FAQ
EXPEDITIONS
Who will lead the expedition?
Expeditions will be run by one lead scientist and one other expert from our team. Our boat captain and guide has been associated with Andros for over 25 years.
How can I confirm my place?
To reserve your place you will need to pay a 20% ($670) nonrefundable deposit, HERE. Alternatively, please contact us with your preferred expedition date and once we confirm availability and receive your payment your position will be secured/reserved! Contact us HERE or email us at contact@savingtheblue.org if you have any questions or concerns. Full balance due 90 days before departure.
Who can join a research expedition
Expeditions are open to everyone, at all levels! All participants are required to be able to swim, and have some experience with snorkeling and outdoor adventure. The boat we use has a small ladder to allow for access to the water. Our team pride ourselves in helping guests learn to overcome fears and build their confidence in the water during interactions with wildlife. To learn more please view THIS PAGE ** PLEASE NOTE ** As per the Bahamas Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP), participation in all or some of the activities will be dependent on your experience and education level. Those with a marine biology degree (or similar) will participate in all tasks, those without this level of relevant education will take part in all activities that do not involve the handling of an animal e.g. a shark or ray. All assistants regardless of experience and education will participate in equipment creation and deployment, data collection, they will also attend lectures and presentations. Email us at contact@savingtheblue.org if you have any questions or concerns.
Do I need to be SCUBA or freedive qualified?
Absolutely not. We will not be using SCUBA during our expeditions, and although freediving experience is an advantage, it is far from essential.
Do you have any additional expedition dates for 2026/2007?
Unfortunately not at this stage. If however you have a large group of 6/7 guests, please contact us, and we will be delighted to discuss the possibility of arranging a personal, tailored expedition just for you.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes, travel insurance is essential. We strongly recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network; www.diversalertnetwork.com) insurance as they provide excellent and affordable coverage with evacuation costs included.
*Please note it is solely your responsibility to make sure you are insured for all possible needs.
What safety and emergency procedures do you have in place?
Our team have collaborated with dive and emergency paramedics, who have put together emergency evacuation and first aid procedures and protocols, in addition to first aid and trauma kits. We pride ourselves on prevention and regularly remind people to concentrate when conducting even a small task that carrie risk. Accidents are rare; however, it is important that our team are prepared, and guests know that procedures are in place to ensure their safety throughout experiences.
What is included in the $3350 fee?
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
Flight with a private charter (Tropic Ocean Airways – www.flytropic.com) from FLL (Sheltair) to Andros, Fresh Creek, and all airport transfers whilst in the Bahamas
Hands on research experience
Six nights accommodation with three main meals per day provided by the Andros Bonefish Club - LEARN MORE
Five full days water time, on a comfortable vessel with a local captain/guide, in addition to nearby research and/or outreach on arrival and departure days
Two experienced expedition leaders
Lectures and presentations on various topics, such as shark behavior and conservation
Mini classes such as knot tying and radio etiquette
WHATS NOT INCLUDED:
Transport to and from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Personal dive equipment - mask, snorkel, fins etc. (no SCUBA equipment required)
Travel insurance
Necessary VISAs
Gratuity - We recommend $150 for the week, split between the accommodation staff and boat captain
* Please note there are no refunds for lost days due to weather cancellations, trip delays, permits, injury or equipment issues.
What are your payment options/plans?
A non-refundable 20% deposit ($670) is required to immediately guarantee your space on the expedition, with the remaining balance due 90 days prior to the trip’s departure. We are happy to offer a personal payment plans allowing you to breakup the costs over a period of months. Simply ask, we'll happily accommodate your needs.
Methods of payment:
Online - You can pay your deposit online HERE.
Wire – If you wish to send a wire or bank transfer, please let us know and we will send you an invoice that includes our information. Please add an additional $15 to cover the fee that the bank charges us for receiving wire transfers.
Paypal – If you wish to pay through Paypal, we will send you a Paypal invoice that includes an additional 2.2% to cover the fee that Paypal charges us.
Zelle - If you wish to pay through Zelle please email us in advance before sending funds as we regularly sell positions and cannot guarantee spots. There is no additional fee for this option.
Check – Checks can be sent to our office address. Please contact us for details on paying by check. There is no additional fee for this option.
* Please note there are no refunds for lost days due to weather cancellations, trip delays, injury or equipment issues.
Are there any age restrictions?
The minimum age for an expedition participant is 16 with a parent or guardian. Anyone over 18 is welcome to join us solo. *Please contact us if you have a large group under 18 where we'll happily discuss and accommodate a way of working with you.
Will I need a VISA?
Depending on your nationality and legal records, you may need to obtain a Bahamian and/or American visa to enter both or either country. Bahamian visa information can be found HERE, and American VISA information can be found HERE, although we urge you to spend time on searching other websites for additional information.
What should I bring?
You will be allowed 40lb (18kg) in TOTAL - Hand and checked luggage.
Passport - This includes US citizens!
VISA - Please check whether you need a VISA for The Bahamas.
Reusable water bottle - **Essential**
Sunscreen should be SPF 30 at minimum. We ask that you please choose reef-safe sunscreen. We recommend Stream2Sea, use our code savingtheblue to get 10% off all items and 10% of your total order will be donated to us!
Insect repellent and/or baby oil (for mosquitoes and sand flies).
Hat, buff, and polarized sunglasses - Polarization reduces water glare, and protects your eyes from UV rays.
Rain jacket.
Dive gear: mask, fins, snorkel, gloves, **hard bottomed booties** or similar. Absolutely no scuba gear is required although a weight belt would be beneficial (we have weights).
Bathing suit, rash guard (for UV protection), and wetsuit (1.5mm for summer, 3-5mm for winter) for thermal protection if desired. If we dive with sharks you will need **FULL COVERAGE** so legs, arms and hands must be covered, no exceptions.
Dry bag - optional but proves useful in the field.
Clothes that can get wet or ruined! - T-shirts and shorts, a sweat shirt and long pants, warm/waterproof jacket, long-sleeved shirt, buff, and sandals or shoes that can get wet. Closed toed shoes for the boat is preferred but not essential.
Any special foods or medications you might need, such as seasickness tablets, waterproof band-aids, electrolytes for hydration, etc.
Headlamps are useful if we decide to fish at night, or go on evening adventures!
Spending money for personal expenses such as a cans of soda, or one lunch out. Most individuals bring $100 and find it plenty. - Bahamian dollars or US dollars are both accepted in Andros.
DONATIONS
How can I donate?
How can I support saving the blue?
Do you have 501(c)(3) status?
Absolutely, we are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Will my donation be tax-deductible?
Yes! Saving the Blue is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, so contributions may be tax-deductible.
RESEARCH
Where do you conduct your research?
We work in Andros, The Bahamas and Jupiter Florida, USA.
How do you catch the sharks?
Different sharks require different capture techniques. This can be anything from a shallow water gillnet (light weight fishing line meshing with weights on bottom floats on surface) to target newborn lemon sharks, or block rigs (concrete block with, leader wire / monofilament and float) to capture reef sharks, nurse or tigers sharks, to polyball fishing (large buoy with line and hook drifted over area to target particular species) deployed for great hammerhead or silky sharks. Our capture techniques are all designed to reduce the time the sharks are restrained for to ensure quick processing and release.
How do you identify individual sharks?
We place Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT; Biomark – www.biomark.com) in all the sharks we capture. These are the size of a grain of rice and have an alphanumeric number that is unique to each shark. They are placed in the muscle next to the dorsal fin (via hypodermic needle) and can last ten years or more. PIT tags are great for identifying individuals across long time periods and have excellent retention as sharks can’t rub them off, like external marker tags. Please CLICK HERE to learn more about our tags.
What tags do you use to track sharks?
We use a combination of satellite and acoustic electronic devices. Satellite tags (SPOT or PSAT, Wildlife Computers, Microwave Telemetry, Lotek Wireless) are typically used to monitor migration patterns both horizontally and vertically as they can provide locations of the sharks during tracks (e.g. 30 days to 2 years) and depth / temperature information at 5-minute intervals throughout their deployment. Acoustic tracking tags are usually deployed to examine habitat use at finer scales, determining the role of various biological factors (e.g. biotic / abiotic) on how sharks use particular areas. Please CLICK HERE to learn more about our tags.
Do the tags harm the sharks?
Our team are very careful with how we handle and place tags on sharks. Most satellite devices are placed next to or through the dorsal fin. There are no nerve endings in the fins and although we are unable to ask a shark if it feels us making a hole to place a tag, they do not react. The tags are temporary with materials that breakdown over time, so eventually there are no tag remnants on the shark. Acoustic tags are typically implanted in the body cavity and can last up to 10-years, many recent studies that our scientific team have been involved with have tracked some individuals up to 6-years with tags implanted showing no adverse effects. Please CLICK HERE to learn more about our tags.
Why do you tag sharks?
In order to conserve and manage sharks, researchers use tags to track them in their natural habitat and study their movement patterns and behavior. This tagging allows researchers to better understand the species’ life history, social behavior, reproduction and much more, including how often the animals may interact with fisheries. These fields are all very important for advancing the conservation and management of sharks. For example, Saving the Blue recently tagged a great hammerhead in Andros. Within the Bahamas, this shark was protected as part of the national Shark Sanctuary. When the shark left the Bahamas and swam to the United States, however, it was subject to fishing pressure as regulations permit limited harvest in federal waters. By revealing where sharks move and the routes they travel, scientists can understand how best to influence management and ultimately, protect them. This protection is only possible with the use of tags, which reveal the secrets of these fascinating creatures!
What information do you take from each shark?
This depends on the research projects we have ongoing, but a typical ‘work-up’ will involve taking length measurements, fin clip (for genetic analyses – stock structure, gene flow, mating characteristics; stable isotope analysis – diet, trophic position), blood and muscle (stable isotope analysis – short term diet, trophic position). We will determine sex via presence of claspers and measure those as well as check to see if they are flexible (hard = mature).