Shark Cage Diving? Not for me!!!

[Dan]

I think whites are the only shark I'd really want to be in a cage for. I've been around nurse, Caribbean Reef, white tips, black tip reef, Galapagos, Lemons, Bulls, one long finned Mako (super lucky on that one), one great Hammerhead (also super lucky) and one Tiger up close and personal. Some of them acted like we weren't there, including the Tiger shark, 10 foot female. The Hammerhead and I realized each of us were sharing a spot at the same time and it took off. Same with the Mako. All of the Bulls took off as well. Lemon sharks, white tips and nurse sharks didn't mind being close for a while.

With luck we'll be on Saba this weekend, Covid regulations and airline schedule changes permitting and I'm looking forward to seeing some sharks there.

The most timid shark I have seen is scalloped Hammerheads. For just seeing your bubbles it would take off in a jiffy. So no video light used, hunker myself down without moving and had to hold my breath when one of them wandering my way, like you see in this video, below.

 

[Dan]

You need to keep your head on a swivel when Oceanic Whitetips or Tiger Sharks are around and keep track on where they are as they can sneak up on you.

 

[TMHeimer]

So you believe the cage scene from JAWS could happen in real life?

No. I was up in Mass. in 1976 near where they made the film. A local said using a steak as bait off the end of a dock will not cause Jaws to come in and eat half the dock, as he laughed. But I'm still not going into any cages.

 

[scubadada]

No. I was up in Mass. in 1976 near where they made the film. A local said using a steak as bait off the end of a dock will not cause Jaws to come in and eat half the dock, as he laughed. But I'm still not going into any cages.

Why would a shark want to eat beef?

 

[Jcp2]

Beef - It's What's For Dinner

 

[tursiops]

The Writer of Jaws Regretted his Depiction of Sharks and Became an Ocean Activist

 

[TMHeimer]

Why would a shark want to eat beef?

That's why the local guy laughed.

 

[SteveLaz]

Great thread!

Cage diving with Great Whites is on my bucket list, I'm hoping to do it soon! There is a place out of San Diego that goes to Guadalupe Island. Its like a 5 day trip with I think 2 or 3 days of diving. Dan, is San Diego where you left from?

I just returned from St Thomas and a dive site called French Cap had reef sharks swimming around. They acted like they didn't even know we were there!

Also, during a dive trip to Roatan a few years ago I did a shark dive with Caribbean Reef Sharks where first you swim around with them at a depth of about 60-70 feet, at least 30 sharks, i mean really swimming with them right next to you where you could touch them! They also seemed like they didn't know we were there! You then go about 15-20 feet away as the guide opens a barrel of food and you watch the feeding frenzy! They then disappear. We then looked around for teeth...I guess when sharks feed like that they loose teeth. Everyone on the dive found a tooth to take home. An awesome experience!

 

[Dan]

Dan, is San Diego where you left from?

Yes. I flew to San Diego. Then Nautilus picked me up at Starbucks near the airport and took me to Ensenada, Mexico (2-hour drive).

You can read more detail info here:
Trip Report - Guadalupe Great Whites