Oceanic White Tips - safety tips

[InTheDrink]

Hi, I posted this in marine ecosystems and had no response so posting here instead on the assumption that my post was in the wrong forum rather than offensive - if it is then I'd be keen to understand why. My experience with sharks is limited so I am very much learning about how best to interact with these beautiful creatures so I may make some novice/stupid statements/questions.

I am going to Egypt in few weeks to The Brothers, Daedalus & Elphinstone.

One species of shark I might be privileged enough to come across is the Oceanic White Tip, which I understand can be somewhat inquisitive. Whilst I'm relishing the possibility of this experience, I'm also interested to learn what is the best way to manage any particularly close encounters.

For example, I wish I had a decent camera with big housing as that would seem a good buffer between me and it. I just don't think my Canon compact is going to cut the mustard on that front, unless it has a particularly sensitive front tooth or something.

So, the obvious. Keep fingers/hands/extremities to myself. Keep colours neutral. Keep an eye on any visitor.

But if one is coming in close, should one be vetical? Horizontal and giving them fin tips? How about Octopus? If one bumps and is acting a bit too aggressive would a blast of an Octo be a deterrent or simply agitate it further? How about a firm push with my rattle?

Are there any good references/links to how to conduct oneself with curious sharks like these? I'll be carry a rattle, a torch (and maybe a knife if knives are allowed: they're not further north IIRC and in any event, unless I was getting attacked I would never draw a knife on a shark and if I was getting attacked I'd likely not be focusing of finding my knife ) - is there anything else worth carrying? Apart from spare underwear.

I'm probably being a big cissy and getting up close and personal will be tremendous pant filling fun, but any top tips/thoughts out there gladly lapped up. I may not even bump into one, but if I do, and it bumps into me, I'd like to know what the best posture is to take.

They look like such magnificent creatures, what with their entourage of pilot fish. I truly hope our paths will cross.

TIA,
J

 

[porbeagle]

Hi Tia,
Wow, lots to cover here.First,you'll be lucky to see a whitetip as this species
is oceanic to epipelagic,rarely coastal.Although once being abundent,long-line
fishing has resulted in relegating them to endangered species.
But if you do see one,you might want to get back in the boat as this is not a
shark to take lightly.I've seen only 4 in many years of diving with sharks,and
they all did not follow the book.Not always do they "bump and bite" like blue sharks.They ARE very persistant ,They don't seem to be upset if you remain
vertical in the water column.Noises don't seem to distract them (although i've
never purged an octo around them).Like people,they all are individuals and
can't be predicted.I would not give them a fin tip to play with as you would
have less control.Thinking you can just batt them away is in my opinion
dangerous.They are not reef sharks.A knife is out....For a shark that is
supposed to be slow and sluggish,they move with blinding speed when they
want to.Remember,this is their environment.I use a 2 ft. broomstick handle
with a large nail in the end to poke them on the gills.
There are not many studies on behaviour with this species,but if you are
familier with the study on "threat posture positions" of the grey reef shark
it will give you something to go on. Good Luck and have fun in Egypt.
PORBEAGLE

 

[vladimir]

Scroll down to post #25 by Bret Gilliam: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/marine-life-ecosystems/27499-shark-attack-stories.html

It will keep you safe from oceanic whitetips by making you too terrified to get in the water with them.

 

[InTheDrink]

Hey Vlad,

Have read Brett's story many times before. Which in part why I'm asking my question

Porbeagle - check out youtube, put any of the reefs I mention in and oceanic white tip and you'll see that lots of people are quite happily diving with these animals. I'm just wondering whether to have extra precautions. Like your broom stick, sounds possibly like a good idea

YouTube - egypt oceanic white tip

Cheers,
John

 

[vladimir]

John,

I have seen some photos by Scubaboarders of oceanic whitetips. Some from Hawaii, some from the Red Sea, if memory serves. I have no personal experience with them, but I agree that people are quite happily diving with them. Whether they are safely diving with them is another question. Personally, I would stay in the water with them as long as they kept a few meters or more away. I would ascend if they got closer than that, although it seems encounters are generally near the surface. I'd keep them in front of me at all times, and I'd keep my fairly large camera rig between me and them at all times.

 

[MarkUK]

I had the pleasure of seeing oceanics off Daedalous and Elphinstone on my last visit to the area (Nov 08). The best time to see them is September, October, November and early December, but they can put in an appearance all year round, so you might be lucky.

The two-metre example on Elphinstone was a beautiful creature. It appeared out of the blue right behind my buddy as we were drifting at 6m under my DSMB. It then would make repeated approaches, coming straight at us until it reached a couple of metres away, then it would veer sharply away and swim off into the blue. 30 seconds later it would reappear and do the same thing all over again. It did this for a good 10-12 minutes before we got out of the water into the waiting RIB. I'd have quite happily stayed in the water for longer, but we were a loooooong way from the reef and I didn't want to leave it too long to get picked up, as it is a long swim back!

I wouldn't worry about taking any precautions. If you note on any of the footage of diver-oceanic encounters in Egypt, no one is wielding broomsticks, batons, shields, body armour, etc. It is just not needed. If you are on a liveaboard, the guides will have encountered these guys lots of times, and they will brief you on how to behave in the water with them. Generally, they are inquisitive, but rarely attack divers, but these are wild animals, so treat them with respect, enjoy the experience and long for the next one!

Mark

 

[Diver0001]

I've been diving along Elphinstone a few times and I've seen Oceanic whitetips and other large sharks there on several occasions.

I only scanned that post from Gilliam and I'll admit to not liking his writing at all so I"m not inclined to believe anything he writes.

From my own experience the oceanic whitetips are really curious and they'll get quite close to you. You're probably a lot safer close to the reef than you are away from it. At least that way they can't circle around you and they'll end up swimming back and forth (usually) above you.... at least that's what I've seen happening.

As for them being aggressive. Most of the DM's I know in the area are a little wary of the big Oceanic Whitetips. Divers get bitten by them (nipping) on a fairly regular basis but from what I've heard most of the bites happen when the shark gets too close and the diver sticks out a hand to push it away. I wouldn't recommend doing that. I don't recall ever hearing about an oceanic whitetip killing a diver at Elphintone but it is the shark species with the most deadly attacks to its name, mostly victims of shipwrecks. While diving you would appear to be a lot safer.

Of all the Oceanic Whitetips I've seen only one of them gave me a fright. I happened just after the entry because my buddy had trouble with her mask and before she got it sorted we had drifted into the blue a bit. That's when a REALLY big one (well over 2 metres) came out of nowhere straight at us with it's pectoral fins down and swimming at high speed. That was freaky because it was bigger than any other Oceanic Whitetip I had ever seen and it was really acting like it meant business.

Most of them don't do that. They either swim around in circles under the big boats or they swim back and forth along the reef minding their own business.

Here's a link to some general advice about diving with sharks. http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/isaf/diveradvice.htm

R..

 

[InTheDrink]

Mark, Vlad, Rob,

Thanks for all the input. Mark - indeed I'm sure you're right and the DMs have it covered but I was just keen to do some background research prior to going. I was also reminded of Sean Connery's line in the film 'The Untouchables' to paraphrase: 'what kind of idiots bring a knife to a gun fight'. I didn't want to turn up with my new super glow pink and yellow fish flavour fins . My buddy has large housing for his camera whereas you'd struggle to fend off a determined dog fish with mine

Rob, how come you've reached that conclusion about Brett G. His language was somewhat dramatic ('locked in mortal combat' etc.) but I assumed it was all true. Then again, I'm uber gullible.

I'll try to keep my back to them should I see them but they do seem to arrive in pairs not infrequently. Is it prudent to go back to back with my buddy or is that likely just to cause laughter And rather than stick one's fingers out if they come in to bump, is it best just to face them off? I'd rather one nipped my figure than my nose. I'm guessing turning one's back isn't an option if they get too close - would that seem to like a flight response?

I'm sure none of these things will happen to me and I'm just really hoping I get lucky enough to see one, especially given the time of year, just curious as to how to deal with any situation that got a little hairy. Clearly if I felt spooked enough I'd exit the water.

Thanks for tips!
J

 

[vladimir]

I only scanned that post from Gilliam and I'll admit to not liking his writing at all so I"m not inclined to believe anything he writes.
R..

You don't like his writing so he must be a liar? Yeah, that's makes a lot of sense.

 

[vladimir]

Rob, how come you've reached that conclusion about Brett G. His language was somewhat dramatic ('locked in mortal combat' etc.) but I assumed it was all true. Then again, I'm uber gullible.
J

I can't vouch for Gilliam's honesty, I don't know him. But he is a well-known person in diving circles. If he fabricated a dead buddy, a major dci hit, a helicopter landing on a closed Puerto Rican highway, and legal blindness in one eye, I think one of the 100k Scubaboarders or the readers of the books that story was published in might have called him on it.

But maybe Rob has some special insight he's not sharing with us.