What am I supposed to react when a shark is heading towards me?

[zixzax]

Depends on the species. With a very few you might say your prayers but with most of them you could just say "WOW... how cool!" I've dived with sharks all over the world. The only one that ever attacked me was an 18" horn shark when I tried to reposition it for a better camera angle. I laughed so hard the reg fell out of my mouth!

Ok you are the boss

 

[zixzax]

Well deserved bite, wasn't it.

A friend of mine, also taking a photo, was annoying a horned shark and it bit him IIRC in the soft part between thumb and forefinger. Again, deserved.

That is anyway a good souvenir

 

[jlcnuke]

In all seriousness, for most sharks, keep your eyes on them and, if they're actually coming towards you, make yourself look larger (get vertical), and be ready to nudge them in another direction. This was with a friend last week, the video isn't great but a ~4 ft reef shark came at him and turned off about 2 feet away. Lots of fun when they do that

 

[tarponchik]

You can hopefully sacrifice your camera rather than a limb in the really rare chance that one gets too interested in you.

...but only after you took a video of her coming!

 

[Seaweed Doc]

What if a fast swimmer buddies with a knife guy?

In that case, you hunker down with your buddy against a rock or outcrop of coral and eat popcorn while seeing who "wins."

Kidding aside, getting near something that "backs" you is advice I've heard. That is, rather than floating in mid-water. Not sure if it's valid, but it always made me feel more secure. I've noticed sharks were more interested in me or other divers when we were up in the water column than when we were up against a rock..

 

[Steelyeyes]

...but only after you took a video of her coming!

I bought a new Gopro just because the video I took of a tiger shark in Hawaii didn't come out.

 

[tarponchik]

I bought a new Gopro just because the video I took of a tiger shark in Hawaii didn't come out.

A big selfie-stick can help

 

[dmaziuk]

Now I have this image of pushing the camera into the shark's mouth on a selfie stick long enough that the camera will come out of the other end and you can retrieve it and salvage the footage. Excuse me while I go wash my brain. In bleach.