A few wild days off Jupiter’s coast brought lemon sharks drifting in close, bull sharks surging with energy, and the kind of underwater moments that stay with you long after you surface.

(Be sure to scroll below to view our photos and videos after our story for this trip.)

A bright winter aerial view of Jupiter Inlet, where turquoise water meets white sand and winding channels along Florida’s coast. — *A clear winter view over Jupiter Inlet, where bright blue water and sandy channels frame one of Florida’s most beautiful stretches of coastline.*

If there’s one thing I can say about 2023, it’s that sharks have ruled our airwaves so far. After spending two weeks in Playa del Carmen diving with the bull sharks, we headed over to Jupiter, Florida to spend a few days with the lemon sharks. The lemons start to migrate around this time of year for what Floridians call the lemon shark aggregation, so we were hoping to catch a few. They did not disappoint.On the first day of diving, we were treated to a fair number of lemon sharks. They weren’t particularly active, but they made their presence known by drifting boldly into everyone’s space — as lemons are famous for doing. There were a couple of bull sharks who hung around, though they tend to retreat when outnumbered by lemons. Yes, even bull sharks eventually get annoyed by their antics. Those lemons have absolutely no respect for personal space, human or shark.

The second day of diving we did something a little special. We were essentially part of an unannounced private group. Two divers engaged in responsible spearfishing, which left only me, another photographer, and the shark handler to interact with the sharks. Due to the high experience level of the divers, the shop owner and captain decided to treat us to the “other side” of the site known as Bud’s Crack. While the lemons dominate the side we visited on the first day, the bull sharks are definitely the dominant force on the other.

As we descended 90 ft to the top of the site’s ledge, we instantly saw three to four very active bull sharks circling us. Little did I know their early activity was only a preview of the intensity that would follow. What unfolded became one of the most exhilarating experiences I’ve had underwater.

Before I knew it, we were suddenly surrounded by a dozen amped bull sharks. And I mean amped. The art of shark handling in Jupiter is to collect the sharks at the bottom and then slowly ascend the bait box, bringing up as many sharks as possible. Performing the majority of the feeding at a shallower depth increases your bottom time and puts you closer to the surface in case something goes awry — after all, we’re feeding sharks in open water. This process usually takes several minutes, if not longer. But today the sharks were in no mood to wait and quickly descended upon the bait box. Up we go.

It’s fascinating to watch sharks organize themselves. People assume that sharks are just a dumb fish, but nothing could be further from the truth. There’s a pecking order and hierarchy on full display as they approach the shark handler. The lower-ranked sharks assemble themselves in what appears at first glance to be inconsequential circles — a slow dance meant to lull the alpha sharks so they can sneak in for a quick bite. The alpha sharks perform smaller, tighter circles, but they do so in a serial fashion so each one gets its turn at the food. If one or more sharks fall out of line, bodies collide to put them back in their place. Absolutely fascinating.

But I digress — back to the story.

As we ascended, we weren’t surprised to see every bull shark following us, given their energy. With only three of us on the dive, the sharks had few people to divide their attention among, which meant they focused on us far more closely than usual. One particular bull shark stayed constantly in my space, biting at my camera rig out of curiosity and forcing me to push her away whenever she came in too close. At one point she came from a blind angle and flipped me backside down. She kept steady pressure on top of me, pushing me downward and snapping bite after bite in my direction until I managed to slip around her side. The ordeal lasted only four or five seconds but felt like ten minutes — frightening and exhilarating all at once.

Side note: I went back and forth about whether I should go into detail about this particular encounter because it might only serve to stoke the horrible and undeserving reputation sharks have garnered. I chose to share it, but also decided not to post photos or videos of the incident, or similar experiences from the other two divers — yes, my camera was running at the time. People should recognize that we’re entering the sharks’ territory to feed them in open water. Humans don’t own the Earth. The ocean is the sharks’ domain, and we have to respect their behaviors and habitat. Encounters like this aren’t just adrenaline-filled experiences — they’re learning moments for anyone studying or interacting with marine life.

We did two dives with the bull sharks that day — we had done one earlier dive with the lemons. Somehow the bull sharks were even more energized for the last dive, which only added to the experience. Hearts pounding through our chests, we finally called it a day. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.

A group of Florida manatees glides just beneath the surface near Riviera Beach during a calm winter encounter. — *Weather canceled our last day of diving, but we made the most of it by visiting the manatees down by Riviera Beach.*

The final day of diving once again consisted of separate dives with the lemons and the bull sharks. We had a couple of other divers with us, so we kept the risk-taking to a minimum. The bull sharks cooperated since they were not as amped as the previous day. As for the lemons, the world-famous Miss Snooty and her photogenic smile made an appearance at all the lemon shark dives, so there were plenty of photo ops with her. All in all, it was a great trip despite losing the final day of diving to weather — typical for this time of year in Florida. We hope you enjoy the photos and videos below.

Pre-COVID, my wife and I — and the occasional friends — would travel to Jupiter twice a year. We intend to get back to that routine this year and will aim for the goliath grouper aggregation in late summer or early fall.

We’re off to Belize next week to work with a conservation group conducting coral and fish surveys. We’ve been to Belize a few times and it never disappoints with its pristine coral reefs and plentiful marine life. Stay tuned for a future blog post. CaaS

Gallery: From calm lemon shark passes to unforgettable encounters with Snooty and high-energy moments with Jupiter’s bull sharks, these images capture the rhythm, personality, and raw beauty of diving Florida’s winter waters.