Windminstrel
Guest
The guys at Spearboard have a few interesting experiences with sharks.
Here's a good thread on the subject
Here's a good thread on the subject
Eeeek! Shark, now what do I do?
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baitedstorm:
Actually, I might be able to help you out with this one.
Once upon a time, not too terribly long ago, there was a super-groovey-cool divemaster named ScubakevDM. He lived in a cute little house in Florida, where he worked on a happy little dive boat, and everything was super deluxe fantastic plus 3.
One day old Scubakev was wrangling a small nurse shark back to the group up on the crest of the reef, just a swimmin' as fast as his little legs would carry him. He was admiring all of the beautiful fish and noticing how many of them there were, when all of a sudden.... whoosh! Ghost-town.
"Uh-oh", thought Scubakev, and he sure was right, for when he looked around to see what was the trouble, he saw a giant smiling shark head pointed at him about 55' away.
"Perhaps if I exhale completely and hug the reef he'll not notice me anymore" old Scubakev thought, so he did. Sadly, the shark head dropped down too, still smiling and still closing, maybe about 30' away now.
"Well," thought Scubakev, "I sure wish I had something like a long pole." But alas, he did not, and his heart sank as he prepared to be bitten by the large shark head that was only 10' away now, still smiling and pointed right at him.
When the shark head was 6' away, Scubakev decided to become aggressive with the shark, mostly because there weren't alot of other options. Being a quick thinker, at the 3' mark he opted not to extend an arm towards the shark head that could be easily bitten, but to grip the reef with both hands and lunge instead with his head.
The shark head, suprized by Scubakev's clever tactic of head shoving, probably having expected a hand, moved over about one and a half feet and slid quietly and slowly by affording Scubakev an excellent view of the intricacies of its lovely golden iris. Along with the head, a 10' body did pass by, and hey look! It was male. It didn't even look back as it sauntered out of visibility and disolved.
The shark seemed a little curious, but the overwhelming sense I got after it was all said and done was that it couldn't have cared less. That's the closest I've ever been examined, but for the most part that's how I experience them (Bulls). They could care less. Acting like food or actually having food causes them to care alot, and they become very focused on food and eating very quicky, and they are very good eaters.
Brilliant!
But one question about the head thing. I'm not quite clear on the super-cool-ness of shoving your head at a shark because you don't want your arm to slip into it's mouth.....
Personally I think more of my super-groovy-ness comes from my head than my arm and although I wouldn't choose to lose either of them I do have a sense of priorities....
R..
But one question about the head thing. I'm not quite clear on the super-cool-ness of shoving your head at a shark because you don't want your arm to slip into it's mouth.....
Personally I think more of my super-groovy-ness comes from my head than my arm and although I wouldn't choose to lose either of them I do have a sense of priorities....
R..
Look at it this way: if the shark takes off your head, it's a rather quick way to go. If the shark takes off your arm, you're sure to survive longer, during which time you'll likely become the main course at a feeding frenzy.Diver0001:
Besides, it's a known fact that a headbutt gets you respect with all the bad boys, but a little b****-slap just ticks them off.
CelticRavenVA
Guest
Hmmmm reminds me of an old joke....
What do you do if a bear attacks?
Run....
What if you aren't the fastest?
I don't have to be the fastest runner... I just have to be faster then the slowest person.
I think the same logic applies here....
What do you do if a bear attacks?
Run....
What if you aren't the fastest?
I don't have to be the fastest runner... I just have to be faster then the slowest person.
I think the same logic applies here....
docmartin
Contributor
i have not had any bad experiences with bulls and welcome the opportunity to dive with them. they do like to come VERY close on occasion - great for photos - but unless you're spearfishing i would not be concerned. you will be hard pressed to find an incident where a bull shark attacked a (non-spearfishing) diver.
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One thing you can do is read this. It's from my "Ask RSD" column in the Mar '00 issue of "Rodale's Scuba Diving":
"Do need to worry about sharks while diving?"
While statistics are not fully reliable and vary substantially across time, over the years 1990 through 1997 an average of about 9 unprovoked attacks per year on divers were reported worldwide. Slightly less than 20% proved fatal. In other words, out of the millions of dives done worldwide in each of the last 8 years, on average less than 2 divers per year died as a result of unprovoked shark attack. Death by lightening or a vending machine falling on you is far more probable. Furthermore, these attacks were much more likely to occur in some areas than others. The most numerous attacks on divers occur in the continental US, Australia and Africa (2/3rds in the Republic of South Africa), respectively. Within the US, Florida and California account equally for the majority; Hawaii has less than 1/4 the total of these two states. The Caribbean is low on the list.
Sharks, about which much remains unknown, are among the ocean's most fascinating and maligned creatures. Around for hundreds of millions years, they have changed little in the past tens of millions. The approximately 370 living species range in size from the 6" carnivorous juvenile Dwarf Sharks to the 45+ plankton eating mature Whale Shark.
Sharks are fearsome predators due to marvelously acute sensory systems, including the ability to sense infinitesimally weak electrical fields, very low frequency sounds such those generated by escaping and struggling prey, and a sense of smell which can detect a single drop of blood in one million drops of water. While vision tends not to be nearly as well developed, some sharks have excellent sensitivity to contrast and motion, and low light acuity.
The majority of sharks pose no threat to man; only about 42 species have been implicated in attacks worldwide. Great Whites account for the majority, and these are often believed to be cases food confusion; humans are not at the top of the menu with high fat animals like seal and sea lion. Next in order are the Tiger and Bull, who some feel aggress just because the diver is in proximity.
Most shark attacks occur from below or behind and are unseen by the diver, although prior to an attack is it not uncommon for them to make increasingly closer passes, or even bump you. Sharks within the line of vision also may signal they are disturbed. This commonly takes the form of an S-shaped posture, with arching of the back, lowering of the pectoral fins, & movement of the tail to one side, and sometimes shaking of the head from side to side--you'll recognize it. If you observe this, return to the boat if possible; if not, slowly sink to the bottom or back up against a reef or wall, and remain motionless. If a shark approaches you very closely, purge your second stage in front of it, then hum deeply or yell into it. If you have no other recourse, such as when a shark starts bumping you, bang it on the snout or gills, but if possible do this only with a gloved hand or arm, or inanimate object. The skin of many sharks is quite rough and could easily draw blood from an unprotected body part. A number of protective measures have been experimented with, including certain chemicals and electrical shields, but none has proved infallible.
You can reduce the already very tiny odds of attack by: (1) not diving near fishing, and especially spearfishing; (2) diving in groups; (3) avoiding deep channels and shallow water which rapidly becomes deep; (4) not diving at dusk, dawn or after dark; (5) avoiding shiny jewelry and exposure suits with contrasting colors; (6) avoiding murky water; (7) not harassing a shark; and (8) quickly returning to the boat when a shark becomes overly inquisitive or postures.
A diver following the above suggestions has no reason for fear."
Best regards.
DocVikingo
"Do need to worry about sharks while diving?"
While statistics are not fully reliable and vary substantially across time, over the years 1990 through 1997 an average of about 9 unprovoked attacks per year on divers were reported worldwide. Slightly less than 20% proved fatal. In other words, out of the millions of dives done worldwide in each of the last 8 years, on average less than 2 divers per year died as a result of unprovoked shark attack. Death by lightening or a vending machine falling on you is far more probable. Furthermore, these attacks were much more likely to occur in some areas than others. The most numerous attacks on divers occur in the continental US, Australia and Africa (2/3rds in the Republic of South Africa), respectively. Within the US, Florida and California account equally for the majority; Hawaii has less than 1/4 the total of these two states. The Caribbean is low on the list.
Sharks, about which much remains unknown, are among the ocean's most fascinating and maligned creatures. Around for hundreds of millions years, they have changed little in the past tens of millions. The approximately 370 living species range in size from the 6" carnivorous juvenile Dwarf Sharks to the 45+ plankton eating mature Whale Shark.
Sharks are fearsome predators due to marvelously acute sensory systems, including the ability to sense infinitesimally weak electrical fields, very low frequency sounds such those generated by escaping and struggling prey, and a sense of smell which can detect a single drop of blood in one million drops of water. While vision tends not to be nearly as well developed, some sharks have excellent sensitivity to contrast and motion, and low light acuity.
The majority of sharks pose no threat to man; only about 42 species have been implicated in attacks worldwide. Great Whites account for the majority, and these are often believed to be cases food confusion; humans are not at the top of the menu with high fat animals like seal and sea lion. Next in order are the Tiger and Bull, who some feel aggress just because the diver is in proximity.
Most shark attacks occur from below or behind and are unseen by the diver, although prior to an attack is it not uncommon for them to make increasingly closer passes, or even bump you. Sharks within the line of vision also may signal they are disturbed. This commonly takes the form of an S-shaped posture, with arching of the back, lowering of the pectoral fins, & movement of the tail to one side, and sometimes shaking of the head from side to side--you'll recognize it. If you observe this, return to the boat if possible; if not, slowly sink to the bottom or back up against a reef or wall, and remain motionless. If a shark approaches you very closely, purge your second stage in front of it, then hum deeply or yell into it. If you have no other recourse, such as when a shark starts bumping you, bang it on the snout or gills, but if possible do this only with a gloved hand or arm, or inanimate object. The skin of many sharks is quite rough and could easily draw blood from an unprotected body part. A number of protective measures have been experimented with, including certain chemicals and electrical shields, but none has proved infallible.
You can reduce the already very tiny odds of attack by: (1) not diving near fishing, and especially spearfishing; (2) diving in groups; (3) avoiding deep channels and shallow water which rapidly becomes deep; (4) not diving at dusk, dawn or after dark; (5) avoiding shiny jewelry and exposure suits with contrasting colors; (6) avoiding murky water; (7) not harassing a shark; and (8) quickly returning to the boat when a shark becomes overly inquisitive or postures.
A diver following the above suggestions has no reason for fear."
Best regards.
DocVikingo
I saw an exellent documentary recently on a group studying the great whites of Seal Island, South Africa. Here, during pupping season especially, GWs congrergate and hunt in an unusual manner (for GWs). They locate a seal on the surface and come at it at high speed from almost directly below, breaching the surface with mouth agape and, hopefully, full of seal. Some of the pictures were pretty spectacular, the GWs often completeley out of the water (See Here ). Wiser and therefore older seals 'know' the region of greatest risk lies during the swim between the open ocean and the shallows and they swim to/from shore hugging the bottom. This mirrors the bottom-hugging, avoid-thrashing-about-on-the-surface strategies mentioned previously.
One guy on the boat discovered (and don't try this at home, even with your family-pet GW) that, when bringing the GWs close to the boat to hand feed, if he placed his hand on the nose of a gaping GW as it poked its head out of the water it seemd to cut off the bite response as if the shark was blinded. It was speculated that what he was actually doing was shorting out the close range electrical sensors upon which the shark relies for close range work and this inhibited the final bite.
If anyone does want to try this. let us know how it turns out. Worst-case scenario - call me on a hands-free phone and I'll type up your report for you ;^)
Cheers,
K.
One guy on the boat discovered (and don't try this at home, even with your family-pet GW) that, when bringing the GWs close to the boat to hand feed, if he placed his hand on the nose of a gaping GW as it poked its head out of the water it seemd to cut off the bite response as if the shark was blinded. It was speculated that what he was actually doing was shorting out the close range electrical sensors upon which the shark relies for close range work and this inhibited the final bite.
If anyone does want to try this. let us know how it turns out. Worst-case scenario - call me on a hands-free phone and I'll type up your report for you ;^)
Cheers,
K.
OP
Thank you DocVikingo!
That information was is great to know. I've only been diving now for a year and I just thought it would be a good idea to get some advice "just in case"
That information was is great to know. I've only been diving now for a year and I just thought it would be a good idea to get some advice "just in case"
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