BioLumiLuna
Registered
I saw someone else post a story about a Great White Shark here, and thought I would go ahead and post one of my own about my encounter with sharks, aka, some of my absolute favorite ocean animals (besides Mantis Shrimp and anything bioluminesent)
So this dive was directly after a pretty serious overnight storm, believe it or not, so our dive masters (this took place at a Marine Biology camp I go to at UNCW, the Dive Masters worked with Scuba Safari) told us not to get our hopes to high and we would move to another location after our first dive since the water was most likely gonna have low vis from all the sediment being kicked up and the likeliness of bad currents. I was partnered with a kid who has very similar interests to me and adored Goblin Sharks.
We got in and it was the clearest water I have been in, even clearer than the Quary dives at Lake Phoenix, we were a decent distance away from shore at a wreck off the coast (I think it was called the Hyde or Stone Tug, but I could be wrong) so the depth was at least 50 feet or less, maybe more, I don't have my log with me rn so I can't check right now but I'll clarify once I do if needed.
There were tons of Jellies in the water, not dangerous ones though, their stings weren't strong enough to do damage, and a massive school of Barracuda (which I find to be a lot scarier than sharks) just cruising the area. We even spotted some Atlantic Spadefish, a small group of Greater Amberjacks, a blend of Mackeral Scad and other bait fish, two Toadfish, a Stingray, and even more. It was the most lively wreck I've ever been on, everything just seemed to burst with life, even the inside of the wreck that some divers with lights checked out was swarming with life!
Then I spotted her.
A large female Sandtiger with distinct freckles along her side, and she was close, probably 6 feet away and closing the distance quickly. Without any fear, she swam directly under me, I had to grab the ends of my fins and curl my legs up behind me so I didn't kick her while she passed. Considering the area, and her broad midsection, we later assumed she was pregnant at the time. That wasn't the only shark in the area either, the second female, another Sandtiger with plant growth on her lower jaw, cruised by, seemingly looking at us in the same way we were looking at her.
Throughout the entire dive those two females stayed close to our two groups, not shying away from getting close up and only left us alone when we finally ascended to change tanks. Our divemaster ended up doing the second dive at that same location instead of moving to the second one, since that dive had a ton of life.
On the second dive, the other dive group swam a bit away to explore and spotted a Sandbar shark, possibly another female but this one didn't get as close as the two Sandtigers, swiming away from the wreck.
When our final dive was about to end, almost like the two ladies knew we were about to leave, the Sandtigers turned around and began to swim back out into the open ocean, a school of fish following behind them.
I have never been on a more perfect, more magical dive in my life.
Some other stuff happened, including a ramora trying to attach to one of the dive masters, but this is a shark thread so it wouldn't really fit the theme.
I nicknamed them Freckles and Mosstooth, and they were the most curious animals I have encountered during a dive (Freckles more than Mosstooth).
So this dive was directly after a pretty serious overnight storm, believe it or not, so our dive masters (this took place at a Marine Biology camp I go to at UNCW, the Dive Masters worked with Scuba Safari) told us not to get our hopes to high and we would move to another location after our first dive since the water was most likely gonna have low vis from all the sediment being kicked up and the likeliness of bad currents. I was partnered with a kid who has very similar interests to me and adored Goblin Sharks.
We got in and it was the clearest water I have been in, even clearer than the Quary dives at Lake Phoenix, we were a decent distance away from shore at a wreck off the coast (I think it was called the Hyde or Stone Tug, but I could be wrong) so the depth was at least 50 feet or less, maybe more, I don't have my log with me rn so I can't check right now but I'll clarify once I do if needed.
There were tons of Jellies in the water, not dangerous ones though, their stings weren't strong enough to do damage, and a massive school of Barracuda (which I find to be a lot scarier than sharks) just cruising the area. We even spotted some Atlantic Spadefish, a small group of Greater Amberjacks, a blend of Mackeral Scad and other bait fish, two Toadfish, a Stingray, and even more. It was the most lively wreck I've ever been on, everything just seemed to burst with life, even the inside of the wreck that some divers with lights checked out was swarming with life!
Then I spotted her.
A large female Sandtiger with distinct freckles along her side, and she was close, probably 6 feet away and closing the distance quickly. Without any fear, she swam directly under me, I had to grab the ends of my fins and curl my legs up behind me so I didn't kick her while she passed. Considering the area, and her broad midsection, we later assumed she was pregnant at the time. That wasn't the only shark in the area either, the second female, another Sandtiger with plant growth on her lower jaw, cruised by, seemingly looking at us in the same way we were looking at her.
Throughout the entire dive those two females stayed close to our two groups, not shying away from getting close up and only left us alone when we finally ascended to change tanks. Our divemaster ended up doing the second dive at that same location instead of moving to the second one, since that dive had a ton of life.
On the second dive, the other dive group swam a bit away to explore and spotted a Sandbar shark, possibly another female but this one didn't get as close as the two Sandtigers, swiming away from the wreck.
When our final dive was about to end, almost like the two ladies knew we were about to leave, the Sandtigers turned around and began to swim back out into the open ocean, a school of fish following behind them.
I have never been on a more perfect, more magical dive in my life.
Some other stuff happened, including a ramora trying to attach to one of the dive masters, but this is a shark thread so it wouldn't really fit the theme.
I nicknamed them Freckles and Mosstooth, and they were the most curious animals I have encountered during a dive (Freckles more than Mosstooth).
