Shark bite waiting to happen

[Hillmorton Scubie]

I would like your opinion on a shark encounter trip.

In Dec 05 we went to Dominican Republic and whilst there I have to admit that we went on a trip to the Marinarium at Punta Cana.-swimming with Nurse sharks and rays.($90 each) it was a big operation.-They fed us the bull about it being a conservation project. Yeah do I look like I just stepped off a banana boat.

On reflection I now see this in the same bad light as the swimming with dolphin encounters
They had netted off a large circular enclosure in the sea in about 8 feet depth of water. Its very shallow far out until you get to the reef.
Having signed our waivers we were ushered into the pen and swam/snorkeled over a number of large nurse sharks (9 feet or so) and don't forget we were only around 8 feet above them. They had some southern stingrays in there as well..
We were told to keep our bodies horizontal and feet up. There must have been 20 people in this pen. The sharks were not very active and swam close to the bottom.

Now I thought Nurse sharks although not an aggressive species had biten more than a few divers or am I wrong.
Is this a shark bite waiting to happen!

 

[Lehmann108]

Nurse sharks are pretty harmless. They don't have the typical shark teeth. Some idiots down in my neck of the woods grab their tails and they'll spin around and clamp on your arm.:no

 

[The Chairman]

Swimming with catfish would be more exciting and I have done my share of swimming in an overstocked fishing hole for the Boy Scouts National Jamboree. I was barbed twice, but I have never been hurt by a nurse shark.

That being said, quite ofter "conservation projects" are designed to seperate you from your money.

 

[Carribeandiver]

recently I read about this one idiot who would grab nursesharks and kiss them on the lips. last I heard, he had to get reconstructive facial surgery because one of his lovers wasnt excited about the kiss.

 

[Gary D.]

I see a movie coming out of this: "Gums".

Gary D.

 

[DiverBeth]

In Belize they have Shark Ray Alley. It's a shallow reef, about 7', where they take people to snorkel and sometimes do surface intervals. It's loaded with nurse sharks and rays because local fisherman clean there catch there so when the sharks and rays hear boat engines they think dinner time. I've never heard of any problems there though I'm sure it's happened.

They also do get the occasional bull shark too, we saw one the time I was there.

 

[BIGG_BUDD]

recently I read about this one idiot who would grab nursesharks and kiss them on the lips. last I heard, he had to get reconstructive facial surgery because one of his lovers wasnt excited about the kiss.

http://cbs5.com/video/?id=16430@kpix.dayport.com

 

[Hillmorton Scubie]

Yuck that shark was almost as ugly as my g/friends mother. Bet it doesn't talk as much though.
But are they biters or not.

 

[1amphibian]

that guy must have one truely sad love life if all he can kiss is sharks...:shakehead :shakehead

 

[Meng_Tze]

yeah but did you hear him in the end? "Don't kiss a nurse shark while its upside down"... I mean is this guy stupid or what?..........next time it will bite his nose off and swallow it, now explain that to momma