Touched By An Angel (shark)

[Scuba]

Last night while working our way back on a beach dive, I noticed a large angel shark on the bottom, probably about 6 ft. in lenght. Most of the ones around here don't grow that large from what I've read. But this angel was definitely big.

I pointed it out to my buddy, we then stopped to check it out for a while. I got fairly close to it at one time, probably within a couple of feet from its side, just briefly. I retreated to view him from about 8 ft. away, when he started swimming up in his clumsy undulating manner from side to side. They are not fast swimmers as far as sharks go.

The whole time we were shinning our lights all over him. He swam towards me in a circular fashion beneath me to check me out, then went around to look at my buddy and went back down to lay on the bottom. As we continued to watch him, he swims up again, this time coming up to my level and then turns straight toward me. (Oh shxt) I stretch my arm out holding my light in front pointing it straight at him. He then comes straight for the light and gets his nose right up against it, and luckily, without opening his mouth, jerked his snout sideways against my light while pushing with increasing force. I got a real good, well lit close up of his mouth and some of his small teeth, that I would estimate were about
1/ 2 to 3/4 of an inch. As I was resisting his push with increasing force to keep him from getting closer to my body, the light went out. (Oh, super duper shxt) Total darkness! Since at this time my buddy was shinning his light somewhere else. I instinctively pulled my arm towards me and reached for my backup light while swimming away, by the time I turned it on he was gone. (Sssheeewwwfff) I quickly (very quickly) looked around a few times, by this time my buddy had come up to me without realizing what had just happend. We then just proceeded on our course heading out with me breathing a little faster.

On analysis, my primary light, a UK-C8, went out because I was holding it like a gun with the pistol grip, and by having my finger on the light switch, the increasing force I had to apply to keep the shark away caused me to tighten my grip and turn the light switch off.

If there is a need to grip these types of lights tightly dont position finger over switch.

I have my light attached to one of those coil lanyards, so when I let go I didn't loose it. In this case I think I prefer this to having it attached to my wrist.

And it may have been a good thing that the light went out.

All in all, I remained fairly calm throughout the whole ordeal. There's basically nothing one can do in these situations but deal with it. No use freaking out

Do not disturb the animals, especially when their about your size or bigger than you. Instead of running away they may decide to shoo you away.

No need to get to close. Leave some breathing room.

This type of shark is generally not considered dangerous to humans, but can become agitated when disturbed and inflict a painful bite. I got lucky on that one. Must have been professional courtesy. From one angel to another.

Anyone who's dove at night has seen how lights can disturb fish and other creatures. I've heard of HID lights disturbing rays causing them to apparently swim around agitated in confusion and bump into divers and lights. I've also heard of sharks reacting to strobes and cameras and attacking them. I don't think there is conclusive evidence to prove whether its the light or the electro magnetic waves coming form these devices. I just wasn't expecting to be "Touched By An Angel"

 

[SeaJay]

Great story... Ya gotta love those "super duper shxt" moments.

I dive with the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, and in the largest tank there are several sharks that size.

A lot of people tend to think that the sharks in the Aquarium are domesticated and accustomed to the divers. While there may be some truth to the fact that they tend to get a little used to the divers, the fact is that we often have food with us, and we are often feeding some of the larger fish by hand. There is no question that we attract some of the sharks on a regular basis... And they simply aren't that used to divers. After all, every one of them was a wild catch, not raised in confinement, as people think. And every one of them has been in there less than a year.

We have blacktip and blacknose sharks, and nurse sharks as well. The smallest nurse (and yes, they will bite, too, if agitated) is about four feet in size, and the largest shark is over nine feet in length. We swim with them every day.

Additionally, I've done a couple of shark dives in the Bahamas.

If you'd asked me my assessment of the situation that you describe, I'd have told you that it is somewhat normal for the shark to come up and check you out. The light thing, in my humble opinion, does do some to startle the shark, but he's probably only interested in finding out whether or not you were a food source. You did the right thing by putting something between you and the shark. Next time, give 'em a good "whack" too... With your other hand. Let him know that you aren't something dead or dying and that you need to be "disposed of." Remember that sharks are the ocean's cleaners. A good punch in the gills, lateral line, or eyes should suffice. That is, of course, if you want to scare him away... Which should have been a last resort.

Of course, I am not encouraging you to go looking for a fight with a shark. The best thing to do is to observe from a distance, and get out of the water if they are feeding. Don't look or smell like food, if you can help it. If you have a catch bag with food or freshly speared fish in it, ditch the catch bag and calmly swim back to the boat.

But if you get bumped by the shark, it's probably a test. Make sure he knows that you won't go down without a fight. Likely, he won't return, and instead look for easier food in the sea. If you've got a BFK or spear, don't be afraid to give him a good stick or jab. If you can hit around the head or nose without getting bitten, then there's little chance that the shark will hang around.

Lastly, keep in mind that as a diver, you don't look or smell like food. Almost all shark attacks, which very rarely happen to scuba divers, involve a "test bite," and then the shark leaves, realizing that you aren't fish or seal, the typical diet of most sharks. It will probably also make you feel better that out of the hundreds of shark species out there, only three or four have been known to be dangerous to man... And like I've said, rarely attack divers, and when they do, it's rarely fatal.

Of those attacks listed as fatal, almost all of them are due to the person surviving the attack, but losing vast amounts of blood later which leads to the fatality. That's why surface support is there.

And of course, the best way to prevent all of this is... Don't startle the sharks. 'Course, it sounds like you didn't... That you simply happened opon it, and the lights sorta freaked it out.

Still, you said that you "moved back to about 8ft." at one point. To be honest, it sounds like you were a little close. That alone probably freaked him out a bit. Remember, even if the shark doesn't attack you, a good swat with that powerful tail can dislodge your mask, reg, or worse, knock you unconscious.

Okay, I'll stop preaching now. I don't mean it to sound that way. I would just hate to see something bad happen, even to someone that I don't really know.

Dive safe.

And observe the marine predator from a distance.

 

[scuberd]

no fair, I wanna see an angle shark

great story

 

[jepuskar]

I came face to face with about 5 sharks at once! They all were swimming back and forth in front of me....it was quite scary.

After I had enough I moved onto the next exhibit which was a bunch of penguins putzing around.

 

[SeaJay]

Hahahahaaaa!!

Damn, that was funny. Did you catch the name of the diver in there with them? Coulda been me...