Question after watching "Openwater" and "USS Indianapolis"

[Web Monkey]

Who would have though that wrapping yourself in wounded, bleeding fish might attract sharks.

Terry

Most of those attacks on divers are while they are spearfishing, I cant say I feel too bad when somebody who attaches a speared fish to their waist gets bitten, thats seems like a violation of common sense.

 

[menemsha43]

I think pelagic sharks would be of more concern than reef sharks. I've been circled closely by reef sharks at safety stops on several occasions and only once was I slightly concerned (on a night dive when a smallish shark came in to explore what I was). I wouldn't worry about it generally

 

[vkalia]

One of our DMs was out spearfishing (without tanks) and got buzzed by a 1m white-tip. Once he simply pointed his speargun at it, and it tooled off. The next time, he actually had to slam the butt of the gun on the shark's snout. The wee little thing kept circling him, though. He wasnt too thrilled, but we found it quite hilarious. He still gets friendly tips on how to save himself from marauding fusiliers.

On the other hand, Bob the Bullshark - all 4m of bad-tempered, territorial glory - has never displayed any signs of hostility other than 1 direct approach (with fins down, unfortuntately), followed by veering off at a respectable distance. Of course, with him, no one ever sticks around for a second warning - we simply swim away, and he leaves us alone.

I like sharks. Wouldnt want to see a big tiger, though - would much rather see a GW in the water than a tiger. Although recent reports I have read indicate that even tigers are not as aggressive as they were made out to be, I cannot help but note that virtually every instance I know of a diver being buzzed or bumped by a big shark has involved a tiger.

Anyone here dive off Rhode Island in 2001 and remember the supposed great white sighting off Providence? I have never seen such diligent buddy teams, and so many attentive people on deco stops, as I did back then!

Vandit

 

[DandyDon]

Anyone here dive off Rhode Island in 2001 and remember the supposed great white sighting off Providence? I have never seen such diligent buddy teams, and so many attentive people on deco stops, as I did back then!

Vandit

Hey, what an idea. My vacation-diver buddy is sloppy about staying close when he does travel with me. I'll tell him" "Okay, stay close to me. Sharks are a little aggressive here, but never bother two divers together." He doesn't know better. Might work.

 

[Zoomer]

Here get one of these... SeaChange Technology SHARK SHIELD http://www.scuba.com/shop/product.asp_Category_117_page_2_recs_10

Another way to reduce your risk of shark attack by 50% it to always dive with a buddy.....

 

[DandyDon]

Another way to reduce your risk of shark attack by 50% it to always dive with a buddy.....

One that looks more tasty would help.

This is not the most current, but gives an idea. More pedestrains die in your city each year than all people killed by sharks worldwide...

In 1997 and 1998, 192 pedestrians died in the Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater area. Statewide, 1083 pedestrians were killed, accounting for nearly 20 percent of all traffic related deaths in Florida.

I think the numbers have gone up a lot since then, but can't find them at the moment.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I used to take my Taser but I forgot about the conductivity of sea water. Oooooo, that left a mark...

 

[H2Andy]

One that looks more tasty would help.

you don't have to swim faster than the shark...

just faster than your buddy

eyebrow

 

[rockjock3]

welll... more dangerous than what?

do you know how many people die around the world in a single day from car accidents?

i can bet you anything it's more than 61. and that's just a day. imagine
how many die in a year.

and yet, we get in our cars and drive to the dive site and don't think
about it twice.

You're trying to to make faulty comparisons again. He was talking about comparing apples to apples (actual hours spent in water for certain activity versus shark attacks per hour of that activity).

If you want to compare car crashes then you would have to see how many man hours are spent on the road in cars for one 24hour period and then total up how many shark attacks happen on divers in the same number of man hours spent diving. The number of shark attacks would still be lower but you get the idea. I would venture the number of hours people spend behind the wheel of a car in a day (total in the world) would be equal to how many hours people spend diving in 1-2 years.

Here is Hawaii we have a statistic to put in in perspective for us. You are four times more likely to die by being hit by a falling coconut than being bitten by a shark. Well, I am here to tell you that I don't worry about being hit by a coconut and never even thought about it till they told me that. I don't worry about a shark attack either.

 

[H2Andy]

If you want to compare car crashes then you would have to
see how many man hours are spent on the road in cars for one 24hour period and
then total up how many shark attacks happen on divers in the same number of man
hours spent diving.

it's all clear now... thanks for the explanation

you're basically talking comparing fatalities/hour spent doing activity, right?

You are four times more likely to die by being hit by a falling coconut than being bitten by a shark.

well, does this factor in the total time spent walking around where there
are coconuts as opposed to total time being where sharks may get you
(i.e. the water?)