Diving with the Bull sharks

[FaceDive]

Thankyou, it seems like everybody has heard about this shark feeding/chumming but does anyone have anymore details such as specific shops?

I know the one I went with last time didn´t, but does anybody know the one´s that do so I can avoid them?

 

[lemondiver]

There is so much controversy with shark diving I just had to jump in. First chumming is not feeding. Feeding is actually giving pieces of fish to the sharks from stick or by hand. Having a chum slick in the water is just oils and particles. I've been on both non-feed/chum, plain chumming dives and chum/feed dives. I would never recommend a feed dive because someone invariably does something "stupid" without thinking and puts everyone in a bad situation. Most feeds are not enough to sustain the sharks and they get their food the natural way, feeds are meant to be a snack not a meal. The reason that most of us don't swim without cages with whites is that whites view us as potential food source. We look like seals-in our wet suit, we blow air bubbles out and we are the correct size. With tigers, bulls, reefs, lemons we don't look like their food. With careful training and comprehension of the dive you can safely dive without cages with them. There are many behaviors that humans can exhibit in the water that will keep you safer. There are several people out there who dive with whites with no cages. Again it's our behavior and limitations that may be an issue with all sharks-don't stay on the surface (well we have to get back in the boat!), don't giant stride in-slip in quietly, don't flop around or make quick movements, don't get in the middle of the chum slick, don't grab a piece of food if it floats near you, don't breath like you're scared, keep your heartrate calm, don't chase or crowd the sharks-even the small lemons-nobody likes to be chased and crowded - even people, don't push your camera in their snout when they come check you out. If they get close don't smack them with anything (stick, ect), respect the animals. If you're overly scared do not get in the water with sharks. Most know, like a dog, when you are afraid and that puts them on the defensive. You don't want a 14' tiger shark cranky! Cageless diving can be as safe as you make it, listen, get training, go with someone reputible, have good diving skills first, respect the ocean. The last thing we need to do is show sharks in a bad light. Rant done.

 

[lemondiver]

Oh, and having a 14' tiger shark look you up and down and straight in the eye is an experience of a lifetime, one you will never forget and well worth the effort.

 

[lemondiver]

The pvc tubes are for 2 reasons-help keep you upright in the currents and if you stick it straight up and down in front of you the sharks will view it as being something there and will not come any closer. The videos don't have aggressive behavior at all just sharks swimming around. MOST sharks will not react badly to a strobe but several have carried camera away only to drop them when they realize that it is not food. But you should not be firing your strobe directly in their eyes-who likes that anyways. To dive with any sharks is an experience to enjoy-and yes, keep your gloves on and your skin covered. A white hand flailing around looks like a fishy treat to a lemon shark! But again be a skilled diver before shark diving.

 

[lemondiver]

On the article austrain dies of shark bite in bahamas, there are many reports that he actually died of an embolism not the actual shark bite. The bite was not catastrophic but created a panic situation. They were not actually feeding sharks, but only chumming. Everyone has strong feelings on the shark diving subject but like any other activity especially diving in general you take a risk of injury or death everytime you dive, or get into a car. You know those risks and those who get injured, while tragic and sad, should not be surprised. Divers, spearfishing and surfing are activites that you know may get you killed if you chose to continue to do them. The best thing you can do is take responsibility for yourself and be as safe as you can.

 

[lemondiver]

Andy Murch is correct, in many areas if you don't chum you will not see sharks. Seen it from personal experience.

 

[CharlieSierra]

Had my experience with what was most likely a bull shark in Galveston a long time before I started diving. The 'bump' brought my legs out of the water and a raspberry down the length of my leg. I was lucky it didn't come back for the bite. Marine biologist buddy was the one that told me chances were that it was a bull shark and I must have tasted bad to it. She said the glancing blow is a way for them to taste you with your skin cells on their gills - like dipping your finger in the sauce of some new dish and licking it to see if it's tasty. Either I tasted bad or left a big enough cloud to viel my escape as I soiled myself. That's enough of the adrenaline pumping experiences for me.

 

[MiguelAngel]

Been reading this thread, interesting. Just would like to point out a couple of things:
1) Has anyone noticed all sharks seen in Playa are females, and quite big at that.
2) I don't know if no chumming means no sharks, but the diving ops that don't chum and speak against it seem to be getting a would deal since thanks to the ones that do chum the sharks are there.
3) Thanks to the rebuilding of the beaches in Playa, the sharks are no longer that far away from the coast or that deep, now that does seem to be an accident waiting to happen since many tourists do come here to swim and snorkel without knowing bullsharks are here.
Divers that do the bullshark dive accept the risk involved, Swimmers thats a whole different story,