So, what do you do when a 5 -6ft bull shark...
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BettyRubble
Contributor
lmao . . . Rofl . . . Lmao . . .
BettyRubble
Contributor
. . . mental note to self: being 5'2 and presumably a nice snacksize morsel for a 8 foot shark: NO SPEARFISHING . . . buy fish at ACME!
Never give up your fish intentionally. If a shark is trying to take the stringer off of your person that's different...but never just drop your fish. You are training them to come to spearos when they hear a speargun go off in the water - like a dinner bell. When they finish the fish and come looking for more what then? Hold your ground, giving up your fish is a last resort and to me that's only if they already have a hold of it. This is another reason to not dive alone, a buddy is an extra set of eyes to watch for the tax collector and two divers are more intimidating to sharks than one. Your buddy can help fend them off as well.
Cavs42
Contributor
what would I do?
the Warhammer Manoeuvre.
the Warhammer Manoeuvre.
kalik
Guest
Well said!!!!
Weve found a good system for overcoming this threat , sometimes it works in certain areas. We set a marker buoy next too the boat and attach the strnger to that if we see any stoneeyes we just give the line 2 short pulls and let the deck deal with it. This does not always work but most of our dives have a small radius .
Wayward Son
Contributor
"
So, what do you do when a 5 -6ft bull shark...
...is headed straight for you while you are putting a fish on your stringer?"
Another option is to simply transition to a Warhammer.
So, what do you do when a 5 -6ft bull shark...
...is headed straight for you while you are putting a fish on your stringer?"
Another option is to simply transition to a Warhammer.
1) Go to the bottom - As long as air pressure and depth isn't an issue.
2) Use topography and features to your advantage - Do #1 and back up against something, take away part of the 360 environment you're in (angle of attacks). I know of no documented cases where sharks attack 'downward', they attack up or at somewhat level angels.
3) Keep eye contact focus on the shark - Keep it in front of you if at all possible, but don't forget to scan, if you attracted one, there may be others coming as well.
4) Do not shoot the shark with your gun - If the shark has any mass to it you probably won't kill it, keep it use it as a spear, poke it only if you have to.
5) Do not throw away your catch - No one can say the shark will go for the bag or stringer of fish and not you. Save it for #6.
6) If you have to surface, or do surface - Immediately tell the crew so they can keep an eye out with you. Get out as quickly as you can and WITH your catch if you can, don't hand it up. This is where you are most vulnerable and if you have to, you can release the catch to give it a second potential target.
7) Dive with a buddy - This does give the sharks more to focus on besides you and what you're holding. There is some safety in numbers.
** Use the next ones with caution. Depending on the species you'll just piss it off, not make it go away **
8) If you find yourself in a position to defend yourself:
- Gills - It's like kicking a guy in the balls, poke here with your spear gun
- Eyes - Causing it pain to act as a deterrent helps
- Swim Bladder / Liver - You will take it's ability to manage buoyancy away and it's maneuverability away. All fish have some kind of bladder or use specific organs to help maintain buoyancy. In the case of sharks only a few species have bladders, most have to swim to stay 'afloat' or they sink. An example is the Sand Tiger Shark: It actually surfaces to "gulp" air to help maintain it's buoyancy and you will occasionally see one 'burp' air bubbles out it's gill's to control buoyancy.
Last, but no least - FOCUS on your air consumption. This is a lot easier said then done, I realize that. But keep your eye's focused on the shark, scan on occassion, and listen to yourself breath. Focus on calming down and breathing easier.
I've been diving with sharks for years and done a ton of dives in both in confined and open water with a wide range of shark species and my advice, as is other peoples, based on that experience. That said, even my advice can be wrong - wild animals are wild animals and it's difficult to accurately predict their behavior, tho we can make 'educated' guesses.
Take some time and read about sharks in your area. Every animal has certain behavior characteristics, sharks are no different....but, just like a dog, they can nip/attack without showing those signs. Go Read.
...and if all else fails...there is a reason there is safety in numbers. You don't have to be the fastest person in the water, just not the slowest....funny how unsnapping a fin strap can affect how a person swims in the water
LOL
Now, go read.
2) Use topography and features to your advantage - Do #1 and back up against something, take away part of the 360 environment you're in (angle of attacks). I know of no documented cases where sharks attack 'downward', they attack up or at somewhat level angels.
3) Keep eye contact focus on the shark - Keep it in front of you if at all possible, but don't forget to scan, if you attracted one, there may be others coming as well.
4) Do not shoot the shark with your gun - If the shark has any mass to it you probably won't kill it, keep it use it as a spear, poke it only if you have to.
5) Do not throw away your catch - No one can say the shark will go for the bag or stringer of fish and not you. Save it for #6.
6) If you have to surface, or do surface - Immediately tell the crew so they can keep an eye out with you. Get out as quickly as you can and WITH your catch if you can, don't hand it up. This is where you are most vulnerable and if you have to, you can release the catch to give it a second potential target.
7) Dive with a buddy - This does give the sharks more to focus on besides you and what you're holding. There is some safety in numbers.
** Use the next ones with caution. Depending on the species you'll just piss it off, not make it go away **
8) If you find yourself in a position to defend yourself:
- Gills - It's like kicking a guy in the balls, poke here with your spear gun
- Eyes - Causing it pain to act as a deterrent helps
- Swim Bladder / Liver - You will take it's ability to manage buoyancy away and it's maneuverability away. All fish have some kind of bladder or use specific organs to help maintain buoyancy. In the case of sharks only a few species have bladders, most have to swim to stay 'afloat' or they sink. An example is the Sand Tiger Shark: It actually surfaces to "gulp" air to help maintain it's buoyancy and you will occasionally see one 'burp' air bubbles out it's gill's to control buoyancy.
Last, but no least - FOCUS on your air consumption. This is a lot easier said then done, I realize that. But keep your eye's focused on the shark, scan on occassion, and listen to yourself breath. Focus on calming down and breathing easier.
I've been diving with sharks for years and done a ton of dives in both in confined and open water with a wide range of shark species and my advice, as is other peoples, based on that experience. That said, even my advice can be wrong - wild animals are wild animals and it's difficult to accurately predict their behavior, tho we can make 'educated' guesses.
Take some time and read about sharks in your area. Every animal has certain behavior characteristics, sharks are no different....but, just like a dog, they can nip/attack without showing those signs. Go Read.
...and if all else fails...there is a reason there is safety in numbers. You don't have to be the fastest person in the water, just not the slowest....funny how unsnapping a fin strap can affect how a person swims in the water
LOL Now, go read.
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Sharks do not have swim bladders. They actually have little need for one since cartilage is so much lighter than bone. Sharks maintain their position in the water column by moving forward and producing lift like an airplane. Sand Tiger's do surface to "gulp" air, however the reason for doing so has yet to be unequivocally demonstrated, but some researchers feel that it is coupled to their unique hunting strategy that requires neutral buoyancy.
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