seadoggirl
Guest
Oh my #@$%!!! I wasn't even in the water and I'm scared!
Sand Tiger Shark
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After watching the video, my guess it you were never in any danger. Looks like a fun encounter. I do believe, however, you scared the crap out of the shark.
If you keep hunting, you'll have more exciting encounters than that.
seadoggirl:
If you keep hunting, you'll have more exciting encounters than that.
fairybasslet
Contributor
:lol:Blacthorn:
highlandfarmwv
Contributor
I have a still shot of a sand tiger coming toward me, and his fins were down and back looked arched. Then I started looking at other ones that were not coming toward me, and they looked the same way. I think maybe their fins and backs look more ferocious than others. The one that came at me, just abruptly turned when it got about 4 ft away. This was on Proteus, off Hatteras also. They are awesome!! Most amazing day!
SparticleBrane
Contributor
I'm fairly certain that shark has been telling his buddies of his scary adventure from a few days ago...
I don't see that you were in any danger. As to your wife's comments, I have to disagree.
http://www.ncdivers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1790
http://www.ncdivers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1857
http://www.ncdivers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1870
Good links with interesting opinions, good info, and good videos.
I don't see that you were in any danger. As to your wife's comments, I have to disagree.
http://www.ncdivers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1790
http://www.ncdivers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1857
http://www.ncdivers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1870
Good links with interesting opinions, good info, and good videos.
If you're ever around Morehead City, NC there's a sand tiger colony on a wreck. Can't think of the name right now, but when I dove it a few years back there were well over 30 sharks. Although sand tigers are not known to be aggressive they definitely have a very aggressive look.
Maybe the statistic about being the 4th most aggressive was actually about the tiger shark?
Maybe the statistic about being the 4th most aggressive was actually about the tiger shark?
Nice bit of video. Good to see a sand tiger in action like that.
Sand tigers are called grey nurse sharks in Australia and probably have similar behaviour as they are the same species - they certainly look and seem to behave the same from video and photos although I have not dived with them off the USA.
The video looks to me like pretty typical behaviour for our sharks. The shark gets a bit close to a diver and then makes a sudden turn and swims away. Sometimes the turn is so fast the tail flicks hard enough to make a sound like a cracking whip. Impressive to see and hear, especially if it's a big big shark doing the turning.
In Australia, these sharks tend to swim a fixed pattern during the day along a reef or around a gutter. Sometimes it is a circle or figure 8 around quite a small area of reef. If you get in their way they seem to approach very close then suddenly turn, almnost as if they are in a daze or asleep and suddenly wake up to see you they (apologies for the anthropomorphism). This has happened to me a few times accidentally even though I feel a bit guilty about disturbing these sharks normal behaviour. However, I have not heard of anyone being bitten in this situation, so I am guessing you were not in any danger, although it is probably a good idea to be extra respectful of any animal bigger than you are.
Once I accidentally did sort of block a 3 m + long shark in a corner of a reef while concentrating on photographing something else. I looked up to see this shark approach as you must have done. I just couldn't move out of the way in time. When it got to the point where they usually turn, it just stopped and really seemed to glare at me for a few seconds before turning away. I think I must have really annoyed it, and I probably deserved to get bitten. Still didn't happen. The only people I have heard of that get bitten by this species are those that grab on to them as they swim past- but can't really confirm the accuracy of these stories as I have never seen it happen myself.
Sand tigers are called grey nurse sharks in Australia and probably have similar behaviour as they are the same species - they certainly look and seem to behave the same from video and photos although I have not dived with them off the USA.
The video looks to me like pretty typical behaviour for our sharks. The shark gets a bit close to a diver and then makes a sudden turn and swims away. Sometimes the turn is so fast the tail flicks hard enough to make a sound like a cracking whip. Impressive to see and hear, especially if it's a big big shark doing the turning.
In Australia, these sharks tend to swim a fixed pattern during the day along a reef or around a gutter. Sometimes it is a circle or figure 8 around quite a small area of reef. If you get in their way they seem to approach very close then suddenly turn, almnost as if they are in a daze or asleep and suddenly wake up to see you they (apologies for the anthropomorphism). This has happened to me a few times accidentally even though I feel a bit guilty about disturbing these sharks normal behaviour. However, I have not heard of anyone being bitten in this situation, so I am guessing you were not in any danger, although it is probably a good idea to be extra respectful of any animal bigger than you are.
Once I accidentally did sort of block a 3 m + long shark in a corner of a reef while concentrating on photographing something else. I looked up to see this shark approach as you must have done. I just couldn't move out of the way in time. When it got to the point where they usually turn, it just stopped and really seemed to glare at me for a few seconds before turning away. I think I must have really annoyed it, and I probably deserved to get bitten. Still didn't happen. The only people I have heard of that get bitten by this species are those that grab on to them as they swim past- but can't really confirm the accuracy of these stories as I have never seen it happen myself.
My impression is that if you have time to recognize that the shark is swimming toward you, it is not attacking. They can go really, really fast.
That cute little guy looked like he was just sort of tooting along until you spooked him.
Still, I'd have been pretty scared too
That cute little guy looked like he was just sort of tooting along until you spooked him.
Still, I'd have been pretty scared too
GLENFWB
Contributor
It sure is fun to see people explain this sharks behavior from the safety and comfort of their homes...anything with teeth that is heading for me is going to get my respect...that includes a four year old...dang those little buggers can bite!
Thanks for the video
Thanks for the video
Arete
Registered
He was going to eat you until he realised that thing on your back would give him really bad gas 
.
My first OW class dive was at a dive called "shark gutters" in a Grey Nurse Shark sanctuary at Broughton Island. From what I've read they are an ambush predator, cruising slowly until fish come near enough to chomp. The scary sticking out teeth they have are designed to hang on to a struggling fish rather than to rip large prey to shreads. I doubt one would attack unless provoked or cornered.
.My first OW class dive was at a dive called "shark gutters" in a Grey Nurse Shark sanctuary at Broughton Island. From what I've read they are an ambush predator, cruising slowly until fish come near enough to chomp. The scary sticking out teeth they have are designed to hang on to a struggling fish rather than to rip large prey to shreads. I doubt one would attack unless provoked or cornered.
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