Location: Brittany, France

Porbeagle Sharks

Snorkeling with Porbeagle Sharks and scuba diving in Brittany.

Porbeagle Shark snorkeling in Brittany.
 
Porbeagle Shark Encounters

Apex predatory shark of temperate seas, the charismatic Porbeagle is a muscular lamnid; cousin to the Great White, Salmon Shark, and Mako. A fast and energetic hunter, the porbeagle is one of the few species that has physiological adaptations allowing it to maintain a body temperature higher than its environment.

Porbeagles are found at both ends of the Atlantic, and in the South Pacific but in most areas they are very rarely encountered by divers because they spend much of their time in the open ocean and at great depth.
For a short period during their summer migration, Porbeagles gather in unusually high numbers in shallow water off Brittany in northwest France. This unique spot is the only site where porbeagles are commonly encountered.

So far, more than 100 different porbeagles have been cataloged but the aggregation is probably much larger.

Swimming with Porbeagles and diving the reefs of Brittany

This is your opportunity to join four other guests and two shark researchers on a baited encounter to snorkel with porbeagle sharks. In this very special spot, the success rate for porbeagle sightings stands at 85%; vastly higher than any other location.

As well as chasing porbeagles each day, during the trip you will have the chance to snorkel at a grey seal colony, and conduct reef dives to see other endemic species such as lesser-spotted catsharks, torpedo rays, many endemic fishes, octopus, and cuttlefish.

We will also visit the only nesting point in France for northern gannets (20,000 pairs) and see Atlantic puffins (175 pairs), English shearwaters, and razorbills.

THE ENCOUNTER

Snorkeling with Porbeagle Sharks and scuba diving on the coastal reefs of Brittany.
REQUEST MORE INFO

2024

DATE
June 1-7 FULL

PRICE (USD)
$4,495 per person double occupancy


$5,695 per person single occupancy

LEADER
Simon Spear

Porbeagle Shark Diving.

2025

DATE
June TBA 3 SPOTS AVAILABLE

PRICE (USD)
$TBA per person double occupancy


$TBA per person single occupancy

LEADER
Simon Spear

Porbeagle shark in Brittany.

2026

DATE
June TBA 5 SPOTS AVAILABLE

PRICE (USD)
$TBA per person double occupancy


$TBA per person single occupancy

LEADER
Simon Spear

Swimming with porbeagle sharks.

DETAILS

ACCOMMODATION
Comfortable oceanfront hotel in Brittany

EXPERIENCE LEVEL
Open Water SCUBA certification required

WHAT’S INCLUDED

  • 6 nights at the Hotel des Rochers
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • 5 charters to snorkel with porbeagles
  • All required equipment and bait for attracting sharks
  • Reef diving
  • Birding and Gray Seal tours
  • Experienced Shark Diving Guide
  • Marine Biologists onboard
  • Underwater photography coaching

NOT INCLUDED

  • Land transfers to Brittany
  • Lunch and Dinner
  • Personal snorkeling/SCUBA equipment
  • Crew gratuities
Snorkeling with Porbeagle Sharks.

ITINERARY

DAY 1
Arrive in Brittany and check into your marina front hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax or explore the ruggedly stunning peninsula.
In the evening we will get together for a briefing about the days ahead and learn a little about porbeagle sharks before heading out for dinner.

Coastline of Brittany.

DAYS 2-6

After a delicious breakfast each morning, we will head out to look for porbeagle sharks not far from the coast. The sharks usually show up quite quickly. It is not uncommon to see multiple sharks at the same time so there are usually excellent photographic opportunities.
After a few hours of attracting sharks, the boat will return to shore with the changing tide.
You will have plenty of time to wander over to one of the local creperies for which the area is famous.

Porbeagle shark underwater in Brittany.

In the afternoons, we may head to a seal colony to snorkel with playful grey seal pups, or conduct a single tank dive to look for catsharks and other local marine life.

Smallspotted Catshark diving in Brittany.

DAY 7

Time for a final breakfast at the hotel followed by fond farewells, before your onward journey.

Swimming with porbeagle sharks.

ITINERARY AMENMENTS

Please note that the porbeagle snorkeling and daily diving schedule may be reversed or otherwise amended due to tidal and weather considerations.

Ready to sign up or have a question about this trip?

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    Two porbeagle sharks underwater in Brittany.
     
    Porbeagle shark encounter underwater in Brittany.
     
    Smallspotted Catshark diving in Brittany.
     
    Swimming with porbeagle sharks.
     
    Swimming with porbeagle sharks.
     
    Porbeagle shark in Brittany.
     
    Large porbeagle shark in Brittany.
     
    Porbeagle Shark Snorkeling.
     
    Snorkeling with Porbeagle Sharks in France.
     
    Snorkeling with Porbeagle Sharks in France.
     
    Porbeagle Shark Diving.
     
    Porbeagle shark underwater in Brittany.
     
    Porbeagle Shark snorkeling in Brittany.
     
    Porbeagle Shark snorkeling in France.
     
    Snorkeling with Porbeagle Sharks.
     
    Porbeagle Shark Diving.

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