aggressive sharks on decompression stop

[Walter]

Statistically a lot more SCUBA divers die from getting bent vs. being bit by a shark.

You are comparing apples and oranges. You are throwing out statistics regarding dives in general. He is talking about a dive with an aggressive shark. Statistics don't matter when you win the lottery or when a shark is actively trying to take a bite out of your backside. It happens.

What would you guys do while on a deco stop and had a large shark nearby. What if it acted interested in you? What if it got aggressive acting? Would you shorten your stops and risk being bent? skip some stops?

How much deco? What kind of shark? If it's hours of deco, you will die a horrible death if you skip the deco. I'd take my chances with the shark. If it's a few minutes of deco and it's a big aggressive shark intent on eating me, I'll take my chances on DCS, get on the boat, breathe O2, get to shore and, if symptoms crop up, call 911. It's a judgement call.

 

[all4scuba05]

It chased a "Death Square" into the deep? I wonder if it would've chased a mask into the deep just as well.

 

[Thalassamania]

Non-galvanized sheet metal squares did not work ... it is suspected that is has something to do with the electrical field set up in the water.

 

[Gombessa]

It chased a "Death Square" into the deep? I wonder if it would've chased a mask into the deep just as well.

Maybe, but being maskless in blue water with an aggressive shark nearby sounds like loads of fun!

 

[all4scuba05]

I hear ya....was trying to understand if the sharks "naturally" chase whatever I drop below me or is there something about metal squares. Thalassamania just cleared that up for me.

 

[battles2a5]

Unless you are spear fishing and carrying your catch with on deco (bad idea) they usually won't get too frisky with you. I've always thought the best thing to do is to try to stay face to face with the shark, don't let them get behind you. As others have pointed out, they are opportunistic hunters and an alert and defensive target that is just as large as they are is not an easy target. Barring that, you should be carrying a deco bottle(s) if you have mandatory deco so unclip it and keep it between you and the shark. If they actually came in for a strike or an investigative bite you can move them away with the bottle. If all else fails clip a pork chop on your buddy's manifold.

 

[Doc Harry]

So on the same subject, I did some cave diving in Florida last summer. Nothing like jumping into an algae-filled lake out in the middle of nowhere in Florida to get your heart racing and thinking of alligators. While doing the last couple of deco stops in the lake I wondered about what to do if approached by an alligator. You never hear of alligator incidents, do they no bother divers?

 

[boulderjohn]

I am unable to find the article I am about to describe, which I read a couple of years ago. Perhaps someone else can find it. My memory is a little vague and I may not describe things accurately.

Dr. Richard Pyle is a famous ichthyologist and diver. He has had two very serious cases of decompression illness, both of which he openly attributes to "stupidity," if I remember his characterization correctly. The first was when he was young (19?) and just starting, but the other was when he was a very experienced diver. In the second case, he made a series of not-so-wise decisions on dives, probably pushing his decompression envelope to the limit. On his next dive, he was doing decompression while carrying fish specimens when some Galapagos sharks got more than a little curious. He had to make the exact decision you describe. In this case, it was not a safety stop--it was a real decompression stop with the knowledge that he had been pushing the envelope previously.

He decided to skip the stop.

He got seriously bent, but he is still alive and diving.

 

[Doubler]

I have to admit that for most species I would probably take my chances figuring I could push them off. But on a night dive with an Oceanic White Tip nosing around and then staying around, I'm going on a chamber ride because my butt is outa here. I still remember the diver that got mauled by 2 Oceanic White Tips in the Bahamas doing some scientific dives. You can find the whole story on the Undercurrent Blog. It will most definitely grab your attention and make an impression about those guys. Nothing to mess with.

 

[romad119]

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