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Mandatory Dive protection for Shark dives.
- Thread starter gonetobaja
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Lol 
Ok, let me get this straight. We had an incident where a diver was bitten in the leg accidentally because it was too close to a container of chum. If some of the speculation I've heard is true, the death may have had more to do with an embolism due to rapid ascent rather than the bite itself and loss of blood (has anyone confirmed or denied this?).
Based on this we'd consider mandatory shark protection gear? I don't think so. I hope not.
I've done dives with hundreds of sharks in many places throughout the world. Was there an element of fear at times? Yes. Were there ever any aggressive moves towards me? No.
How many of these same shark trips has the operator involved had over the years. How many of them involved no injury or death whatsoever?
Personally I think we should require huge safety nets that follow below every commercial airliner as it flies from point A to destination B. We know they occasionally fall out of the sky.
Based on this we'd consider mandatory shark protection gear? I don't think so. I hope not.
I've done dives with hundreds of sharks in many places throughout the world. Was there an element of fear at times? Yes. Were there ever any aggressive moves towards me? No.
How many of these same shark trips has the operator involved had over the years. How many of them involved no injury or death whatsoever?
Personally I think we should require huge safety nets that follow below every commercial airliner as it flies from point A to destination B. We know they occasionally fall out of the sky.
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Big pillows surrounding cars would be a good idea as they have a tendency to run into other things...
We really should outlaw and get a handle on bad weather... floods, lightening, tornados, maybe even require mandatory parkas and mittens to stop frost bite...
Seriously, there is some risk that comes with diving. When we add big animals with teeth the risk goes up. If you dont want risk dont dive- even with the best training possible there is risk. If one wants to reduce the risk of being bit on a shark dive the best plan would be to not do said shark dive. Even better- if one wants perfect safety there are many other activities- tiddlywinks, scrap-booking, watching TV, etc...
I would rather live before I die. (My head near big "predator" shark. Please note the lack of cage.)
We really should outlaw and get a handle on bad weather... floods, lightening, tornados, maybe even require mandatory parkas and mittens to stop frost bite...
Seriously, there is some risk that comes with diving. When we add big animals with teeth the risk goes up. If you dont want risk dont dive- even with the best training possible there is risk. If one wants to reduce the risk of being bit on a shark dive the best plan would be to not do said shark dive. Even better- if one wants perfect safety there are many other activities- tiddlywinks, scrap-booking, watching TV, etc...
I would rather live before I die. (My head near big "predator" shark. Please note the lack of cage.)
deco_martini
Contributor
That's just speculation at this point. The guy who told this to the media said the shark bit and let go. However, the coast guard told a UK paper that the man's leg was nearly bitten off. That doesn't sound like a catch and release bite. Until a video is released with the accident in frame, its hard to tell what is the truth. In any case, it was not an accident. It was an incident.
I agree with you, I'm going to NC late in the summer and I would hate to have to put on a chain mesh to dive where they know there are sand tigers.
However, the person who started this thread specifically mentioned predator sharks which I think implies Bull, Tiger, etc.
Notice we don't have to have this debate about great whites since it seems like great white ops take the care to always provide a cage.
I do think DEMA, PADI, SSI should distance themselves from dive operators who do unprotected predator dives.
Shark diving is no different that any other branch of diving. There are safety hazards and there are things that mitigate those hazards. Dive agencies and dive industry should support safe operations and shun the unsafe ones.
I say let grown ups be grown ups and make their own decisions. We were all smart enough to pass Open Water, we should at least have the common sense to know their is risk when diving with sharks in the open water. I love shark diving, Ive done Jimmy's trips and they are one of, if not the best and most exciting trips of all the places Ive gone in the world.
deco_martini
Contributor
Yeah. So don't send a 15 year old girl down with the bait crate plz.
No, im not kidding
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/1672744-post63.html
Thing is this happened in the Bahamas and any "laws" the USA might enact might have no bearing in the soverign Bahamas. We don't own the world yet, they could tell our lawyers to kiss off.
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OP
gonetobaja
Guest
I can understand a cage for whitesharks,
Im wondering what the downside is to wearing protection when doing this type of predator encounter dive. If we were to require Predator encounter dive operations to use personal protection for its customers what would be the downside. What is the price of getting airlifted compared to the price of protection.
I can understand why the first response is "No, your not the boss of me...."
But what is the reason behind not wearing protection. Most people seem to shun the idea of wearing an operator provided shark suit for an encounter, from what I have seen so far.
By wearing armor could it be considered that we are protecting the animals from making mistakes that could cost them more than the toll they already pay. Or is the chance of getting bit the reason people go.
I guess if you made it safe there is less thrill involved, and you cant say you are a crazy shark diver because you are wearing protection, but shark diving as a safe and sustainable tourist attraction will be considered the norm instead of being called thrill seeking. Is this not what we all desire as divers and conservationists of the ocean?
For clarification predator dives include any shark, or squid encounter that the animal posses the ability to injure a diver to a point that they would require hospitalization, and are attracted by using a food source of some kind.
Once again, this question is not aimed at all divers only the operations that put them in these situations.
Im wondering what the downside is to wearing protection when doing this type of predator encounter dive. If we were to require Predator encounter dive operations to use personal protection for its customers what would be the downside. What is the price of getting airlifted compared to the price of protection.
I can understand why the first response is "No, your not the boss of me...."
But what is the reason behind not wearing protection. Most people seem to shun the idea of wearing an operator provided shark suit for an encounter, from what I have seen so far.
By wearing armor could it be considered that we are protecting the animals from making mistakes that could cost them more than the toll they already pay. Or is the chance of getting bit the reason people go.
I guess if you made it safe there is less thrill involved, and you cant say you are a crazy shark diver because you are wearing protection, but shark diving as a safe and sustainable tourist attraction will be considered the norm instead of being called thrill seeking. Is this not what we all desire as divers and conservationists of the ocean?
For clarification predator dives include any shark, or squid encounter that the animal posses the ability to injure a diver to a point that they would require hospitalization, and are attracted by using a food source of some kind.
Once again, this question is not aimed at all divers only the operations that put them in these situations.
porbeagle
Contributor
Last time I checked,Neptunic "C" suits cost $4600.The other suit they make costs $5300 or thereabouts. What dive boat with a 6 pac license could afford 6 suits,(actually more due to xlarge and small suits.) ? We are talking $50,000 or more to begin operating as a business.Never mind the ethics of feeding wild animals... I'm with Submariner on this one in a legal sense.And chumming to attract sharks for dive tourists is just plain wrong. IMHO.
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