Shark Poll
- Thread starter ckaspar
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I had a nervous former student on the dive boat with us last week. We dove with plenty of sharks and while she was nervous for a few minutes she saw how calm they acted and after that wanted to see sharks on all the dives.
ProfessorAronnax
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ckaspar:
And 42,636 traffic fatalities in the U.S. in 2004 alone!
elmer fudd
Contributor
ckaspar:
I'm not sure that's the case when it comes to divers. My guess is that while shark attack is still extremely unlikely, divers are probably vastly overrepresented among those that do occur. With spearfishermen it probably becomes enough of a hazard to start taking precautions against it.
Living in the Puget Sound area however it's not something I really worry about, even when I've got a bloody fish on the end of my spear. I'd probably do things differently though if I lived in shark country.
espantoon
Contributor
I have had two experiences. First one on a wreck dive off the MD/DE coast, he was about a 6 ft sand tiger. We "ran into" each other at the bow of the wreck (it was kinda comical actually), and he just turned around and swam away. We saw him later on the second dive just hanging around the wreck, not bothering anybody. The second one was this past Sep. in Kona, HI. About a seven foot scalloped Hammerhead just cruised by us about twenty feet away, just sticking around long enough for us to take a few pics (show off!). Beautiful animals, beautiful experiences!
Darnold9999
Contributor
I think that it is surfers that are overrepresented in shark attacks. Thrashing about on the surface and all looking like something injured to that primative brain.
elmer fudd
Contributor
Surfers are supposed to look a lot like seals when they paddle on the surface, but I suspect that anyone who spends time in the water with sharks is at much higher risk. You can safely assume that about 90% of the people on earth are effectively at no risk whatsoever of shark attack. They either don't live in shark country or they don't go in saltwater past their knees. A farmer in Iowa just ain't gonna be attacked by a shark. Of the other 10%, probably only 1% of them are real surfing or diving enthusiasts. That 1/10 of 1% of the population probably makes up the majority of shark attack victims each year just because they spend more time in the water than the other 99.9% put together.
Bull shark. Looe key reserve in fla. 9 footer. just cruising thru. beautiful, powerful, graceful. between 10&15 ft away at closest point.
Darnold9999:
Man, I'll second this !
As a surfer, I've witnessed a couple of shark attacks while living in So FL. I was in the water just a few yards away. Both cases were basically cases of mistaken identity ... large school of bait fish running through shallows ... some poor b@stard unlucky enough to get a foot or hand in the way. The sharks here in California are a little bigger ... do a little more damage ;-) In fact, we had an attack on surfer here in San Clemente last year (a spot about 2 miles from my house). Experts believe that a juvenile Great White may have been responsible.
As a diver, I've never had an encounter with a shark, where I thought I was in danger of being attacked. In fact my reaction is normally one of great awe for these graceful and powerful creatures. I will admit, however, that having a 8 ft bull shark stare you down as it makes a close pass can be pretty unnerving.
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