Vincent Canabal: Cat Island
One of the out-islands of the Bahamas, Cat Island remains a truly unspoiled dive destination. The waters surrounding the island offer incredible reefs and walls, but the main attraction has been the ultra-rare oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharinus longimanus). A once very common species, the whitetip populations have suffered incredible declines worldwide due to o verfishing. Cat Island is one of the last strongholds for the oceanics, and visitors can expect to see them on every expedition during the season, which lasts from March through to June.

During these unique blue water dives, divers will often encounter other pelagic species, including silky (Carcharhinus falciformis) and dusky (Carcharhinus obscurus) sharks, as well as the chance encounter with blue marlin (Makaira nigricans). Closer to shore, divers can expect to see reef (Carcharhinus perezi) and lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris), as well as the occasional great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) and tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier).
Wetpixel will be in Cat Island in April this year, diving with Epic Diving.
An oceanic whitetip shark cruises the open blue with her pilot fish
A sillouette shot as an whitetip swims above the dive group.
A young oceanic whitetip shark investigates a photographer
Male oceanic whitetips are few and far between on Cat Island. This one makes his way to the surface
A diver surrounded by oceanic whitetip sharks during a drift dive
It's not uncommon for divers to see Blue Marlin during these open water drift dives.
A large female oceanic goes for the bait at the surface while several silky sharks look on.
A underwater photographer enjoys a close encounter with the oceanics
A oceanic whitetip shark in the blue void. Younger whitetips have black on their second dorsal and anal fins.
Cat Island is also a great place to swim with silky sharks.
Two oceanic whitetips nearly collide right in front of the photographer's lens
Mahi Mahi oftern swim into the mix looking for scraps of food.
A dusky shark roams the area in search of food.
An oceanic whitetip swims above some of the beautiful reefs on Cat Island.
The steep drop-offs on Cat Island are a favorite hangout for pelagic predators.