The Bahamas have long held a special place in the hearts of shark enthusiasts. Tiger Beach, Bimini, the Exumas. These names carry weight. And now there is a new way to explore them. The Blue Marlin liveaboard brings together a brand-new vessel, deep operator experience, and access to the finest shark diving on the planet.
The Blue Marlin was launched in 2025. At 40 metres long and 9 metres wide, this steel-hulled vessel was built to a much higher operational and safety standard than normally found in the market, with a strong focus on guest comfort, reliability, onboard flow, dive operations and long-term performance. The dive deck is spacious. Gear storage is generous. There are dedicated rinse stations and a photo-video facility for those who like to document their encounters. What sets the Blue Marlin liveaboard apart is its safety certification. It meets international passenger ship safety standards. That puts it in a small class of liveaboards worldwide. Peace of mind comes standard.
Accommodation on the Blue Marlin handles up to 26 guests across 14 cabins. Each cabin has an ensuite bathroom, individual air conditioning, and ocean views. Choose from 2 single cabins, 10 twins, or 2 king-size cabins. The living areas include a panoramic lounge, a bright dining space, and a sun deck with an open-air bar. Between dives, you can book a massage or join a yoga session. The 17 crew members include 5 professional dive guides. They know the Bahamas, they know the sharks, and they know how to keep everyone safe and comfortable.
The cruise routes read like a highlight reel of Bahamian diving. Bimini, Tiger Beach, Grand Bahama, Nassau, Andros, Cat Island, the Exumas. Each stop offers something different. Tiger Beach delivers close encounters with tiger sharks in crystal clear water. Bimini is the place for great hammerheads. Oceanic whitetips appear on offshore sites. Beyond the sharks, you will find vibrant coral reefs, mysterious blue holes, and historic wrecks. The Blue Marlin takes you to the best of it, without the crowds.
For technical divers and rebreather users, the Blue Marlin is a rare find. The boat partners with KISS Rebreathers and DiveTalk to provide instruction and access to the latest DiveTalk GO! rebreather systems. Nitrox is available. Whether you dive open circuit or closed, you are covered.
The Blue Marlin liveaboard is operated by Seafari, a company founded in 1992 with deep liveaboard experience in Egypt, the Maldives and now the Bahamas. That experience matters. It means smooth operations. A crew that understands divers. Good food. Attentive service. And a focus that stays where it belongs - on the water. Their goal is clear: to establish the Blue Marlin as the leading liveaboard in the Bahamas. A modern, purpose-built vessel. Professional operations. Strong safety standards. And the Seafari approach to service. If you have dreamed of diving with tiger sharks, great hammerheads or oceanic whitetips in clear, warm Bahamian seas, this is your boat. The Blue Marlin is ready. So should you be.
Grand Bahama (6 Days / 5 Nights - 17 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Grand Bahama: Tiger Beach, Mount Olympus, Mini Wall, Freeport. Island BBQ.
Day 1
Freeport, Grand Bahama. That is where you find the Blue Marlin liveaboard. The crew takes your bags, shows you your cabin, and gathers everyone for the safety briefing. Then the engines rumble to life. The harbour falls away. Dinner comes with a view of the open ocean. Sleep comes easy. Tomorrow, you meet the tigers.
Core Days
The Blue Marlin anchors in the sand. You look over the side. Turquoise water. White bottom. Nothing special to see from the surface. Then you drop in. Tiger Beach needs little introduction. It is unlike any other dive site on the planet. Large female tiger sharks dominate the patch. Some pushing four metres. They cruise past with a slow, deliberate grace. Bull sharks join them. Lemon sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, Silky sharks, nurse sharks resting on the sand. All in the same stretch of shallow, crystal-clear water.
Safety protocols are strict and the dive briefings are thorough. You dive in small groups of up to 8, under expert supervision. The sharks come close but they are not aggressive. You kneel on the sand and watch them circle. A tiger shark passes within arm's reach. You see every spot on its side, every scar. Your heart pounds, then you settle. The sharks have done this thousands of times and you are a guest in their home.
Between shark dives, the Blue Marlin liveaboard moves to Mount Olympus. A giant coral pinnacle visible from satellite imagery. The peak starts at 18 metres and drops to over 450 metres. You swim through valleys where the walls rise on both sides. The scale is humbling. Big animals patrol the edge. Hammerheads pass by in the blue. Manta rays glide through. Dolphins occasionally join the dive. Even tiger sharks cruise the wall. Mount Olympus is not just a reef dive. It is a reminder of how large the ocean really is.
Mini Wall delivers a different energy. Healthy soft and hard corals cover the slope. Caribbean reef sharks and lemon sharks patrol the edge. Turtles feed on the sponges. Eagle rays glide past. On lucky days, a great hammerhead visits. You hover near the ledge and watch it cruise by. The macro life is good too - nudibranchs, shrimp, small reef fish hiding in the corals.
At the end of the trip, the crew fires up the BBQ on a secluded island. White sand. Warm sun. Cold drinks. Freshly grilled food.
Day 6
Wake to breakfast and coffee on the Blue Marlin in Freeport. A transfer takes you to the airport or your hotel after disembarkation. You leave with a camera full of tiger shark portraits, lemon shark videos, and the satisfaction of having spent a week in the company of apex predators.
Grand Bahama & Bimini
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Bimini: Victory Reef, Tuna Alley, Turtle Rocks, Hawksbill Reef, SS Sapona wreck, Bimini Barge wreck; Grand Bahama: Tiger Beach, Mount Olympus, Mini Wall, Freeport. Island BBQ.
Day 1
Board the Blue Marlin liveaboard in Freeport, Grand Bahama. The crew welcomes you aboard, shows you to your cabin, and runs through the safety briefing. Settle in as the vessel clears the harbour and begins the overnight run toward Bimini. Dinner is served on deck. You wake tomorrow in great hammerhead territory.
Core Days
The Blue Marlin anchors off South Bimini, and you waste no time. These western islands sit just 50 miles from Miami, but they feel a world away. From December through April, great hammerheads gather here in numbers seen almost nowhere else on Earth. You drop into shallow, crystal-clear water. The sharks appear out of the blue. Large females. Some over four metres. They cruise past at arm's length. Bull sharks join them. Nurse sharks rest on the sand. Tigers pass through. Your heart rate spikes. Then you settle into the rhythm. The sharks do this every day. You are a guest in their home.
Between shark encounters, Bimini's reefs hold their own. Victory Reef sits on the edge of the Gulf Stream. Current brings nutrients. The coral is healthy. Schools of snapper and barracuda patrol the walls. Tuna Alley delivers exactly what the name promises, fast-moving pelagics in clear water. Turtle Rocks lives up to its billing. Hawksbill and green turtles feed on the sponges. They let you get close. Hawksbill Reef adds soft corals, sea fans, and the occasional eagle ray gliding past.
Wreck enthusiasts get 2 very different experiences. The SS Sapona sits in just 3 metres of water. A concrete-hulled steamship from the early 1900s. A hurricane drove it onto the reef in 1926. Today, it is covered in marine life. Crabs, lobster, rays, and turtles. You can swim through the exposed ribs. History and marine biology in one shallow dive. The Bimini Barge sits deeper, close to 30 metres. An array of healthy coral covers the steel. Moray eels peer from holes. Parrotfish graze on the algae. Nurse sharks rest among the wreckage.
Then the Blue Marlin moves to Tiger Beach. Grand Bahama's most famous stretch of sand lives up to the reputation. Large female tiger sharks dominate the site. Some pushing 4 metres in length. Bull sharks, lemon sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, silkies, nurse sharks. All in the same patch of turquoise water. Briefings are thorough and safety protocols are strict. You dive in small groups under expert supervision. The sharks come close, very close. But they are only curious, not aggressive. You kneel on the sand and watch them circle.
Other than the sharks, Mount Olympus demands attention. A giant coral pinnacle visible from satellite imagery. The peak starts at 18 metres and drops to over 450 metres. Canyons of coral dwarf scuba divers. Hammerheads pass by, manta rays, dolphins, even tiger sharks cruising the wall. Mini Wall, also known as Shark Ledge, drops from 5 metres to 20 metres. Healthy soft and hard corals cover the ledge. Caribbean reef sharks and lemon sharks patrol the edge. Turtles feed on the sponges, eagle rays glide past. On lucky days, a great hammerhead visits.
Between dives, the crew fires up the BBQ on a secluded island. White sand, warm sun, cold drinks, freshly grilled food. You swap stories about the shark that got too close and the turtle that would not move. This is the surface interval you came for.
Final Day
Wake to breakfast and coffee as the Blue Marlin liveaboard ties up in Freeport for disembarkation. A transfer takes you to the airport or your hotel.
Grand Bahama, Bimini & Nassau
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Nassau, Andros, Bimini, Grand Bahama: Tiger Beach, Freeport. Island BBQ.
Day 1
Board the Blue Marlin liveaboard in Freeport. The crew welcomes you, shows you to your cabin, and runs through the safety briefing. Settle in as the vessel clears the harbour and begins the overnight run toward Nassau. Dinner is served on deck. You wake tomorrow surrounded by turquoise water.
Core Days
Nassau starts the trip gently. Reefs, walls and sandy channels create a beautiful introduction to the Bahamas. Clear visibility. Bright colours. That signature turquoise-blue backdrop that makes every dive feel like a postcard. Expect a mix of easy reef cruising and more dramatic drop-offs. Ideal for warming up, adjusting weights, and getting comfortable with the week's pace. By sunset, the Blue Marlin sets course for the next island, leaving the busier waters behind.
Andros follows. Nature above water. Impressive underwater landscapes below. Expansive reef systems and dramatic edges where the seabed drops into deep blue. The ocean suddenly feels larger. In the best way. Wide reef faces, sandy tongues, and blue-water backdrops suit both wide-angle photography and relaxed exploration. Depending on conditions, you drift along reef lines or spend time in areas where marine life gathers on the edges.
Bimini brings a different energy. Bright, clear shallows, playful reef life. That unmistakable Bahamas charm. Diving here is smooth and enjoyable, with great light and visibility that makes everything pop. Coral heads, sea fans, schools of fish moving in and out of the blue. A day that feels both scenic and fun. Perfect for divers who love easy cruising with constant life to watch. This is where the trip starts to feel like a true island expedition. Each stop offering its own personality.
Then the Blue Marlin moves to Tiger Beach. The reason many divers come to the Bahamas. Clear, shallow water over bright sand. Visibility that can feel almost unreal. The perfect stage for calm, controlled shark encounters. Patience and good positioning reward you with unforgettable passes and close approaches. Tiger sharks appear from the blue. Moving with a quiet power that is hard to describe until you see it yourself. Large females., some pushing 4 metres. Bull sharks join them. Lemon sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, silkies, nurse sharks. All in the same patch of turquoise water. You dive in small groups under expert supervision. You kneel on the sand and watch the sharks circle.
After Tiger Beach, the Blue Marlin eases into a final half-day of diving around Freeport. A relaxed finish. Ideal for taking things slow. Enjoying the reef scenery, searching for smaller marine life. Cruising and stretching out the last underwater minutes of the expedition. A gentle wrap-up.
Final Day
Wake to breakfast and coffee as the Blue Marlin liveaboard ties up in Freeport for disembarkation. A transfer takes you to the airport or your hotel. You leave with a camera full of tiger shark portraits, great hammerhead videos, from a week in the company of apex predators.
The Bahamas (15 Days / 14 Nights - 48 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Nassau, Cat Island, Exuma Cays, Andros, Bimini, Grand Bahama: Tiger Beach, Freeport. Island BBQ.
Day 1
Board the Blue Marlin liveaboard in Freeport during the late afternoon. The crew shows you to your cabin, completes the safety briefing, and the vessel slips its moorings. Dinner is served as Grand Bahama fades behind you. You wake tomorrow pointing toward Nassau and the first dive of the safari.
Core Days
The Blue Marlin moves with purpose, placing you over a sequence of Bahamas diving that few liveaboard cruises match. From Nassau’s eastern reefs to the wild western edge of the country, each morning brings a different flavour of blue.
Nassau delivers variety you can sink into. Pumpkin Patch Reef starts shallow at around 10 metres, ideal for checking weights and camera settings, before the reef tilts toward the abyss. More confident divers peel off to follow the coral-encrusted wall down to 40 metres. Then there are the wrecks: several purpose-sunk artificial reefs, including the famous James Bond wrecks. Between explosions on screen and life on the reef, these steel skeletons now shelter schools of grunts, amberjacks, and the occasional green-eyed moray. For shark encounters, Shark Wall and Runway Wall pull in Caribbean reef sharks with casual regularity. Stingrays ghost across the sand. Nassau groupers watch from the shadows. You hover at 10 metres and look out into the deep blue where larger sharks cruise the edge.
Andros feels different. Larger, wilder, less touched. The third-largest fringing barrier reef in the world runs along its eastern flank, and the Tongue of the Ocean, a mile-deep trench, sits just offshore. The dive highlight here is the Great Ocean Blue Hole, also known as King Kong Cavern. You drop into a vast circular opening, light shafts cutting through the haze, stalactites hinting at the cave system’s ancient past as dry land. Local folklore speaks of Lusca, a mythical half-octopus, half-shark creature said to live in these holes. You will not find it. But you will feel the weight of the water above and the strange quiet that only a blue hole provides.
Then the Blue Marlin pushes west to Bimini. This is the reason many divers book this safari. From December through April, great hammerheads gather here in numbers that command respect. You dive on sites like Tuna Alley and Victory Reefs, drifting along walls laced with caves and swim-throughs, but the shallow hammerhead dives are the anchor of the week. You kneel on the sand in crystal water as large females, some over 4 metres , cruise past at arm’s length. Bull sharks join them. Nurse sharks rest nearby. The current from the Gulf Stream pushes through, and everything feels alive. The SS Sapona wreck sits in just 5 metres of water, a concrete-hulled Prohibition-era steamer used for US Navy target practice during WWII. Easy, historic, and photogenic.
Tiger Beach sits 30 nautical miles off Grand Bahama’s West End. Shallow, 8 to 10 metres, with visibility often exceeding 25 metres. Large female tiger sharks dominate the site. Some approach 4 metres in length. They come close, very close, but the crew’s briefings are thorough and the safety protocols are strict. You dive in small groups under expert supervision. Bull sharks, lemon sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, and silkies all show up. You kneel on the white sand and let them circle. Between dives, the crew fires up the BBQ on a secluded island. White sand, warm sun, cold drinks, freshly grilled food. This is the surface interval you came for.
Day 15
Wake to coffee and breakfast as the Blue Marlin liveaboard ties up in Freeport. Disembarkation follows, with a transfer arranged to the airport or your hotel. The Bahamas stays with you. The hammerheads especially.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
A day with the Blue Marlin liveaboard settles into a rhythm that suits divers well. You wake early, but not painfully so. Coffee is ready by 6:30 am, along with tea and fresh fruit. The breakfast spread might include Bahamaian-style grits, scrambled eggs, toast, and a hot dish like sausage or plantain. Then you prepare your kit. The first dive typically starts around 8 am.
After surfacing, the deck becomes a place for drying off and reaching for a snack - brownies, biscuits, fresh oranges - before the second dive brief. Lunch is served around 12 noon: perhaps grilled grouper, rice and peas, coleslaw, or a pasta salad. Meals are buffet style, eaten in the dining area or outside on the back deck. The Blue Marlin crew brings out local specialities: conch fritters, baked mac and cheese, and jerk chicken when the itinerary allows.
A third dive happens mid-afternoon. Between dives you might book a massage (arranged with the crew) or simply nap in the shaded lounge. Late afternoon, there is hot soup and bread to take the chill off. The fourth dive of the day, often a twilight or night dive, finishes around 6 pm.
Dinner aboard the Blue Marlin is the main event. A recent example: coconut curry shrimp, steamed cabbage, fried plantains, and a cucumber-tomato salad. Another evening: roast pork with crackling, black beans, white rice, and a side of pickled onion. Dessert is simple but welcome: rum cake, or fresh mango slices. The bar opens for purchases: beer, wine by the bottle, rum, vodka, whisky, pastis, even champagne, supply permitting. Sodas and soft drinks are included and free.
On some trips, the crew arranges a beach BBQ on a deserted island. Weather and the circuit decide this. When it happens, you eat grilled lobster tails or chicken legs over coals, with potato salad and a cold soft drink, sand between your toes.
The Blue Marlin liveaboard keeps a relaxed attitude to timings. Dive schedules shift with the weather, guest preferences, and the sites visited. That said, a typical day looks close to this:
- 6:30 am: Hot drinks and light breakfast
- 8 am: First dive
- 10 am: Second dive, then full breakfast
- 12 noon: Lunch
- 2 pm: Third dive
- 4 pm:Afternoon snack (cookies, fruit, or crackers)
- 5:30 pm: Fourth dive or night dive prep
- 7:30 pm: Dinner
- Evenings: Drinks from the bar, stargazing from the deck
The Blue Marlin liveaboard also offers yoga sessions on select trips, ad hoc, not every sailing, and the crew posts the schedule onboard. Drinking water, tea, coffee, and sodas are always free. Alcoholic drinks are extra, so settle your tab before the last morning. You will not find rigid routines here. Instead, you get a dependable flow: dive, eat, rest, dive again. The food holds up to tropical appetites. The atmosphere stays unfussy.
