Is shark diving really safe?

[pieohpah]

i guess all your fears and anxieties dissapear the minute you actually dive with them, im yet to experience my first shark encounter

I accually filled my mask, seeing my first big shark. =) I had seen a couple of reef sharks prior to this, and that was all fine. We wanted to see hammerheads so we dove just before six in the morning on Jackson reef in the Red sea. After a couple of minutes i saw a ~8 ft hammerhead, 30 ft away at a depth of 80 ft. I yanked my buddy because he was looking the other way, and in all the exitement I filled my mask. All in all we saw the beauty for about 15 seconds before it swam away. It was an exciting, surreal experience and I like to get the same opportunity again. As I heard from our dive instructor, it's pretty rare.

 

[djanni]

Perspective #1:

My wife and I have been as close as 10' to a 9' to 10' Bull that was attracted by all the spearfishing around the wreck we were diving. Amazing creature. Just swam by without giving us a second look. Over the years we've seen many other sharks of various makes and models and none of them ever seemed to care about us one way or the other.

Perspective #2:

Sharks are meat eaters. That's what they do for a living. It's nothing to do with their being mean spirited. It's who they are. God made them that way. Pay them a lot of respect, keep your distance and they'll keep theirs.

 

[Aqua Buoy]

Where I do all my diving we get sharks on a couple of the sites, though we can get them on any site really. The sharks are not fed, though there is some talk of doing so.

You'll find that most of them will just swim away when they see you (much like wild lions in Africa I'm told). We get nurse sharks mostly, some will stick around and let you get close, but most will be gone pretty quick. On some wreck dives we get the dive leader down with a line, and if there are any sharks, he'll be the first and probably the only one to see them!

I second Don Janni's post... you hit the water you're no longer at the top of the food chain. Common sense should obviously prevail, if you feel threatened, get out of the water.

 

[kapula]

I've came across quite a few species of reef sharks. My opinion is the same on all the creatures out there. Just blow bubles don't try to interact keep your distance and respect them. I hate shark feeding or feeding of any other fish or creatures under water or below water. It's messing around with wild animals getting them used to people. That will do those creatures no good. It might help some people to make money out of those 'thrill dives' but as far as I'm conserned it ain't my cup of tea. I don't have any info on shark feeding leading to attacks but as sharks get used to people and change their normal behaviour it can't be good. If not for people then for the ecosystem. It would be great to get to witness a big shark but then again as they normally are shy buggers my chances aren't that good. And yes when you go under water you ain't at the top of the food chain anymore. One just needs to keep that on mind
My bottom line is respect the nature.

 

[jbilicska]

I've came across quite a few species of reef sharks. My opinion is the same on all the creatures out there. Just blow bubles don't try to interact keep your distance and respect them. I hate shark feeding or feeding of any other fish or creatures under water or below water. It's messing around with wild animals getting them used to people. That will do those creatures no good. It might help some people to make money out of those 'thrill dives' but as far as I'm conserned it ain't my cup of tea. I don't have any info on shark feeding leading to attacks but as sharks get used to people and change their normal behaviour it can't be good. If not for people then for the ecosystem. It would be great to get to witness a big shark but then again as they normally are shy buggers my chances aren't that good. And yes when you go under water you ain't at the top of the food chain anymore. One just needs to keep that on mind
My bottom line is respect the nature.

I agree with Walter's and this quote. Being the diver that comes around second I don't want a big old shark hanging around looking for handouts.

 

[cab8386]

For what it is worth diving in Belize My wife and I encountered a 15' hammerhead shark and although he wanted as little to do with us as we did with him. This experiance was unbelivable. WORTH EVERY BIT! But, Respecting the shark the entire time.
Headed for Turks and Caicos in less than a month! September and excited to dive there. Looks like there are lots of shark encounters there as well...any one have any thing about Turks and Caicos send me a message...

 

[Gidds]

Another way to think about shark diving is: would you go to the local dog park with a sandwich, sit down and watch the dogs, is it really safe?

 

[Mantasscareme]

Another way to think about shark diving is: would you go to the local dog park with a sandwich, sit down and watch the dogs, is it really safe?

I've honestly never thought of it that way.

 

[robbcayman]

Another way to think about shark diving is: would you go to the local dog park with a sandwich, sit down and watch the dogs, is it really safe?

Come on, comparing sharks to dogs is a weak analogy. You are not on the sharks menu, just respect that you are in their backyard. I have no problem with shark feeds as long as respect and care are issued. I particularly like the shark feeds where the divers stay on one side of the rope and the sharks on the other. If you look at Dave Abernathy's shark feed in the Bahamas he feeds tiger sharks without a cage and as yet to have an incident. Just excercise caution and remember the golden rule. DDSS which stands for Don't Do Stupid Stuff (Edited Version)

 

[sharky60]

Most of the shark "attacks" in beach areas are on swimmers, not divers, most are in shallow water where the visability is low from sand and bottom debris being kicked up and the shark just detects movement and goes after it thinking it's a food source. They are not making a consious attack on humans.

You rarely if ever hear of a diver being "attacked" by a shark and usually if they are, it's a spear fisherman or abalone diver, someone that has a food source on them.

One of my main motovations for learning to dive was to dive with sharks, I love them!!! little looney I know, but that's the truth. I also learned to dive on Midway Island when I was in the Navy in the early '80's. We had one of the highest shark populations on earth. We rarely made a dive without seeing at least one. They almost always keep a good distance from divers, no matter what the species or size was. They did't want anymore to do with us than we wanted to do with them, except me of course, who usually swims towards a shark when I see one, and they almost always swim the other direction.

I have never felt threatened in any way by sharks while diving, I've always been a little nervous surfing however, being on top of the water is a totally different thing!!!

The sharks on the 'shark feeding' dives in the Bahamas and other places, are very used to being around large groups of divers and as long as you follow the dive ops rules, you should be fine. Don't try any of the antics the dive op divers do like petting them like dogs on the head, holding a shark like a baby or grabbing one by the tail, these guys have years of experience with these animals and can real aggressive behavior.

If you see one, feel blessed, respect it's space and sit back and enjoy one of the most graceful animals you'll every see.

Yes, I do occationally get rather close!!!!