shark encounters in Hawaii

[howard4113]

Everyone knows there are occasional shark encounters in Hawaii. It seems that these meetings are always between fish and surfer or spearfisher or snorkler with the occasional freediver encounter. Are there any documented cases of "shark attacks" on scuba divers in these waters? Every web site that I can find on shark encounter statistics has the total # of encounters (by year or decade) - but none has specific number of attacks on recreational divers. I'd like to be able to tell visitors that "there has never been a documented case of an unprovoked shark attack on a recreational diver in Hawaii".
If I said that - would I be lying?

Mark

 

[Bill Fisher]

According to the International Shark Attack File, there have been 17 attacks on divers in Hawaiin waters from 1580 to 2004.

Here's the link...

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/scuba/All2.htm

Bill

 

[friscuba]

I somehow wonder if they aren't getting freedivers mixed in with some of that Hawaii count. The news services here don't differentiate between freedivers and scuba divers, they're all called divers.

You can definitely say never for Kona, as they've only had 2 verified shark attacks ever, both on the surface at or shortly after dusk back in '99 right after I moved here. There was a kid a coulpe years back who jumped off a rock and landed on a shark and had his ankle bit, you could call it an attack but the kid called it self defense.

 

[Tom Winters]

There was a local guy diving with my buds spearing at night who got hit by a tiger. The Whaler capasized and he had a t-bar full of fish with just a Hawaiian backpack, so he was kicking hard to stay afloat, and no way he was going to drop the bar. The shark hit him in the shoulder first.
Fire Rescue found his lower torso off Waimanalo a few days later in a cloud of particulate matter with attendant sharks.
My friends made a LOT of money spearing at night, but they all got bent...oh wait, they were instructors so they couldn't get bent, plus they had to deal with Roy getting eaten alive. They had lots of fins flash by in the dark too.
I passed on this particular revenue stream.
If you're not spearing or parked on the bottom on a rebreather not moving much, you'll be ok. You'll get cruised - it's their home field - not yours, but you'll be fine. If they do want you, the speed and power is not to be believed, and you won't be alive that long anyway. The only analogy to the power of a shark in speed mode is to stand next to train tracks and have a passenger express blast by.

 

[Wildcard]

I got chased by a 15 foot Tiger off Maui a couple of years ago. She made several close passes and one run that turned off at fiveish feet. We did have a lobster net in the water that we had been looking for for three days so ya know it had dead fish in it. I had in fact beeen towed on the surface for an hour looking for the net so I guess if she wanted us (yes, i checked, it was a she) we would have been dinner. One of the most "exciting" things ever diving. Just wish i had a camera with me...Best shark protection is to carry a camera. Ya never see one ifyou have your camera with you.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Conversely, a good attractant can be a Deco Stop too!
http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=1261810&postcount=38

 

[Bill Fisher]

to FRISCUBA...I bet you are right.

On the Shark Attack File there is no differentiating between SCUBA & FREEDIVING.

 

[AquamanKauai]

I've felt comfortable telling my divers that very thing based on the research I've done. I've spoke with divers here that have been running dive operations here on Kauai for the better part of 20 years and they agree. It is hard to get precise info since scuba divers and free divers get lumped together often in statistics. Additionally, the activity is sometimes not mentioned (specifically spearfishing). You probably know Severns and the Robinsons over there. I bet they would be great resources on this kinda info.

 

[www.scubamazing.com]

Reading this thread and some others give me the chills! But I'm still pumped! Bring 'em on!