What am I supposed to react when a shark is heading towards me?

[zixzax]

We are advised that sharks normally don't attack human beings. We don't taste good. Surfers got attacked mostly because they look like delicious turtles from the bottom..
Well my question would be: what am I supposed to react in case a shark is approaching rapidly towards myself, or my buddy, for whatever reason.
Should I try to scare it away using some stuffs handy or wait passively for its further action? Or making noise?
My wife is very interested in a shark dive while I am more cautious about that. Any advice or experience sharing is mostly welcome. Thanks.

 

[chillyinCanada]

They don't really like our bubbles either.

I've had 100s of dives where there were sharks around that I could see.

Only twice in all that time, has a shark approached me. Both times they were merely curious. I held my ground so to speak but certainly didn't lash out in any way.

This isn't to say that you never need to be concerned but for the most part, they have little to no interest in us.

What kind of shark dive does your wife want to do?

 

[NAM001]

premis #1 does it really matter? if nothing happens then no problem. if they eat you ..... also now not a problem.
premis #2 there are a couple of hundred varieties of sharks and but a handful of those that like to eat divers. The odds are very much in your favor that they will not present any harm to you. If you are not sure send your buddy to investigate. see premis #1.

 

[Zef]

If a shark is heading rapidly in your direction, what should your reaction be?

Pray, and present the arm/leg that you favor the least. If a shark is intent on biting/eating you, which as others have mentioned and you already know is rare, then there is little you can do:

1. You can try to make yourself look more imposing and menacing in an effort to scare the shark off.
2. You can try to minimize yourself in a way to look and act less like something the shark wants to eat.
3. You can try to make yourself less interesting for the shark to explore/bother.

But the reality is that if a shark is intent on biting, due to curiosity, due to fear, due hunger, due to any reason, then you are most likely gonna get bit....

....in that case, if you are gonna lose an arm, try to lose the one with the hand that you don't write with.

-Z

 

[zixzax]

They don't really like our bubbles either.

I've had 100s of dives where there were sharks around that I could see.

Only twice in all that time, has a shark approached me. Both times they were merely curious. I held my ground so to speak but certainly didn't lash out in any way.

This isn't to say that you never need to be concerned but for the most part, they have little to no interest in us.

What kind of shark dive does your wife want to do?

Thanks for prompt reply. The diving center said they are reef sharks here.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Thanks for prompt reply. The diving center said they are reef sharks here.

Is it a feeding dive or just a site where you go diving and sharks hang out in that spot?

 

[Steelyeyes]

You can hopefully sacrifice your camera rather than a limb in the really rare chance that one gets too interested in you.

 

[zixzax]

Is it a feeding dive or just a site where you go diving and sharks hang out in that spot?

Stay aside and watch. that's it

 

[happy-diver]

I dive mainly with these ones




Sand tiger shark - Wikipedia

anyhow over winter sheltered between rocks and in valleys and stuff
unless I'm swimming through them, I'm horizontal motionless and they're
cruising back and forth back and forth like a bunch of lifers inches away
usually in about 20 metres, got heaps of footage from the poorerlenz
bolted to my head but no idea how to access or edit the footage HUH???

never think about it, except the majesty of it all, but keep my hands in my pockets when I do think about it

after I tighten the string on my shorts

what's more important, writing or wiping

 

[Zef]

Stab your dive partner with your BFK and then swim away rapidly as he/she bleeds out and takes the bite for the team.

-Z