Why the fear of Great White sharks?

[Dominantly]

Nope, it is a life size fiberglass model in Loch Low-Minn quarry in Athens, Tn.

Mike

Wow, I would crap my suit if I was swimming along in that quarry and looked over and saw that.

I can PS that line out of the photo for you if you want

 

[mikerault]

Ok, this better?

 

[Dominantly]

Yes it is. Very intimidating.

 

[mwall04]

I've been a life-long shark lover since I was a young kid. While other kids got sent to tennis camp, horse camp, etc in the summer, my parents sent me to shark camp. Was one of the greatest experiences of my life and started a life-long passion.

I've been diving for 20+ years and I've seen many sharks during this time. Never once was I afraid of the sharks. I'm always the nut who wants to pet them.

I experienced one of the thrills of my life last fall with a trip to Guadalupe Island to cage dive with great white sharks. Typical of my past, I spent the ride out trying to figure out how I was going to touch the sharks. Once we were anchored and setup, I was the first diver in the water and the first shark showed up within 5 minutes.

Tying this back to the original question, why the fear in great white sharks, I can tell you from experience, my first thought was "holy crap" and I couldn't get my hands back in the cage fast enough. Although I knew I was safe in the cage, any thought of reaching out to "pet" one or swim outside the cage was removed forever. There was zero doubt that any venture outside the cage would be my last.

Why the new found respect. They were huge (I was pleased with myself that the first shark I saw was a world record 22' female that was disappointingly later pointed out to be a 13' male). The could be very fast. Lastly, even in the cages, you always had the feeling they were hunting you. Checking you out from all angles, trying to surge from below, ... That was a new sensation for me and I prefer my place in life to be the top of the food chain.

I love sharks. I love great white sharks. I will dive with every species of shark outside of a cage except for great white sharks. I do reserve the right to change my mind about free-diving with gws, but I already have enough cool scars for right now.

 

[tyesai]

I've been a life-long shark lover since I was a young kid. While other kids got sent to tennis camp, horse camp, etc in the summer, my parents sent me to shark camp. Was one of the greatest experiences of my life and started a life-long passion.

I've been diving for 20+ years and I've seen many sharks during this time. Never once was I afraid of the sharks. I'm always the nut who wants to pet them.

I experienced one of the thrills of my life last fall with a trip to Guadalupe Island to cage dive with great white sharks. Typical of my past, I spent the ride out trying to figure out how I was going to touch the sharks. Once we were anchored and setup, I was the first diver in the water and the first shark showed up within 5 minutes.

Tying this back to the original question, why the fear in great white sharks, I can tell you from experience, my first thought was "holy crap" and I couldn't get my hands back in the cage fast enough. Although I knew I was safe in the cage, any thought of reaching out to "pet" one or swim outside the cage was removed forever. There was zero doubt that any venture outside the cage would be my last.

Why the new found respect. They were huge (I was pleased with myself that the first shark I saw was a world record 22' female that was disappointingly later pointed out to be a 13' male). The could be very fast. Lastly, even in the cages, you always had the feeling they were hunting you. Checking you out from all angles, trying to surge from below, ... That was a new sensation for me and I prefer my place in life to be the top of the food chain.

I love sharks. I love great white sharks. I will dive with every species of shark outside of a cage except for great white sharks. I do reserve the right to change my mind about free-diving with gws, but I already have enough cool scars for right now.

Two questions for you. What sharks have you had the chance to dive with? What do you think about Manny and Mike Rutzen? Who, I don't want to say routinely, but have dove with the GWS many times, sans cage.

 

[mwall04]

Two questions for you. What sharks have you had the chance to dive with? What do you think about Manny and Mike Rutzen? Who, I don't want to say routinely, but have dove with the GWS many times, sans cage.

To date, I've dove with the following sharks. Most were spotted on non-shark oriented dives and were by chance. A few were organized shark dives such as a trip with Stuart Cove in the Bahamas and seeing great whites off Guadalupe Island.

Caribbean - Nurse Sharks
Whale Sharks
Caribbean Reef Shark
Lemon Shark
Hammerhead

Atlantic - Sand Tiger Sharks

Pacific - Great White Shark (Guadalupe Island)
Mako Shark
Blue Shark
Gray Reef Shark
Blacktip Reef Shark
Whitetip Reef Shark

Next up is hopefully a planned shark dive to Tiger Beach for tiger sharks or maybe a return in the next month of so to Guadalupe.

I've read about the Rutzens and thought about adventuring outside a cage, but that was before I saw a great white shark up close. For the near term, I think I'll sit happily in my cage snapping off pictures.

 

[Haiko]

Here is an example why you could develop fear:

DePers.nl - dinsdag 3 augustus 2010

I'll recon the color of the water inside his suit is yellow

 

[tyesai]

To date, I've dove with the following sharks. Most were spotted on non-shark oriented dives and were by chance. A few were organized shark dives such as a trip with Stuart Cove in the Bahamas and seeing great whites off Guadalupe Island.

Caribbean - Nurse Sharks
Whale Sharks
Caribbean Reef Shark
Lemon Shark
Hammerhead

Atlantic - Sand Tiger Sharks

Pacific - Great White Shark (Guadalupe Island)
Mako Shark
Blue Shark
Gray Reef Shark
Blacktip Reef Shark
Whitetip Reef Shark

Next up is hopefully a planned shark dive to Tiger Beach for tiger sharks or maybe a return in the next month of so to Guadalupe.

I've read about the Rutzens and thought about adventuring outside a cage, but that was before I saw a great white shark up close. For the near term, I think I'll sit happily in my cage snapping off pictures.

You need to watch his DVD Sharkman, if you have I-Tunes it is available as a ninety nine cent download for an hour and half tv special, it is well worth a buck. I believe it falls under the 2007 Sharkweek series. At one time he is in the water with no cage and 6 or 7 GWS and he manages to put a 10 or 12 foot Tiger Shark into tonic immobility by scratching its cute little cheeky's.

Where you sans cage when you where with the Mako's.

 

[Togalive]

Here is an example why you could develop fear:

DePers.nl - dinsdag 3 augustus 2010

I'll recon the color of the water inside his suit is yellow

I suspect theres some other stuff in his suit as well after that....

 

[marinediva]

I was a Jaws baby.
Scard the living daylights out of me since I lived on the Gold Coast aust at the time.
I got over my fear, and started diving. Things were great, dived with Grey Nurse in Brisbane,
Tigers, Reef and the odd bull in Nth Qld and WA, but then, one day I am on a beach in Perth.

I was studying on the beach, it was very crowded and some boys were jumping from a point near Cottesloe. Suddenly lots of screaming, and a man lost his life.
A great white had taken him. I will never forget watching the water turn red, and watching the mayhem that followed. Have never dived in sth WA or SA since, and am in no hurry to do so.

Now my fear maybe unwarranted, extreme, and totally unfounded,
but I just can't do it.

I am the unluckiest person you will ever meet, and knowing my luck, I am safest out of the water in those states of Aust.