Truth about sharks and periods

[ancientdiver]

Me and group of divers were chased out of the water off of Palm Beach some years back by three bulls that just were way too interested in us. We were diving with what was then the Norine Rouse Scuba Club, which was a completely anti-spearing club, so there was no blood in the water from spearing or anything else. It was a week day and there were no other dive boats out that morning - empty horizon. One of the 3 ladies in the group was having her cycle - she mentioned it while headed out the inlet. After we got to the bottom, some unwanted guests showed up. Those sharks just kept making passes at her over and over, getting bolder and bolder, to the point where we formed a defensive circle around her (not that it would have done any good if one decided it was diner time). But we acted like we were bad assess, and our behavior seemed to keep them hesitating. Prior to that momennt, I had always ASSUMED there was no attaction to a shark if a lady was in her period. I am no longer of that opinion. So from my perspctive, the answer is not yes, but Hell yes - your period can draw attention of the unwated kind. Regarding Pacific diving and the sharks out there, well, there is so much natural food around, and so many sharks swimming off the outer reefs, well it might not be as big of an attractant in some places as in others, and the currents are pretty complicated along the outer walls where upwelling takes place - they might not smell anything under the right set of currents between you and them. But for diving off the east coast of Florida, I would stay out of the water if I was a lady during her menstral cycle, and I would prefer not to dive with a lady or be on the boat with a gal who was in her cycle. But I'm chicken sh**t I guess. But hey, that's based on just one instance. But it was scary, and it was real. We were drift diving with a float, with all divers staying with the DM who had the reel, and the boat kept right next to the float, so our exit was swift and calm, all divers being highly experienced. For what it's worth. Stay safe. Have fun.

 

[bubbles01]

I have dived many times with a period and never once thought it was a problem but after reading some of these posts...I wonder if I should stay out of the water at certain times of the month. I only dive on holiday and it always seems sod's law that I get my period on holiday. I am not very regular so can't arrange holidays around this. Sadly it sounds as though even if I researched this on the net I wouldn't get a definitive answer. All this recent talk of sharks in Egypt has really worried me particularly as we were going to book a liveaboard to Egypt. Any reasurance would be appreciated! Thanks.

 

[DennisS]

OBTW...

If you don't know who my dear friend Dick Rutkowski is...shame on you...every diver should. Just Google him up. And then send him an email. Hint: If you are a NAUI Nitrox diver his name may have been on your test. Hint to medical pros...hyperbaric training and CEUs.

Wasn't he the guy in the office down the hall

 

[terrylowe]

Went to a DAN meeting in Cozumel a couple of months ago. Here's what the lecturer said. ..... the biggest risk with menstruation is DCI. Suggest being more conservative during menses.

In another lecture...."there no evidence of increased shark attacks during menstruation"

That said...I was bumped in the leg twice while on a night dive by a shark. The second taste must not have been too good because he didn't make a third pass. When I got out of the water, I found that an older abrasion on my leg had started bleeding while I was in the water. So human blood "can" attract a light-blinded shark at night.

 

[cbm32]

Well of course most shark attacks happen to divers that have just urinated in the water. If I ever see one coming at me with that look in his eye I will piss myself too!!!!!!! Just sayin......

 

[Sea Lioness]

Sharks have incredibly good senses of smell. They can tell the difference between menstrual blood and injury blood. They are attracted to injury blood because it is fresh, "live" blood, indicating to them that the source of the blood is either alive, or very recently killed, so it is attractive to them as potential prey and a meal.

Menstrual blood, on the other hand, is composed of dead blood cells, which do not interest sharks. Sharks prefer fresh meat (be it fish or mammal). Old, dead blood cells coming off of an animal that has already been dead for a while does not attract them, and the same is true for menstrual blood.

I don't know if the increased iron mentioned in this thread is part of the difference in the smell between the injury blood and menstrual blood, but either way, there is no data to suggest that sharks are attracted to menstrual blood.