Is it better to be in the upright position to take your shark for a walk because I imagine a lot of folks, myself included think she should be horizontal.
Follow up on Emerald Shark Attack
- Thread starter tekkydiver
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Is it better to be in the upright position to take your shark for a walk because I imagine a lot of folks, myself included think she should be horizontal.
Did my first shark feed dive in Honduras a few weeks ago during the invasion. Have to admit it was amazing. I think I've heard that Emerald requires divers to be stationary on the bottom. The operator in Honduras did not, except during the first 2 minutes after he served dinner. After that, we all got to swim around with a bunch of sharks. It was fun, nobody got eaten. I will definitely do another shark dive if I get the opportunity.
In the past two years I've gone from "strongly against" feeding dives to someone who has done it. Opinions change, I guess.
I do wish Randy would have talked to the shark attack file people. I do value real statistics. Hopefully the incident will be able to be included even with limited data.
In the past two years I've gone from "strongly against" feeding dives to someone who has done it. Opinions change, I guess.
I do wish Randy would have talked to the shark attack file people. I do value real statistics. Hopefully the incident will be able to be included even with limited data.
CajunDiva
Contributor
That's correct, they used a bucket. It attracted 10 or more sharks who hung around for quite a while after finishing their meal. A large grouper also showed up. He was a little more pushy than the sharks!@kelemvor - I'm glad to see you enjoyed the shark dive in Roatan. I have not yet participated, but you have me considering itCorrect me if I'm wrong, but the videos I've seen of the Roatan shark dive show a bucket being placed on the sea floor...not hand feeding of the sharks. Is that correct?
This was taken during the first couple minutes while we all had to remain planted. The bucket did not survive intact.
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CajunDiva
Contributor
TO ME, that bucket that did not remain intact is a stand-in for Randy' s hand. I dont think sharks are viscious and intended to harm him. I think they are huge, wild, indiscriminate creatures who don't have proper etiquette! Give then food and they're going to eat it...the way THEY eat...
While feeding sharks is controversial, I think it's important to note that there is a better way to accomplish the feeding task besides showboating and doing it by hand.
While feeding sharks is controversial, I think it's important to note that there is a better way to accomplish the feeding task besides showboating and doing it by hand.
There is really no good reason that I can think of to feed sharks, beyond thrill seeking for divers and making money. Sharks are perfectly capable of finding their own food and there are plenty of places to see sharks where you don't need to feed/bait them.
To me, it is teaching them unnatural behaviour that I doubt is good/useful in any way? Personally, I think it's a bad idea and Randys "accident" was inevitable (and will happen again) - it's to be expected when you try to hand feed big, toothy and potentially dangerous wild animals. What's next - hand feeding wild lions and Grizzly bears
?
CajunDiva
Contributor
I'm not attempting to impart any judgement about the practice of feeding sharks. Perhaps there is a great benefit to allowing divers to observe and appreciate them more. We can learn a great deal by watching their behavior in an up-close and personal way.
But my common sense just tells me that there is a compromise available that could be good for everyone...
But my common sense just tells me that there is a compromise available that could be good for everyone...
My response was not directed at you specifically - just putting an opinion out there. I do get the benefit of building awareness that sharks are not out to kill us all, but the general population will never get that via the small group of divers who are is exposed to them via shark feeding. Actually, it can result in just the opposite reaction when an accident like what happened to Randy occurs that just reinforces the "sharks are killers" perception in the media.
I saw my first sharks at French Cay with no feeding involved. In fact, we got to see a few reef sharks and a big grouper hunting an eel naturally and it was fascinating. I also want to get to Socorro and Palau to see them. For, me it is about seeing marine life in it's natural habitat going about it's business - not artifically luring them in. But to each his own!
drrich2
Contributor
I understand your point, but I can't help thinking one could argue there's no good reason for recreational diving beyond thrill seeking for divers and making money, if thrill seeking includes just plain fun. Kind of like some of us who don't cave dive may read accounts of cave diving fatalities & wonder what were they doing in there? What could possibly have been worth it? Yet many people find answers to these questions every year...in caves!
Richard.
tilikum
Banned
More spin from the usual suspects.
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