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Accidents and IncidentsThis forum is for the discussion of diving Accidents and Incidents. Please read the message at the top of the forum before posting threads or responses. Memorial threads can be posted in the Passings forum.
Please note: The last reply in this thread was more than 8 month(s) ago.
... I would like a show of hands from everyone who thought that chummed dives intentionally attracting tigers and bulls with unprotected divers wouldn't eventually result in an incident?
There's no question that this would happen some day, but there is also no question that someone will get killed driving their car, etc.
The open question in my mind is was sufficient information provided (considering the possible language dificulties) to provide for reasonable informed consent? If so ... well, unfortunately bad things do happen to good people.
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"Too often ... people enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought" - Leapfrog
Why do you have to be in close proximity with large sharks in order to make an opinion about how one should not be feeding dangerous predator? Do you have more experience in animal behavior than us because you saw a shark feeding?
Wellllll.... to be fair, he probably does.
I think that's just the way of the world, though...
I know my first non-checkout dive (just run of the mill 50' salt water dive) I ascended with a *world* more experience than I descended with... At the very least, MUCH more than someone who has never done it... I'm sure you know the feeling...
At the very least, arfy can say he was there... he experienced the feeling of being in close proximity with a number of the largest, most dangerous, agile, predators in the entire ocean, while they fed...
Experience breeds familiarity (or is it the other way around?).
That being said... I'm absolutely NOT an advocate of shark baiting/feeding dives... Nonetheless, I get my biggest thrill every time one glides up alongside me...
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Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote...
To answer fisherdvm, as politely as I can, YES, arfy's opinion DOES have more validity because he has actually watched a shark close up! And to top it off a species that many books, armchair divers, etc. says is "vicious and threatening".
I"m not trying to be mean to anyone, but don't you think it's funny that all the people who got to watch sharks swimming slowly around some scent and observed them, well, the result is they appreciate them even more? Not fear them as much? Respect them? Hell yeah! I always watch end with the pointy things in their mouth
"Normal" behavior for sharks? We're still learning! My one diving buddy of 40 years commented that he never SAW a shark until he was diving 7 years! Sharks by the way will come over occasionally and check you out. If you are happy with seeing the south end of a shark heading north, that's fine, more power to you......But many divers aren't judging by the popularity of operators all over the world offering shark dives!
I also read in Sandy's post (Hi Sandy that scientists and such being able to observe these animals close up for longer periods of time continue to learn many real truths about this over 250 million year old design.....99% of what people may know has only come about since shark dives! Watching them, filming them, and then broadcasting or publishing the details.
The safety stressed at JASA and other shark dives really is priority #1 has has been mentioned over and over and over by those who actually have chosen to participate in this type of activity. If it was as dangerous as the critics contend, divers would be getting bit week after week.....
For real danger, go diving with someone who is old (that might be me) out of shape, can't find the anchor or watch their gauges and then expects YOU to save them.......That's way more common........
People will still have their opinions and that's fine.......Just don't expect everyone to agree en mass if you haven't walked the walk.
There's no question that this would happen some day, but there is also no question that someone will get killed driving their car, etc.
The open question in my mind is was sufficient information provided (considering the possible language dificulties) to provide for reasonable informed consent? If so ... well, unfortunately bad things do happen to good people.
Unfortunately, it goes beyond that. When you create a danger but do not take duty to reasonably protect someone from that danger, you are now in questionable legal territory (omission).
But yes, I review his web site earlier today and these sharks are portrayed as skittish. In his blog he refers to them like pets complete with names. The danger of what he was taking people to do doesn't appear to have been communicated until the dive briefings.
What safety? I keep hearing about this but nobody has specified what these safety procedures are.
"We chummed this water with fish. Its full of tigers and/or bull sharks who are unpredictable. We would like to remind you to tuck in your arms and avoid making eye contact for safety sake."
It occurs to me that if _any_ dive operator was doing this type of dive with great white sharks that everyone would see how patently ridiculous any safety other than a cage is.
Anyone notice how the media goes crazy over shark attacks involving scuba while other scuba related deaths go unnoticed not to say theres a need to make a big deal its tough for families it just goes to show the JAWS phobia still exists in the world
Anyone notice how the media goes crazy over shark attacks involving scuba while other scuba related deaths go unnoticed not to say theres a need to make a big deal its tough for families it just goes to show the JAWS phobia still exists in the world
Shark attacks make good stories on slow news days. However, this is a _big_ story with divers because shark attacks on submerged divers are so rare (much less fatalities). It also happened in the warm tropical Bahamas which have a safe diving image. In short, its a big story any way you cut it.
Without me intending to be a smart and as polite as I can be at my advanced age, exactly where and when have you gone diving you considered "safe" ? What type of diving do you do? Is your screen name of deco martini indicate technical decompression diving?
The safety procedures you keep questioning are more thorough than some I've personally received over the years at numerous dive operations, not just shark dives. But from your posts you seem to have already made up your mind SOMEONE has to be responsible....
Looking forward to your experience details so we can judge you without ever meeting you, diving with you, etc.
Oops, I said I was going to be polite
dhaas
Last edited by Ann Marie; February 29th, 2008 at 02:21 PM.
Reason: censored
and as polite as I can be at my advanced age, exactly where and when have you gone diving you considered "safe" ? What type of diving do you do? Is your screen name of deco martini indicate technical decompression diving?