Diving with the Bull sharks

[Christi]

The potential problem and danger I see with this s that there ARE dive ops over there chumming and feeding the sharks. This could actually create a problem for those who are NOT chumming as the sharks become accustomed to and expect food from the divers. Add to the equation, that although they are in anatural (aka uncaged) environment, they are there to give birth - meaning they are MORE territorial than normal.

Bull sharks are among the most aggressive and the most unpredictable in the species.

I am not yet convinced that this is a safe dive to be offering to our divers and will reserve further comment on this activity for now.

 

[Pez de Diablo]

I personaly did the dive once that was good enough for me. The bull sharks are big and powerful, I wouldn't want to be there the day one of them takes a nibble on someone.

 

[ggunn]

I personaly did the dive once that was good enough for me. The bull sharks are big and powerful, I wouldn't want to be there the day one of them takes a nibble on someone.

I know that shark attacks on divers are exceedingly rare. I know that sharks in general don't have much of an appetite for homo sapiens. I know that I am more likely to be struck by lightning than to be bitten by a shark. I know all that... intellectually. I still don't want to get anywhere near that close to to a shark like that on his home turf. Go ahead, call me a wimp; I can take it.

 

[diverken374]

I personaly did the dive once that was good enough for me. The bull sharks are big and powerful, I wouldn't want to be there the day one of them takes a nibble on someone.

I agree. Did that, survived it and can stroke it off my bucket list. One of the sharks had a large hook hanging out of its mouth.....I wondered if it might have a bit of an attitude problem?
To clarify, this is not a regular dive that is offered by Aquatic Sports, just a group of curious divers that decided to check it out and I thought that I would like to share this unique experience.

 

[oldmaninthesea]

I dove with Scuba 10 last week to see the Bull sharks. Excellent experience, no chumming, just observation in their natural environment. Please don't dive with shops that chum. It is a stupid stupid thing to do and will only lead to someone dying and reinforcement of the idea that sharks pose a threat to people. The biggest threat to people is other people.

 

[Mike]

:depressed:

Associated Press
Yucatan Peninsula Mexico Quintana Roo
Frank Robinson

Diver killed in shark diving accident

Reports have finalized that the diver who was killed on a shark dive off the Yucatan Peninsula south of Playa Del Carmen died as a result of drowning and not the shark attack.

Jim Brisbane a diver who witnessed the attack said "The bull shark must have turned back on Tom as we were swimming away, we never saw him turn but he was swimming away and Tom was finning away and then the next thing we knew the bull shark was on him. It happened so quickly there was no time to react, the bull shark bit down on him mid thigh and started shaking Tom so violently Tom's mask and regulator came off him. I could see him trying to flail his arms around trying to find his reg but the violence of the attack was incredible, there was so much blood and tissue in the water. He looked like a rag doll as the bull shark was trying to tear his leg from him. I look back at this whole misguided thing and have to ask myself what were we thinking diving with these powerful sharks with absolutely no protections what-so-ever?"

The autopsy showed that Tom Delaney died from drowning. He left a wife and 2 children.

Free swimming bull shark diving (no cages) a recent new phenomena has been developing in the waters off of Playa Del Carmen over the last few years and has grown more popular. When we asked about the incident many reactions were along the lines of "It was only a matter of time", or "Not surprising, after all this is a shark species that is listed at the top of the man eaters list even above the Great White, and people are diving with them with no cages, no protection what-so-ever?"

Others voiced the opinion that the entire thing is made more dangerous by the dive outfitters who have admitted to chumming and feeding the sharks which changes the danger for all divers and all operators whether they feed them or not.

The government of Mexico is looking into the incident and investigating the reports of shark chumming and feeding and whether it is responsible for the dives to continue with dive operators following no regulations or having no safety practices in place. Jorge Juarez a government official said "We are investigating how prudent it is for dive operators to offer these dives for adrenalain seeking dive enthusiasts. It might be found the profit motive is over-powering these dive operators better senses."

 

[MMM]

That being said I would love to dive with an op in Playa that sees them too without chumming.

I've seen bulls a couple of times at Tortugas. Was diving with Blue Angel both times. Not sure if they still go there or not. It was only one but it looked like 2 b/c it circled us and came by a second time.

 

[cicopo]

We've had discussions on this before & I'm one of those who thinks it's a very bad idea that's ultimately going to lead to someones death or dam close to it and maybe both a few times before it's stopped.

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

:depressed:

Mfinley,

Where did you find this article? Could you please post a link to it?

Thanks!

 

[Mike]

The article is from November 23, 2012.