Tiger Sharks

[parabolic]

Nice shots, parabolic! I returned from this same trip last night (different operator--this was their first trip of the year) and dropped in to post a few pics. But, hey, you beat me to it! So, instead of posting more tigers and lemons, I'll post something else we found at the mooring chain at "Tiger Wreck" (there's a tiny bit of reef growing on the chain). Did any divers on your trip see this guy?

As for the safety of these dives, I'll let others decide if I'm a lunatic. -Clay

Thanks louisianadiver! I saw the lionfish several times on the chain! I thought I was in the wrong ocean

++Ken++

 

[TEERLKAY]

Awesome photos! What kind of gear you using?

having been on a few of these types of dives in different locations i agree 100% with your assessment of the danger while slightly disagreeing with your assessment of modifying behavior but will admit they are a blast!

we wouldn't think of feeding grizzlies in the wild just for the photo op (perhaps a bad analogy but the first one that came to mind) but we do feed a top of the food chain predator underwater, in an environment that is less forgiving than our own?

Did I mention they're fun as all get out?

For the poster that snagged one of those awesome photos for desktop/wallpaper, I hope you cleared it with the OP? If not I might suggest some of the awesome photos already in the public domain.

I'm partial to this one:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/planetearth/wallpaper/images/wallpaper8_1280.jpg

 

[parabolic]

Hey Clay I just realized it was you! This is Ken here. Hope you guys had an easy drive back.

 

[parabolic]

Awesome photos! What kind of gear you using?

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TEERLKAY I was using a Fuji S2 Pro DSLR in a Subal housing, Nikon 12-24mm lens, dome port, two Nikon SB105 strobes.

 

[clgsamson]

great images, Ken. They look real scary and menacing...

Where you scared for second?

 

[louisianadiver]

phffftt (typed version of a spit-take)!!! Ken??? Man, you must have made this post on the plane ride home! Once again, great shots. I posted a few on Welcome to Underwater Photography Chat! We made it home 10ish last night. Speaking of the dangers of the trip, I couldn't get any sleep when Dave was driving! -Clay

 

[parabolic]

Clay that's funny . You guys were GREAT company, really enjoyed diving with you both. I spent the whole day in PBI airport so I had some time to fiddle with my photos. I got home about 1am, so I was ready to go this morning!!

Caloy, no I was really not scared at any time. Probably not smart enough to be scared . The major emotion was just AWE at how beautiful, powerful, and graceful they are.

++Ken++

 

[Larry C]

Great shots, Ken! Love the smiling Lemon, but the Tiger pic is amazing. I'll stay out of the controversy, as I've never dived with anything other than a Nurse shark, and some little foot long guys down in the Channel Islands. OTOH, we didn't even blink when a Great White was spotted a few hundred yards from our next dive site (and hung around for weeks). He may or may not have been the one that bit the surfer off Marina three weeks later (same size).

 

[diverdwn71]

Those are amazing photos. I'm with you on the beauty of sharks swimming around you. My wife and I did a shark feeding dive with Stuart Coves two years ago and I still can't stop talking about it. At no time did I feel like I was on the menu even with 30+ reef sharks swimming all around us. All I can say on this topic is, if you have never been diving with a shark how can you say everyone else is wrong? It is no different riding horses or playing with dogs, animals are animals and if we are to fear them then we should never leave our homes.

 

[Rickg]

AWESOME pictures. Wish I could have been there myself.