Well, I have seen sharks before including bull sharks but in every previous case except when spearfishing the shark left the area quickly. This dive was different, dah, da, da duhhhhhh. (insert openng credits here) I had agreed to accompany a neophyte diver on a simple beach dive at a popular site called the Destin East Jetty. The new diver was ready to go but took much of my attention to make sure he was squared away. The tide was to be high at 5:32 PM and it was 3:30 so there would be significant incoming current but the water appeared clear so I, Nemrod, decided it would be a good experience for the new diver. We marched into the water and began an uneventful decent along the rocks. Several different fish and rays were seen plus a good bit of shell life and hermit crabs, a small lobster passed by wary of us. We rounded the tip of the jetty now at about 55 feet and here we faced the full brunt of the current but staying on the bottom helped. The viz was 30 or more feet, temp just below 70 degrees.
OK, there it was, I thought to myself, that is an awfully big amberjack, my buddy trailing behind in the current did not see yet. It was then I realized as I held position that it was a bull shark some seven feet long drifitng into me on the current. Hmmmm, in a flash he was gone and I figured, darn, my buddy did not get to see him. Well, no worries there, he came back around from behind or at least from where he thought behind was. I had turned around just in case and met him. Well, my buddy saw him NOW. Yeah, well, when the bull saw that I saw him he was again gone in a flash. About a minute or less later, it seemed forever, guess what, yep, he came back around on the other side moving fairly fast with fins down. I again met his gaze, dropped to the sand and readied the Sea Hawk for action and stabbed into the sand to hold me against the current. The shark passed by and then was gone. (Insert commercial here) I decided the dive was over and we were at turn air anyways so we beat a leisurely retreat to the beach. There the beach was covered by spring breakers gawking and asking stupid questions like---"hey, mister scuba steve, see any sharks--giggle--giggle" and my answer was that actually, yes I did. They took no heed. Foolish kids. (Insert closing credits here)
Well, here is the thing, that bull was aggressive and I think on pass number three he had intended to bump or nibble but his sneak approach was foiled. I assume he had been laying into the current waiting for tasty morsals to happen by and we disturbed his day. He was not a happy shark. I was not a happy diver. On the other hand it might have been cool to have Super Jets with teeth marks!!!!
Has anyone encountered bulls UNDERWATER or on the Destin Jety or otherwise and how did they behave? Thoughts?
N
OK, there it was, I thought to myself, that is an awfully big amberjack, my buddy trailing behind in the current did not see yet. It was then I realized as I held position that it was a bull shark some seven feet long drifitng into me on the current. Hmmmm, in a flash he was gone and I figured, darn, my buddy did not get to see him. Well, no worries there, he came back around from behind or at least from where he thought behind was. I had turned around just in case and met him. Well, my buddy saw him NOW. Yeah, well, when the bull saw that I saw him he was again gone in a flash. About a minute or less later, it seemed forever, guess what, yep, he came back around on the other side moving fairly fast with fins down. I again met his gaze, dropped to the sand and readied the Sea Hawk for action and stabbed into the sand to hold me against the current. The shark passed by and then was gone. (Insert commercial here) I decided the dive was over and we were at turn air anyways so we beat a leisurely retreat to the beach. There the beach was covered by spring breakers gawking and asking stupid questions like---"hey, mister scuba steve, see any sharks--giggle--giggle" and my answer was that actually, yes I did. They took no heed. Foolish kids. (Insert closing credits here)
Well, here is the thing, that bull was aggressive and I think on pass number three he had intended to bump or nibble but his sneak approach was foiled. I assume he had been laying into the current waiting for tasty morsals to happen by and we disturbed his day. He was not a happy shark. I was not a happy diver. On the other hand it might have been cool to have Super Jets with teeth marks!!!!
Has anyone encountered bulls UNDERWATER or on the Destin Jety or otherwise and how did they behave? Thoughts?
N
