Shark Attack - Fact

[Theunis]

Ok my experience:
Key things to do if you not comfortable with the shark in the water and to scare them off And no jokes Im seriouse.
1) Stay in a group - they see you as one object too large for prey and they will not bother you.
2) If you alone swim towards the shark - a sure way to scare them off.
3) Never ever swim away horisontal from the shark - you look like food.
4) Stay vertical - no food of the shark swim vertical end they wont see you as prey
5) Blow a lot of bubbles and even scream if a shark is in you personal space (man how I would love that to happen to me)
6) Remember they hate to struggle for food and you do not look like easty pray to any shark in scuba. Swimmers on the syurface is another story - humans look clumsey make noice and look like you drown if you are a swimmer....
7) Eye contact very important, had a couple a csases where the bull shark comes in closer from behind and as soon as you look at it - it goes away.
8) Dont flash with your hands, keep them intack

Last point - onced you actually dive with these magnificant animals you quickly relise that they are no threat at all if you just respect them, dont hang on their dorsal fin and let them be.

I do agree with you henno777, especially your points on eye contact, staying vertical and blowing bubbles! Great photos, I have a few to share which were taken on the Protea Banks, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa:

Blacktip

Bull (Zambezi)

Tiger

Hammerhead

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

In the 2 1/2 yrs I have been diving, I have been seeking out these beautiful creatures. I have also been on shark dives with the likes of some of the top shark divers such as Wolgang Leander. Education is key to help you understand their behavior and how to react or not react to it. I have used the Dan article as a guide for beginner divers. I hope this may help you. For divers, like myself, who want extreme contact with these creatures, then further education is definitely a must have to dive safely with them.

Divers Alert Network : Alert Diver Articles

They are too amazing to be afraid of, just respect them and their home and you will be surprised how comfortable you are when you see one and even swim with them.

Carolyn:shark2:

 

[Gibo]

I spent loads of time in Natal waters and never felt threatend by sharks. The interactions are excitng, and fun.

Mark Addison has a new video called 'shark school' you can click on your pc at theunderwaterchannel.tv its on the homepage..

He dives with Tigers, Zambies, Blacktips, and Raggies, and even gets a Whale shark in the mix!! quite insane, but hes a really reasuring character if you want to see first hand..

So watch it, then go find some big sharks!!

 

[sniper5]

I dive Monterey and don't really get too worried about the shark thing. Out of all of the millions of dives that have been made in the area since the invention of SCUBA there have only been a total of 7 attacks and only 2 of them on divers-one of which was a friend of mine (Frank Gallo 1986). When the subject comes up my reality check is as follows:

1. You are entering a true wilderness. In a true wilderness you stop being at the top of the food chain. Some people can deal with that and some can't. For me, I like my wilderness to have teeth. Disneyland gets boring.

2. You are in a lethal environment totally dependant on a life support system. The water and the surface are more dangerous than any shark.

3. You are going to die of something. Don't be so afraid of dying that you are afraid of living. I work in a hospital and unplug people on a daily basis. I've seen what waits at the end of a long safe life. It's as unappealing as any shark attack.

4. (been said already) Try not to look, smell, or act like anything they like to eat.

5. If you are attacked, write your own book. Most of their sensory organs are in the snout. They are conditioned to eat and survive. Predators as a rule don't survive if they can't hunt. Go after eyes, snout, gills, etc with whatever you have. Odds are you won't see the first hit anyway. Good thing about great whites (if there is a good thing) is that they typically hit and dive and wait for the victim to die. If you survive the first strike, the odds are you will live.

6. If the thought of being attacked by a shark is an overwhelming fear, just hang out around oak trees and you'll be safe. (In case you don't get this one-oak trees don't grow anywhere around salt water.)

 

[InTheDrink]

If you ever get to dive with grey reef sharks, you should rethink your list, as only leaving will prevent a territorial attack.

Most curious about this remark. I think I heard something similar with regard to their threat posture recently and was quite surprised then too.

I wasn't aware at all that this species of shark posed any risk (or no more than other reef sharks which I'd consider pretty safe) but I'm pretty new to diving with sharks (although have dived with grey reefs a few times).

Are there any particular incidences or personal stories that you know where they demonstrated this behaviour/attacked?

Thanks,
J

 

[GrimSleeper]

Most curious about this remark. I think I heard something similar with regard to their threat posture recently and was quite surprised then too.

I wasn't aware at all that this species of shark posed any risk (or no more than other reef sharks which I'd consider pretty safe) but I'm pretty new to diving with sharks (although have dived with grey reefs a few times).

Are there any particular incidences or personal stories that you know where they demonstrated this behaviour/attacked?

Thanks,
J

I've had Greys do the threat dance a few times. Usually seems to be sub-adult sharks - in the 3 to 4 foot range - and it's never led to an attack in my case, probably because I'm much bigger than the sharks that are displaying. It seems to be fairly typical 'teenage' behaviour: the sharks testing out their ability to acquire territory, dominate other sharks/animals, just generally being stroppy! Certainly, I've never seen it from a mature Grey: they're more likely to just keep an eye on you until you've left their area, if they're female, or make a couple of passes to see what you're up to if they're male. Spend enough time around Greys and you'll see some very complex, apparently social behaviour, the threat posture just being one aspect of it.


Grae

 

[bsumner]

Excellent tips, thanks for posting.

Ok my experience:

1) Stay in a group - they see you as one object too large for prey and they will not bother you.
2) If you alone swim towards the shark - a sure way to scare them off.
3) Never ever swim away horisontal from the shark - you look like food.
4) Stay vertical - no food of the shark swim vertical end they wont see you as prey
5) Blow a lot of bubbles and even scream if a shark is in you personal space (man how I would love that to happen to me)
6) Remember they hate to struggle for food and you do not look like easty pray to any shark in scuba. Swimmers on the syurface is another story - humans look clumsey make noice and look like you drown if you are a swimmer....
7) Eye contact very important, had a couple a csases where the bull shark comes in closer from behind and as soon as you look at it - it goes away.
8) Dont flash with your hands, keep them intack

 

[InTheDrink]

Anyone got any opinions on using your Octo to give 'em a blast if they stray too near? I'm thinking primarily of oceanic white tips in this instance but I guess in general too?

J

 

[bsumner]

I respect your passion to experience these beautiful creatures. I have seen them during dives and their are marvelous to watch.

I don't know your opinion on this matter, but I disagree strongly with the practice of chumming or shark feeding.

In my opinion, we shouldn't feed sharks for the same reason the park rangers tell us that we shouldn't feed grizzly bears.

1. They are large and dangerous animals.

2. Feeding them changes their behavior.

3. If they begin to associate humans with food and go rogue for some reason, someone will probably get hurt, maybe a human or maybe a shark.

My 2 cents....

In the 2 1/2 yrs I have been diving, I have been seeking out these beautiful creatures. I have also been on shark dives with the likes of some of the top shark divers such as Wolgang Leander. Education is key to help you understand their behavior and how to react or not react to it. I have used the Dan article as a guide for beginner divers. I hope this may help you. For divers, like myself, who want extreme contact with these creatures, then further education is definitely a must have to dive safely with them.

Divers Alert Network : Alert Diver Articles

They are too amazing to be afraid of, just respect them and their home and you will be surprised how comfortable you are when you see one and even swim with them.

Carolyn:shark2:

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

Sharks are very elusive and hard to study. The information gathered from the expeditions that I have participated on went directly to The Shark Research Institute, Sharkprotect, and The Shark Alliance. We did not encounter any behavior that seemed to be directed to the divers either on the surface or below. There will always be drawbacks for any activity outside an animals normal behavior. But again, the sharks have been used to humans at Tiger Beach for a good number of years. There was an attack last year on a tourist, but the circumstances of that incident showed errors on the part of the diver. There will always be people who disagree on the issue.

Carolyn:shark2: