Bull SHARK, Up Close - My Heart's still pounding!

[Johnoly]

Just curious....How does one identify a specific shark like a bull with no giveaway markings?

I'll assume you know what a nurse shark looks like, but most people get confused between a reef shark and a bull shark. Here is what I look for.

1st, is just the sheer girth, a bull is just unmistakeable in massive girth powerfull swim pattern. 2nd is his beady little eyes, almost like a kids marble. And last the most telling is that the top dorsal fin begins at just about the midway point of the pectoral fin. The reef's fin is behind the pectoral fin.

And last but not least, is that the bull will bump you, the reef is more skittish and will backdown when challenged by the diver.

 

[Hank49]

1st, is just the sheer girth, a bull is just unmistakeable in massive girth powerfull swim pattern. 2nd is his beady little eyes, almost like a kids marble. And last the most telling is that the top dorsal fin begins at just about the midway point of the pectoral fin. The reef's fin is behind the pectoral fin.

And last but not least, is that the bull will bump you, the reef is more skittish and will backdown when challenged by the diver.

Thanks for the tips. And I've studied these differences in the numerous books I have on fish. But I've never had one stay still long enough to make those type of measurements. In the Blue Hole, for instance, after the dive folks were saying, "did you see the Caribbean Reef sharks and the Bull sharks"? Well, about all I could confirm was that I saw some fast moving gray/brown sharks with lots of teeth. Maybe I need a prescription mask.

 

[RoadWarrior]

And last but not least, is that the bull will bump you, the reef is more skittish and will backdown when challenged by the diver.

The Deck Hand on our boat said that while at the Black Bart he has been bumped a couple of times by that shark. I was skeptical hearing that.

The next day while heading out to the Strength for a dive a diver said he was spear fishing on the Strength the prior year and speared a grouper through a hole. Wrestled it and upon pulling it out he turned and directly behind him, as if in waiting, was the Bull. He said no more than 2 or 3 feet away. It rushed for the fish knocking him hard against the side of the ship. The Bull grabbed the grouper and swam off pulling the fish right off the spear. My first thought... yep, another fish story. But now, you're talking about getting bumped. And now... I've seen the thing myself.

I cannot imagine the sensation, fear is maybe a better word, of being bumped by that Bull Shark. I would dive the Bart or the Strength again. But I would be nervous if people were spear fishing. I would be hoping not to see Smilie again. Wait, what am I saying... maybe I want dive the Bart again.

Humm.............

 

[CathyI8205]

I heard they caught your bull shark!

 

[H2Andy]

dang, that bullshark sure likes like a person! he even wears a cap

 

[saildiver]

I think it is an amazing experience that you had. I just got back from Fiji where we had maybe 20 bull sharks around us. Of course this was during a shark feeding. No way would that many sharks be comfortable around us divers without the use of food. Opportunities like the one you just had are getting more scarce by the day. Especially in Florida...

Thanks for sharing,

Eli
Publisher
www.sharkdivermag.com

Just curious Eli,where did you see 20 bull sharks in Fiji?...Peace...Saildiver.

 

[sandiego1]

Just curious....How does one identify a specific shark like a bull with no giveaway markings? I've seen a number of sharks diving and can identify white tip reef sharks, nurse, gray reef , silver tip, because they have obvious markings although even those aren't guaranteed. But most other sharks I've seen are just grayish brownish and I have no idea what they are as they pass by.

I understand that you identify bulls by the shape of their heads. They're rather blunt-faced. (Sort of the stereotypical shark shape, I suppose).

 

[SharkDiverMag]

We saw our twenty plus bull sharks on the main island. Here is their link. www.fiji-sharks.com
It is hands down one of the best, if not the best shark dive in the world...

Eli
publisher
Shark Diver Magazine

 

[Ishie]

Whoa! Awesome pictures!!!

 

[Tom Winters]

That was a pretty healthy tiger shark in the photos - when the viz starts getting a little murky, and you have critters like bulls and tigers in the vicinity, this is not necessarily a good thing.