Shark Attack - Fact

[rockjock3]

This is a cool comparison of annual U.S. shark fatalities vs. U.S. dog attack fatalities.

Comparison of Fatal Shark Attacks with Fatal Dog Attacks

 

[OnceLoyal]

You are right about this, I really should have typed "Americans are generally ignorant of most of the things going on in the world."

Now your on to something mate!!!!! just be more specific like North Americans, don't include our 3rd world below..


Rock,

That is an awesome statistic to see. I am sure many more die from dogs. I know more get struck by lightning too. The only problem with taking stats like that to heart is the 3rd world countries. I am sure there are many more fatal attacks from both that we will never hear about. The other problem is %.. How many more people come into contact with dogs than they do sharks?? I would say billions..... Stats like that are hard to justify. I ma sure you are more likely though to be killed by hippos, elephants, lions and for sure lightning!!!!!

 

[OnceLoyal]

Hope everyone knows I am joking about the thrid world thing

 

[krawdady]

You are right about this, I really should have typed "Americans are generally ignorant of most of the things going on in the world."

Yes the whole world is smarter than us. What a horrible country we are. It's amazing we've lasted this long without any of us caring about current events. How is life in the islands anyway? Any car bombs go off near you lately? I didn't think so. We just had a guy who isn't qualified to run for a school board win a Noble Peace Prize so obviously someone thinks we are doing pretty well.

 

[perdidochas]

Hi guys,

I have an issue about shark attack and I want everyone to put his opinion so we can get something out of this topic.

I remember from the past Whenever I talk to a diving instructor, whether an expert or a beginner, and I ask him/her about shark and how shall we react if we see shark underwater, they go laughing and say "you won't see any, we have been diving for a very long time and we hardly see one", some of them say "sharks are rarely seen and they have special reefs and habitats", some others say "try to finish the dive" whereas some of them say "it depends on the situation".

Just out of those replies, I can positively tell you, all replies were meaningless to me because simply I didn't get an answer for my question, even when I was insisting on them they reply with the same answer.

The second problem with dive leaders and mainly with instructors is they don't teach this stuff in the open water course or even in the advance open water course.

I gave an instructor certifier the following scenario:
"You say, it is really hard to see a shark alright? Now what would happen if you take open water students in their first course dive to the ocean and while giving them the lessons of mask removal and regs recovery, you experience 2 sharks passing through, now you've NEW DIVERS whom they have never ever dived before with bad buoyancy and bad control on themselves underwater, what should you do? Specially that no diving agency is teaching at least common strategies to avoid a shark attack"

He replies to me with the following "Well, in my entire life of being instructor that doesn't happen"

My issue is, if that doesn't happen in his entire life of diving like 25 or 30 yrs that DOES NOT RULE OUT the possibility of a shark attack.

I need your opinions about this issue and whether or not "avoid shark attack by using common strategies should be taught at the open water diving course"

Thank you

I wouldn't worry about it. Sharks aren't going to stay around unless you're feeding them or spearfishing (same thing )

 

[perdidochas]

sea nmf, thanks a lot for your reply.
Well, it is not really a personal issue as I'm getting along with the water but it is an issue for any one who is trying to take his first diver ever. I'm pretty sure you've experienced many people asking about sharks and shark attacks.

The thing is, media and movies have made the shark in such a bad position and consequently the first question from any new diver is "what shall I do if I see a shark"?

And yeah those are the answers they get back "we don't see them very often, we have been diving for 3,000,000 yrs and we didn't see any, we have been bla bla bla"

The diver won't listen to these stuff, he needs an answer, he needs issues to take him out of this fear, he needs someone to tell him the stuff you were just saying, things like shark is not interesting in you, you should do this this and that. But I found it so bad and may be offensive to someone who ask about something and then the instructor laugh at his question, right??

And why am I concerned about shark? because as I've mentioned before the media put the shark in that situation and we need to educate people and particularly new divers about this issue.

Thanks for your posts

Well, if I were an instructor (I was an assistant instructor in an earlier phase of my life), I wouldn't dwell on it. I would simply tell the truth. In my 200+ dives, I have never seen a shark besides a nurse shark while Scuba diving. I personally think that most sharks in Florida (southeast FL and Gulf Coast FL) are deterred by scuba, as I have seen several sharks while free diving in the same areas that I've scuba dove. Unless you're spearfishing or feeding sharks, it's unlikely that you will see one, and even more unlikely that it will be aggressive.

 

[perdidochas]

Thanks Walter-do I just cut 3x3 pieces? Do I dispense 1 at a time or more? Would dulling the edges (so I dont accidentally cut myself) or bending the metal have any effect?

From reading, it seems the whole idea of the death squares is similar to chaff that fighter jets use to avoid radar-guided missiles. Dulling shouldn't have any effect. Bending would change the way it sunk, so I'd avoid it, without any other evidence.

 

[Thalassamania]

Great post Thalassamania. This lends itself for more discussion. I am very curious about everyones opinion on the following, but first, just to let you know my view before I get attacked-I do not harm anything in the ocean. I have found it hard to even fish for food. I returned a sea urchin because I felt bad. I don’t damage anything and usually clean the ocean bottom when there. That being said- heres a question-given the particular behavior of this or any shark that actually attacks you, what is your preference? Using the Death Squares versus The Farallon Shark Dart. When a bear attacks someone, people hunt it down. Same thing with a mountain lion and Im sure other animals that have attacked humans. I understand the Bull is being territorial and we are guests in its domain but if you use the Squares, someone else, less fortunate to be carrying protection may be attacked by that same animal. My thoughts are to use the dart. Please keep in mind, I cant even take and kill a lobster from the sea, but this shark may be problematic for others as well. Please speak your opinions.

I don't like killing animals without good reason, and just being near me is not enough of a reason, especially when I'm in their territory. I tend to even leave the tiny ants we have here alone, I try and just see them as part of the clean up crew.

From reading, it seems the whole idea of the death squares is similar to chaff that fighter jets use to avoid radar-guided missiles. Dulling shouldn't have any effect. Bending would change the way it sunk, so I'd avoid it, without any other evidence.

They need to be galvanized, bending is not a problem, dulling the edges is not a problem. Drop one at a time.

 

[SharkSighting]

How close is this? Why would it be in Sydney Harbour?

YouTube - Shark in Sydney Harbour

 

[RikRaeder]

Well, I suppose it WOULD matter where you were getting certified. Shark encounters are pretty rare in some places and in others are pretty common. It's possible that your instructor has never seen a shark while diving. As to no mention of it in training, while the term used was something like "potentionally hazardous marine life," there was a slight section on what to do that would be useful if one encountered an aggressive shark. The world shark attack website has a section on what a diver should do on encountering aggressive sharks; check it out.