Persistent fear of sharks?

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This is my first post so my apologies if the formatting/tagging or anything else is a bit wonky.

My husband and I have always stuck to snorkeling in the past but after a recent trip to Maui, we were envious of the divers getting face to face with everything so we're finally going to get certified. We're beyond excited and have been practicing clearing our masks, breathing through the snorkel without the mask, hand signals, etc. I don't know if it's nerdy that we're trying to practice before our certification class or what (the class is still a few weeks out), but we're just so excited that we can't help ourselves haha. I do have one issue that I'm hoping people can help with, though - I have an unsettling and persistent fear of sharks. :fear:

I've already decided I'm just going to get over it because there are too many cool things to see to be worried about the small chance of a shark attack. I grew up on the coast and have seen shark fins swimming about, but of course have never seen one face to face. I'm generally pretty level-headed so I hope I could keep my cool, but I'm a tiny bit worried that if I come face to face with a shark while diving I might bolt towards the surface. Either that or I might have an actual panic attack and freeze, which is almost as bad. Has anyone else shared this fear before getting into diving or does anyone have stories of encountering bigger sharks that were completely uninterested? It would help to know that other divers have seen plenty of sharks and still have all of their limbs!


I logically realize that shark attacks are rare but I guess I can blame Hollywood for convincing me that if I see one, I'm dead meat. :wink: I am determined to get over this fear one way or another because we're pretty excited about diving, and I've never let any fear or phobia stop me from exploring before. Anyone else out there in my shoes at one time or another?
 
I think you already know the answer: sharks are "completely uninterested" in scuba divers. A shark is more likely to mistake a surfer or swimmer on the surface for a meal, since what they see is more or less just a silhouette. They can see a scuba diver, and they seem to know a diver is not food. I have seen plenty of sharks and never seen one that seemed even remotely interested in me. If you know this much but are still afraid, then maybe you do have a genuine phobia and might consider getting some help from a professional.
 
You will almost assuredly NEVER come "face to face" with a shark unless YOU want to. And even then, it won't be anywhere near likely. I've managed it a few times... and I'm TRYING to get face to face with them any chance I get. Here's a "close encounter" from Turks & Caicos a few years ago...

TandCShark1.jpg


A friend of my says that he has "a rational fear of sharks" and I always tell him that's fine because there's tons of places to dive where the likelihood of even seeing one in the distance approaches zero. Bonaire, for instance. I've done nearly 100 dives there over the years. Never seen a single shark.
 
Yes, you know the chances of an attack are extremely rare. "Better chance of dying driving to the dive or from a falling coconut", etc. You can't let it affect your diving in that you can't be thinking there's one right around the corner or out of sight in poor visibility--just waiting to get you. Personally, I don't like them, but I am the exception. I don't like the idea of being around anything wild that's anywhere close to my size--land or sea. Again, I'm the exception. Sharks apparently WILL attack in certain rare situations (including of course if you annoy them--WHO DOES THAT?)-- As always mentioned, they can mistake surfers or swimmers as natural prey. Well, divers usually spend at least a little time on the surface, or surface swimming from shore. I've heard elderly or injured sharks (mentally or physically) may go toward beaches searching for food that's easier to catch. Good advice may be to always keep aware of your surroundings--for sharks or for anything that may cause you a problem. In over 500 dives in many locales and depths, I have yet to see one shark. For me, that's a positive. My thought is if I ever do see one I will slowly move to the closest exit point. But I don't let worries about sharks or other big things take away from enjoying my dives. Hey, the plane I could be on may crash as well.

Interesting I just read an article in Dive Training mag. about the risks of diving with sharks. First time I really have read anything pointing out these risks.
 
TMHeimer, you have dived wrecks in NC and have yet to see a shark??? I find this too hard to believe.
 
I have an unsettling and persistent fear of sharks.

What you're actually afraid of may be your ideas about what you think a shark is. I suspect if you saw some sharks - such as nurse sharks, wobbegongs (not Caribbean) & a few others - you'd realize they don't even look like sharks. Then, when you finally saw a 'shark' shark, if that makes any sense, it'd likely be a reef shark, maybe 3 or 5 feet, perhaps pushing 5, assuming this is a random chance passage on a reef dive. And it would probably be pretty quick and stay well away from you.

Has anyone else shared this fear before getting into diving or does anyone have stories of encountering bigger sharks that were completely uninterested? It would help to know that other divers have seen plenty of sharks and still have all of their limbs!

If that's something you want to see, and it won't freak you out, there're videos on You Tube from people doing the Tiger Beach live-aboard trips. Tiger sharks are one of the 'more dangerous' species, and you can see people in the water with them, not getting hurt. Be mindful that even there, which is apparently a fairly special place, I believe they draw them in with bait.

But if you really want to see decent-sized 'classic' sharks diving around people, in numbers, repeatedly, with nobody getting bitten, watch the You Tube videos of the wreck diving out of coastal North Carolina; lots of sand tiger sharks. Sand tiger sharks (very different from tiger sharks) get up around 10 feet long, have the wicked looking teeth, and are popular in public aquariums where people get in the tanks with them to clean & such.

The annual lemon shark migration/aggregation/whatever-you-call-it out of Jupiter, Florida in the spring is another example of a situation where people dive with substantial numbers of 'classic' sharks, getting up close to 10 feet or so, with a reasonable margin of safety. (I don't have statistics; do a search on the forum, read the threads, judge for yourself).

Any shark is a wild animal and to be treated with respect.

Richard.
 
I would suggest, start small.

There are many 'harmless' sharks out there that have no care in the world about you, aside to 'get away'

Others will simply ignore you, and others are just curious, like this guy https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-0xm46tUpIQ&feature=youtu.be

He followed me along for about 30minutes, not unlike an angelfish, barracuda, smooth trunk, etc etc.

He did surprise me a few times (just like that clip).


BRad
 
The first time I saw a reef shark cruising over the reef I was struck with its beauty. I had always thought that sharks were ugly and scary but when I actually saw one moving gracefully through the water with my own eyes, it was so gorgeous that I forgot to be scared! It wasn't interested in me at all. If You leave them alone and they will leave you alone.

I think you will be fine, I was frightened (of just about everything!) the first few times we went diving but my confidence and comfort level increased and I was soon able to relax and enjoy myself. When you are practicing in a pool there is nothing much to see, but when you are out on the reef there is so much great stuff to look at that you will soon forget to be scared, have fun!
 
You are crazy, but have a very "safe" fear. (i am afraid of heights and so far have not fallen off any tall buildings...)

For me, sharks are like dogs in a park. They zoom about, are very curious and mostly harmless. For others...

The wife of one of my divebuddy's business associates had the same fear. She is a non-swimmer. During a sales boondoggle to Jamaica (her first trip to the Caribbean) she would not go into the water. Sharks WILL NOT eat me! Her fear of sharks prevented her from even dipping a toe into the warm salt water.

The next sales boondoggle to Nassau featured a very graphic, violent & bloody shark feeding at the edge of the beach. She watched, transfixed by the sharks. She then donned mask, fins, snorkel & flotation vest and did her first snorkel adventure 100 feet away from the shark feeding area. And loved it! (it was very bland and sub-par...)

For her, a switch had flipped. She had seen sharks first hand. She now knew what they looked like. When she snorkeled she did not see any sharks. So they were not there! No problems!

It is all in your mind...
 
Once upon a time I was terrified of barracuda. I had heard about them attacking people. I made sure I wasn't wearing anything shiny and would make sure I took off my earrings before entering the water. Today, I swam with several lemon sharks, a bunch of black tips and saw one nurse shark.
 
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