Abernethy bitten by shark in Bahamas

[deepstops]

I just saw a newscast from PB that Jim Abernethy was bit by a shark in the Bahamas and airlifted to St. Mary's in Palm Beach.

 

[deepstops]

http://m.pbpost.com/pbpost/pm_11247...DEF747AC6D2258823B1EBAB6?contentguid=xvyYELD3

Lake Park dive leader flown from Bahamas with shark bite
julius_whigham@pbpost.com
Posted: 01/26/2011 6:09 PM

A 55-year-old man was flown to St. Mary's Medical Center after sustaining a shark bite near the Bahamas this evening.

Jim Abernethy, 55, was on a diving excursion with the commercial diving vessel Shear Water when he was bitten on the arm, a Coast Guard news release stated. The Shear Water runs out of the Lake Park Marina and features shark expeditions, according to Abernethy's website.

The incident occurred about 18 miles north of West End, The Bahamas, the Coast Guard stated.

A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Clearwater, deployed in support of Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos, located the vessel.

The crew safely hoisted Abernethy and transported him to St. Mary's, the release stated.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

The same operation also lost a diver last year. I am really sorry to hear this. I wanted to be on that charter.

 

[CaptRam]

Playing with fire long enough your gonna get burned- Ive always thought it a bad idea to feed sharks or any other wild beast, I hope he recovers fully!

 

[BigHarryDiver]

Video news report of the incident

Lake Park dive leader flown from Bahamas with shark bite

 

[deepstops]

The same operation also lost a diver last year. I am really sorry to hear this. I wanted to be on that charter.

Yes, the diver was from Europe.

Playing with fire long enough your gonna get burned- Ive always thought it a bad idea to feed sharks or any other wild beast, I hope he recovers fully!

I don't believe they feed the sharks, they chum them into the area and then set out to video them and take pictures. A lot of the footage you see on "Shark Week" has been shot from Jim's boat.

 

[Scott L]

The same operation also lost a diver last year. I am really sorry to hear this. I wanted to be on that charter.

Three years ago next month...

 

[mntlblok]

I don't believe they feed the sharks, they chum them into the area and then set out to video them and take pictures.

When I did the trip, there wasn't "much" feeding, but Jim would occasionally lay a piece of the "chum" down in the sand as a tiger was moving in. The trick "seemed" to be keeping the lemon sharks from getting at it before the tiger found it.

The lemon sharks were *everywhere*, and, as Jim predicted, we got to where we actually ignored them whilst keeping on the constant lookout for his majestic tigers. I guess we did do a little feeding on the surface one day, dangling a hooked fish at the surface in an effort to photo the lemons as they broke the surface in an effort to snatch the bait. I've seen videos of a couple of different techniques for getting "lemon snaps". I recall one particular dome port getting in the way of a lemon tooth. . .

It will be interesting to learn how the bite occurred. The whole operation struck me as being incredibly controlled and predictable - far more than I ever would have believed. However anyone feels about Jim, he was one of the most impressive individuals I've ever met - for a number of different reasons.

Sounds like Jim will be fine, soon. Sorry to hear that it happened.

Kevin
Savannah

 

[DiverDean59]

Get well soon Jim. I'm praying for you.

 

[BKP]

Very professional and controlled op... Sorry to hear about what is certainly an anomaly...
Does anyone know what hit him? (Tiger? Lemon? Reef?)