7-foot bull shark attacks diver off Riviera Beach; injuries 'significant,' officials say
no other details as yet. diver was spearfishing for Cobia.
no other details as yet. diver was spearfishing for Cobia.
7 Foot Bull Shark Attacks Diver Off Riviera Beach
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drrich2
Contributor
From the article:
"The victim, reportedly a man in his 20s, was among a group of divers going after cobia on a submerged wreck, said Palm Beach Shores Police Chief Duncan Young, who was briefed although his agency was not involved in the rescue. As one of the divers was swimming back to the boat carrying a speared fish, the shark attacked, he said.
Young said he and his officers have noticed more divers chumming, a practice that attracts sharks, to aid in their spearfishing."
It's my understanding from other thread discussion that some people out of Florida use a little chum to bring in sharks & shoot cobia that were hanging with the sharks. I have no idea how widespread this practice is, or how common it is to see cobia away from sharks. I wonder if they were hunting cobia in isolation from sharks, or something like this? @dumpsterDiver
Before this curiosity snowballs into assumption; so far, from the article, I see no claim this group of spear fishermen were chumming, much less drawing sharks to bring cobia in to shoot.
Minor tangent from the article:
"Blacktip sharks inflict a large number of bites on swimmers, but these tend to be less serious than bites from bull sharks."
Do blacktip sharks really inflict a large # of bites on swimmers? That sounds like drama more than truth to me, though you could argue the definition of 'a large #.'
Richard.
"The victim, reportedly a man in his 20s, was among a group of divers going after cobia on a submerged wreck, said Palm Beach Shores Police Chief Duncan Young, who was briefed although his agency was not involved in the rescue. As one of the divers was swimming back to the boat carrying a speared fish, the shark attacked, he said.
Young said he and his officers have noticed more divers chumming, a practice that attracts sharks, to aid in their spearfishing."
It's my understanding from other thread discussion that some people out of Florida use a little chum to bring in sharks & shoot cobia that were hanging with the sharks. I have no idea how widespread this practice is, or how common it is to see cobia away from sharks. I wonder if they were hunting cobia in isolation from sharks, or something like this? @dumpsterDiver
Before this curiosity snowballs into assumption; so far, from the article, I see no claim this group of spear fishermen were chumming, much less drawing sharks to bring cobia in to shoot.
Minor tangent from the article:
"Blacktip sharks inflict a large number of bites on swimmers, but these tend to be less serious than bites from bull sharks."
Do blacktip sharks really inflict a large # of bites on swimmers? That sounds like drama more than truth to me, though you could argue the definition of 'a large #.'
Richard.
CuzzA
Wetwork for Hire
I agree, lots of issues with this article... However, it is my understanding chumming is becoming a common tactic, at least on the east coast.
Nevertheless, I'm all for spearfishing, but I don't like the tactic of chumming, shooting cobia off the backs of bull sharks or shark feeding dives.
Not only do those activities put the divers doing it at a higher risk of incident, but these activities put all other divers at risk. No different than feeding alligators. It's just not a good idea, IMO.
I was at seminar recently and this topic came up and the consensus was that it's not smart.
But, clearly this article is flawed. The guy could have just been unlucky. Or maybe that shark was fed before.
Nevertheless, I'm all for spearfishing, but I don't like the tactic of chumming, shooting cobia off the backs of bull sharks or shark feeding dives.
Not only do those activities put the divers doing it at a higher risk of incident, but these activities put all other divers at risk. No different than feeding alligators. It's just not a good idea, IMO.
I was at seminar recently and this topic came up and the consensus was that it's not smart.
But, clearly this article is flawed. The guy could have just been unlucky. Or maybe that shark was fed before.
A news video. Nothing new.
Diver Attacked By Bull Shark Off Riviera Beach
Was this a private boat?
I know of no charter dive boats out of WPB that chum to spearfish and only one, Abernathy, that does sharks dives.
Diver Attacked By Bull Shark Off Riviera Beach
Was this a private boat?
I know of no charter dive boats out of WPB that chum to spearfish and only one, Abernathy, that does sharks dives.
CuzzA
Wetwork for Hire
I read on another board this was a free diver spearfishing on the Ande Wreck and he was bit on the arm and should survive. That's all the info available.
It's my understanding this wreck is pretty deep and chumming the fish up to snorkel depths is a common practice.
It's my understanding this wreck is pretty deep and chumming the fish up to snorkel depths is a common practice.
Diver carrying large bloody fish in presence of large sharks. Shark attacks. I am sorry to hear that the diver was seriously injured but this seems to have been likely to happen at some point.
bilsant
Contributor
how was the viz?
CuzzA
Wetwork for Hire
I don't know much about the Ande wreck, but after a little reading, it sounds like there are quite a few resident bull sharks that are very aggressive and perhaps even territorial. Not, sure if that's the case, but I could see it being plausible if this wreck is fished a lot both hook and line and spearos.
seeker242
Contributor
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