Tours on the North Shore of Oahu incidentally started off 15 years ago by a crab fisherman. When pulling their traps, Sharks would follow to get the throwbacks that weren’t wanted, like dogs waiting for handouts. A friend of one of the crabbers went along to help and thought this is really cool, I’ll bet people would really enjoy seeing these magnificent creatures in their natural environment on a shark cage tour.
Today there are a few companies doing this too from the safety of a cage that floats on the surface and a few other companies that take people free diving with these magnificent creatures. What we offer at about half the price is a really close-up view from the safety and dry comfort of our rigid inflatable bottom boat (RIB). Now that We have these mooring sites that the shark dive companies have established. As a result, our private north shore boat tours are able to quickly access these shark habitats so that we can guarantee you an unforgettable experience to have this interaction with these apex predators of the ocean. We love sharing this with you, friends, and family of all ages from our safe, dry and comfortable RIB, Banzai, a 24′ zodiac speed boat. From here you’re able to get some great views and pictures without impeding on their environment! Also, instead of going out on a boat for 3 hours with 20 other people, you can see the same sharks, in the same ocean on our 1 hour plus shark adventure tour!
The main species that we see are Galapagos sharks, Sandbar sharks, and Tiger sharks. Galapagos sharks being the most abundant in our area get up to about 9 feet and 400 pounds and often come right up to our boat with dorsal fin out of the water. They are very curious and amazing to see in their environment, especially with the contrast of the Pacific Ocean’s cobalt blue, clear, pristine waters. They hear the sound of our north shore tour boat as we get close to these 2 miles offshore sites and come right on up to us! When we do share space with them, often they are in packs of up to twelve. That’s right, at times we are surrounded by them! Sandbar sharks are a little more skittish at times and get up to about 6 feet and about 140 pounds. They are a little lighter in color and have really long pectoral fins that match the size of their dorsal fan. They also tend to move about quicker than the Galapagos sharks. Then there are the kings of Oahu’s north shore, the Tiger shark! When these bruisers are present they get all the space they deserve from the others and dominate their habitat. With their tiger’s striping and massive size of 12 feet plus in length weighing in at 1000 pounds plus, they are definitely a treat to see in nature! The popularity of seeing these sharks in various ways that suit you now drives thousands of people every month to Oahu’s North Shore. The experience of shark viewing on Oahu has really made it a hot spot destination all on its own. Don’t Miss out on this opportunity while you’re here to experience this on our one-hour-plus adventure tour that we guarantee you to see and experience sharks up close!