sharks ... how to react?

[Granny Scuba]

We had the pleasure of seeing two sharks at Panama City Beach's bridgespan #12 on Sat afternoon.

There were 10 of us on the dive. I don't think anyone was scared. The two sharks just swam around the bridgespan oblivious to the fact we were there.

No one was sure what kind of sharks they were. They did not swim close together. The smaller one came within 6-8 feet of us. One man on our dive boat said one was 14' long, but I think they were about 8 and 10 feet long. It was later discussed that they might be sand, sandbar, sandtiger, or bull.

I always thought I would be scared, but I wasn't. (which scares me now)

My question... should we have ascended? should we have been scared?
How should I react next time? Did we get lucky? Or is this the way it always is?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Sharks are some of the most special creatures of all to swim with. They're incredibly graceful, efficient swimmers.

How to react? Well, don't try to pet them or pull their tail ... believe it or not, I know somebody who did that one time and almost lost a hand when the shark about doubled back on itself and nipped at him.

Just do what you do with anything else ... stop and watch, take pictures, or just say "WOW" into your regulator ... we're not on their menu, and unless you provoke them there's not much chance they're going to bother you.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Granny Scuba]

.....

Just do what you do with anything else ... stop and watch, take pictures, or just say "WOW" into your regulator ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Thanks,

Thats exactly what we did. Of all times for me no to have my UW camera.

 

[vladimir]

I agree, you're quite safe just enjoying the view, but you can be even safer by learning to differentiate between species and to recognize threat behavior. You're not always safe--I have been bumped by a silvertips shark--so it's worth thinking about.

 

[Granny Scuba]

Good idea....I have already done some research trying to see if I could deduce what type they were. I think my hubby is getting a book on aquatic life of the Gulf for Christmas.

One of the guys on the boat said he'd been diving for 20 years and never seen a shark. So I consider myself lucky as I have only been diving a year.

 

[Hoomi]

Acting fearful and making a quick ascent is one of the worst things to do with sharks, as it's more likely to draw the shark's attention to you, than just hanging loose and enjoying the view.

I think the best reaction to seeing a shark is one of awe and appreciation.

 

[WeldonDowd]

Cool, we saw one last October in PCB diving on the Blackbart, I think that's what the wreck was called. There were three of us diving together and only one other person besides the three of us saw it. There were probably 20 people on the wreck at the time. It was my first dive outside of Padi's OW. I felt lucky also because a dm on the boat with us said in 20 years of diving he has never seen a shark. We tried to swim after it but it disapeared so fast.

 

[GrimSleeper]

+1 for awe and appreciation...

I'm lucky enough to dive with sharks most days - we get everything from 18-inch juveniles and 3 or 4-foot White- and Black-Tip Reefs up to full-grown Silvertips, Bulls and Hammerheads here - and while I've never felt really threatened, it's healthy to remember that they're the apex predator on their own turf. There's a lot of teeth in those mouths...

Sit back, enjoy the spectacle and thank whatever you believe in for the chance to see these majestic animals before our own stupidity wipes them out.


Grae

 

[msg]

That is awesome that you were able to see the sharks. I would definitely research to see what type of sharks they were. I would be interesting to know. Fourteen foot? That would definitely induce the pucker factor.

 

[Walter]

It was later discussed that they might be sand, sandbar, sandtiger, or bull.

There is no Sand Shark. Sandbar and Bulls look quite a bit alike (The Sandbar has an interdorsal ridge, the Bull does not), but the Sand Tiger cannot be mistaken for either. The Sand Tiger's dorsal fins are nearly the same size. The Bull and Sandbar have front dorsal fins that are noticeably larger than the rear dorsal fins. The Sand Tiger has an unusually shaped head with a concave forehead. The Sand Tiger's teeth are usually visible (South Africans call it a Ragged Tooth Shark). Of course, they could have been other species of sharks. Describe their characteristics, we may be able to help you narrow it down.