aggressive sharks on decompression stop

[spagettimnstr]

Weigh the options. What is likely going to kill or hurt you...a shark or getting bent?

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

I'd stay in the water and make sure you have plenty of buddies with you...give the shark options.

That's only because statistically, SCUBA divers are less likely to run into a dangerous shark than a potentially dangerous pressure situation... You'll see a shark if you're lucky (or unlucky), but every time you even get in the water, you're susceptible to deco sickness.

 

[Scott L]

http://www.bluewaterhunter.com/education/education_bangsticks.html

 

[Straegen]

I'll take calmly hanging in with the shark I think (as calm as I could be in that situation). Surfacing quickly probably has just as much chance of enticing the shark into a prey response... at least that is what I would be telling myself over and over in my head.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

The waters where I dive are known to have large sharks in the late summer and fall. Makos and an occasional great white are here that time of year(not to mention blues, porbeagles, and threshers). 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? Make all stops and hope he doesn't nibble on you? I'm new to deco diving, but this diving will put me further offshore where these guys swim so I'm curious. Are there any general rules for dealing with sharks on deco stops? Thanks guys.

A deco bottle would make a very nice tool to bump or push away most sharks. If a deco bottle looked like a toothpick in comparison to the size of the shark, I'd probably start working on some sort of bailout strategy.

Experience has taught me that I'm more afraid of bubbles than sharks. ER docs have been really good about stitching me back together from a number of accidents in which I've severed arteries, tendons, muscle, ligaments, etc. The sharks I have seen haven't bothered me. My surfboard may have been damaged by one I didn't see.

 

[Firefyter]

Shark Attack! | Divers' Blogs

That is an outstanding article. Make sure and read the comments below, as there are several questions asked and Bret elaborates further.

 

[gotwake]

Shark Attack! | Divers' Blogs

That was a brutal story. I went back and read the comments. It's amazing that Bret survived.

 

[burna]

I have read advice from shark experts which say that sharks basically have no idea what we are, so they might come in close to check us out.

Most times they lose interest as we don't look like easy prey, on rare occasions they might think we are worth a closer look.

They (the experts) say that sharks expect their prey to be either dead or behave in a certain way. Increased heart rate, attempting to flee or 'playing dead' are possible signs to a shark worthy of further investigation and that sharks don't expect their prey to lash out or act aggressively. A shark is after an easy meal, it does not want to risk getting injured in the process. It's eyes and gills are apparently easily injured.

Having said that, if I came face to face with a large potentially dangerous shark I think I'd probably ink my undergarments, but I would try to remember to chase the shark, attack it (punch, kick, hit with stage) if it came within range or otherwise act aggressively. I wouldn't just gently push it away.

 

[Sas]

Having said that, if I came face to face with a large potentially dangerous shark I think I'd probably ink my undergarments, but I would try to remember to chase the shark, attack it (punch, kick, hit with stage) if it came within range or otherwise act aggressively. I wouldn't just gently push it away.

My plan is to stab you and swim away. Or hide behind a rock and film while you beat the shark up...

 

[burna]

My plan is to stab you and swim away. Or hide behind a rock and film while you beat the shark up...

Mmmmm...

***Note to Self: Start wearing knife again. Better give it a sharpen too!!***

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

Use your bait-I-mean-buddy to distract them......