The "full video" by Dan White I originally linked to wasn't accesible anymore when the Youtube account was suspended. A detailed interview about the events can be read here:
Brothers Islands Egypt shark attack videographer sets the record straight
Shark attack, Egypt, Brothers islands
- Thread starter АлександрД
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The "full video" by Dan White I originally linked to wasn't accesible anymore when the Youtube account was suspended. A detailed interview about the events can be read here:
Brothers Islands Egypt shark attack videographer sets the record straight
Dan
Contributor
Keep out & keep eyes on Oceanic Whitetip Sharks
Dan
Contributor
Another OWT nibble on a diver caught on video
There's an all-female diving group on FB I'm part of. Some brand new diver recently posted she's been obsessed with sharks her entire life and wants to dive with them, including some of the big bad boys, including OWT and great whites. To say that I think she is out of her freakin' mind is a massive understatement.
HalcyonDaze
Contributor
Sounds like my kind of lady ...
My view on diving with sharks is that it's their turf and their rules; it's the diver's responsibility to learn them. I recently had a new diving acquaintance tell me that to her a shark is a shark, to which I replied that different species are entirely different ballgames. I have few qualms about being in the middle of a bunch of lemon sharks, although I respect that they are big enough and well-armed enough to do damage if not taken seriously. Hammerheads are generally skittish, although when they do decide to be bold it's unnerving. Tigers seem to follow the rope-a-dope strategy - they play dumb and sleepy until you aren't looking their way, then see what they can get away with. Bulls can cover the spectrum from skittish to in-your-face. I've yet to encounter an OW, but in some of the examples posted here it seems like they go for the intimidation factor and you have to respond in kind.
Is it perfectly safe or predictable? No, but I've had more close calls from run-of-the-mill dive situations than from sharks, and I'd feel a heck of a lot more comfortable with the sharks than with deep tech diving or caving.
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I'm sure I have less experience with sharks than @HalcyonDaze does, but my experience has been quite similar. I have been in large groups of Lemon Sharks on numerous occasions. Last March, at Lemon Drop, off Jupiter, I counted up to 17 within view on several occasions. They would make close passes, often a few at a time. I never once felt threatened or fearful.
I have also dived with many Bull Sharks on Deep Ledge in Jupiter. I've not seen behavior that has worried me on these dives. However, I have been near hunters on several occasions where Bulls had been attracted and the behavior of the sharks has made me nervous enough to resume my solo dive rather than hang around and watch.
I have been fortunate to be among many Hammerheads off Cocos and Galapagos. We had to stay as still as possible not to scare them off. Often, movement by an overzealous photographer, and they were gone.
I have only seen a few Tiger Sharks, usually from a distance. On one dive at Cocos, off Manuelita, while watching Hammerheads, a Tiger Shark made a brief appearance and then swam off. Several minutes later, it had come up behind all of us and made a close, exploratory pass, startling everyone. We paid much more attention for the rest of that dive and on subsequent dives.
I have never seen an Oceanic Whitetip. I spent 2 weeks in the Red Sea, but was there during their off season. I still hope to have the opportunity to see Oceanic Whitetips, but, believe me, I would treat them with the respect they deserve.
To be clear, I do not participate in baited or feeding shark dives. However, in the name of transparent disclosure, I have been on dives in Jupiter, where we have followed a dive by Emerald Charters and were the beneficiaries of shark activity.
I have also dived with many Bull Sharks on Deep Ledge in Jupiter. I've not seen behavior that has worried me on these dives. However, I have been near hunters on several occasions where Bulls had been attracted and the behavior of the sharks has made me nervous enough to resume my solo dive rather than hang around and watch.
I have been fortunate to be among many Hammerheads off Cocos and Galapagos. We had to stay as still as possible not to scare them off. Often, movement by an overzealous photographer, and they were gone.
I have only seen a few Tiger Sharks, usually from a distance. On one dive at Cocos, off Manuelita, while watching Hammerheads, a Tiger Shark made a brief appearance and then swam off. Several minutes later, it had come up behind all of us and made a close, exploratory pass, startling everyone. We paid much more attention for the rest of that dive and on subsequent dives.
I have never seen an Oceanic Whitetip. I spent 2 weeks in the Red Sea, but was there during their off season. I still hope to have the opportunity to see Oceanic Whitetips, but, believe me, I would treat them with the respect they deserve.
To be clear, I do not participate in baited or feeding shark dives. However, in the name of transparent disclosure, I have been on dives in Jupiter, where we have followed a dive by Emerald Charters and were the beneficiaries of shark activity.
Steelyeyes
Contributor
Where was that? My wife and I ran into a female tiger shark about that size in Honokohau Harbor off the the Crescent Beach a couple of years ago close to Christmas. I didn't get the best video. All I had was a Hero 2 with me.
drrich2
Contributor
The video Dan_T linked has me wondering about oceanic white-tips and their willingness to go after prey similar in size to themselves, and how that might make 'smaller' sharks than one might normally be fearful of more dangerous.
It seems safer for sharks to prey on creatures smaller than themselves. If the shark is large enough (e.g.: tiger, great white) that still leaves room for big sea turtles, large sea lions, etc..., but unless someone is chumming/baiting/etc..., what shark species are apt to go take a bite out of something roughly their own size? Especially something that doesn't resemble natural prey, and so might present an unfavorable risk/reward scenario for predation? I've read of white sharks hitting big elephant seals in the rear and crippling them so they drown, which suggests a desire to dispatch with minimum risk.
Put another way, if, say, a 6 to 7 foot shark randomly cruised by a couple of divers, no baiting involved, good viz. and nobody spearfishing, I wonder how much of a risk factor is the species - bull, tiger or oceanic white-tip?
Richard.
It seems safer for sharks to prey on creatures smaller than themselves. If the shark is large enough (e.g.: tiger, great white) that still leaves room for big sea turtles, large sea lions, etc..., but unless someone is chumming/baiting/etc..., what shark species are apt to go take a bite out of something roughly their own size? Especially something that doesn't resemble natural prey, and so might present an unfavorable risk/reward scenario for predation? I've read of white sharks hitting big elephant seals in the rear and crippling them so they drown, which suggests a desire to dispatch with minimum risk.
Put another way, if, say, a 6 to 7 foot shark randomly cruised by a couple of divers, no baiting involved, good viz. and nobody spearfishing, I wonder how much of a risk factor is the species - bull, tiger or oceanic white-tip?
Richard.
InTheDrink
Contributor
I can’t really speak for much more than longimanus, but they are normally incredibly good fun to dive with as long as you observe standard protocols. They do seem territorial beyond their size. But usually it’s just an amazing opportunity to see them up close and personal.
Put food in the water and divers behaving panicked tho isn’t a great idea.
They are by far my favorite sharks
But they need to be respected and this sorry tale shows exactly why. I hope the diver makes some decent recovery and that neither divers nor sharks are adversely impacted by this very unusual incident. The boat operators need to up their game too.
Put food in the water and divers behaving panicked tho isn’t a great idea.
They are by far my favorite sharks
But they need to be respected and this sorry tale shows exactly why. I hope the diver makes some decent recovery and that neither divers nor sharks are adversely impacted by this very unusual incident. The boat operators need to up their game too.
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