Snorkeler Killed by Sharks in the Bahamas

[Wah]

So sad. This is one of my biggest fears when I take my kids snorkeling.

Years ago, before I was a diver, I went on a Stuart Cove shark snorkel where they drop a chum bucket to the ocean floor and a bunch of tourists in life vests that suck at swimming jump in the water directly over the shark frenzy. The sharks eventually started to make their way up to where we were all scrambling to try to get out of the water. I've never felt so exposed... Knowing what I know now, I realize that this was so dumb. I don't know if they still do this in the Bahamas, but how could this not condition the sharks to see snorkelers as a meal?

 

[drbill]

My first thought was the shark feeding dives. When I was in the Bahamas a few years ago I did two such dives to get good footage.

 

[drrich2]

Stuart Cove would be one nearby shark feeding operation.

Yes, some of them do get around! Something I figure you already know, but some newbies to diving and the forum may not...from what I understand, Stuart's Cove mainly does shark feeding with Caribbean reef sharks. Tiger Beach off Grand Bahama is known for a very different kind of experience - shark feeding with tiger and lemon sharks.

I haven't been diving in the Bahamas; I've been on shark feeding dives with lemon, tiger and reef sharks elsewhere. It's a different experience. Reports in other threads have suggested different shark respond differently in areas where feeding took place. Reef sharks cruising by closer than they used to checking out divers (because they're used to divers feeding them speared lion fish) are indeed a 'thing' (even without organized 'shark feed' diving), but I've not heard of tiger sharks cruising by to check out random divers like that.

 

[CuzzA]

Large sharks cruise at about 1.5 mph. Your math is a skootch off.

The internet says a good rule of thumb is 5 mph. 120÷5=24. That's why I said a day... nevertheless, it's very close and satelite tags reveal they move around the Islands and Florida.

 

[The Chairman]

The internet says a good rule of thumb is 5 mph. 120÷5=24. That's why I said a day... nevertheless, it's very close and satelite tags reveal they move around the Islands and Florida.

How Fast Can a Shark Swim?

 

[Steve_C]

Sharks, like other animals learn anything associated with food very fast. Have had a sandbar rush up quickly and then when it sees I am not helping it hunt, shoot away.

 

[Fastmarc]

Sharks, like other animals learn anything associated with food very fast. Have had a sandbar rush up quickly and then when it sees I am not helping it hunt, shoot away.

In the past I've had many fish in a marine aquarium recognise me, greet me (and not anyone else) and take food from my hand. I've even had an oscar trained to jump 10" out of the water and accurately take food from my fingers.
Not sure why sharks would be any different in this type of associating.

 

[Snoweman]

Some sharks will be fearful of humans blowing bubbles... but probably not a Tiger and probably not by a snorkeler.

It was the Summer of '73 just north of Ponce Inlet. A buddy and I were searching for flounder just off shore with gigs. The trick was to hold it to the sand as it died to minimize sharks. It never failed that if the fish struggled, we would get a visit. Sometimes they were small, sometimes not so small. So, who taught these sharks? How did they figure out to come steal from me?

Sharks are opportunists. They've been opportunists before man existed. They'll be opportunistic long after we're gone. They have instincts to go after food including the smell, the taste, the thrashing and the noise. Here's a diver crinkling a plastic bottle, which apparently mimics the sound of a turtle shell being crushed, and a shark about takes his hand off. Who taught them this? Sharks are instinctual eaters...

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Holy Crap! I think that shark was just annoyed at the sound. It looked p!ssed off!!

I've read on this board about people taking a bottle of water with them on a dive in case they get abandoned or just thirsty during a dive. I was wondering if it was a good idea, or just an extra thing to carry. I now KNOW I will not be carrying a bottle of water on me when I dive.

 

[Joneill]

They cer

Shark feedings conditioning tigers to associate divers with food? That will be an association that will be hard to undo. We’ll have to see if there are more instances.

They most likely teach Tiger Sharks not to fear divers and possibly associate them with feeding time - which I don’t think is a good thing with dangerous animals.

 

[CuzzA]

How Fast Can a Shark Swim?

Sorry, I should have been more clear, I wasn't discrediting you. The 5 mph is what was delivered from a quick internet search.

For the sake of my earlier post. Maybe they were riding a current.