Any diver out there been attacked by a big shark?!

[Dan]

Dan, I'd be interested. I would like late August, very early September. Last time I went was last week of August and temps couldn't have been better. I was on Okeanos Agressor II<?>

If I don't do Cocos, I'm shooting for either Raja Ampat or Komodo.

Well, it won’t be Cocos, nor Raja Ampat, nor Komodo but still be diving with sharks. Komodo & Raja Ampat are becoming too crowded with liveaboards lately. I’m looking for area where Komodo & Raja Ampat are used to be like. Unfortunately timing would be slightly earlier than your preference, the latest season would be mid August.

Here is a brief description of the itinerary:
White Manta Diving - Sangalaki, Kakaban, & Maratua
“Explore the remote Indonesian Islands of Maratua, Sanglaki, & Kakaban. Get away from the crowds and enjoy diving as it was meant to be! Here you will find both large and small marine life in abundance; potential for thresher sharks, manta rays, white-tips & nurse sharks, huge schools of barracuda, many turtles, and even Whale Shark! Not to mention plenty of macro life to keep even the most experienced of divers happy. Plus a chance to swim amongst millions of non-stinging jellyfish in the fresh water Lake of Kakaban.”

This place is one of the few places that you’ll be able to dive (not snorkel) with several whalesharks.

 

[Michael Jastrzebski]

If you ever get a chance, dive Cocos, and I'd recommend end of August, first of September. 2mm and comfortable and unforgettable diving.

I spotted your comment and was going to ask - is it possible to dive Cocos at that time of the year with only a 3 mm shorty.

 

[Satrekker]

I spotted your comment and was going to ask - is it possible to dive Cocos at that time of the year with only a 3 mm shorty.

Yes, I think so. When I was there in last week of August, there were several who just wore shirts and a swimsuit or a rash guard. I do remember a couple of cold thermoclimes, but I was fine in my 2mm. Still, take something warmer like a 5 just in case. It would be sad to spend that kind of money and end up with colder weather than anticipated. Just my .02.

 

[CharlieOneFour]

Happened to me a couple years ago. I just jumped on his back and held onto the dorsal fin. After he made 3 loops around the wreck he was pretty tired out. He didn't even move a muscle when I climbed off, just layed there on the bottom. They might look ferocious but they just don't have any stamina at all. Now I know why shark rodeos were never a thing.

 

[Nemrod]

Has there ever been a case where a scuba diver was attacked by a shark like one of the top three deadly ones the great white bull and tiger? Has there been a case where diver was able to defend himself or herself just with a dive knife?

I'm thinking a small spear would've worked better or an underwater stun gun

If you are afraid of sharks you might take up another sport, like hiking in brown bear country. Speaking of which, I would nearly rather take my chances with a shark than a brown. The only thing that has actually tried to eat me for earnest was a brown bear (Grizzly) in Montana. I am even before that paranoid in bear country and when I was hiking in Alaska I carried a 45-70 Marlin lever gun for camp protection.

You are not going to fight a shark with a knife, a Marlin 45-70 would do the trick but they are not considered submersible and they kick like a mule and are probably more dangerous on either end than the shark you are worried about. You do not need to have a worry of being eaten by a shark but if you have a mind to get munched on, rub bacon grease on you and take a hike in the Alaska outback. Well, the mosquitoes will probably suck the blood out of you before you even see a bear but at least when he finds your sucked dry carcass you will have a bacon seasoning.

I was attacked by a manatee once, caused quite the ruckus. Came out of nowhere. Sneaky devils they are. But I turned the table, quite literally on it, and had him for dinner instead, taste like chicken:

N

 

[UTscuba]

If you are afraid of sharks you might take up another sport, like hiking in brown bear country. Speaking of which, I would nearly rather take my chances with a shark than a brown. The only thing that has actually tried to eat me for earnest was a brown bear (Grizzly) in Montana. I am even before that paranoid in bear country and when I was hiking in Alaska I carried a 45-70 Marlin lever gun for camp protection.

I'm personally way more scared of cows than any other big animal. Cows kill on average 5 people per year in the UK alone:

Revealed: the most deadly large animal in the UK

 

[formernuke]

Deer are the most dangerous in the US.

 

[rongoodman]

I spotted your comment and was going to ask - is it possible to dive Cocos at that time of the year with only a 3 mm shorty.

I can't even imagine swimming through the thermoclines there with no more protection than that. In addition, on many of the dives you'll be stationary, tucked into the rocks near the cleaning stations waiting to see what comes by while trying to avoid the sea urchins.

 

[mcohen1021]

Happened to me a couple years ago. I just jumped on his back and held onto the dorsal fin. After he made 3 loops around the wreck he was pretty tired out. He didn't even move a muscle when I climbed off, just layed there on the bottom. They might look ferocious but they just don't have any stamina at all. Now I know why shark rodeos were never a thing.

Yeah! I did that too!

 

[Dan]

Never been there personally, but I hear that oceanic white tips attack divers periodically in Red Sea. If you search youtube, you will find a video of a pretty nasty attack on a German diver that occurred last winter I believe. They even stopped liveaboard trips to the area for a while.

I was there in December. You need to face it and be ready to shove your camera to its face, as shown in the beginning of the video, below. It sensed my readiness and it swerved to the right at about a couple feet away from my camera.

You also need to go vertical to show you are too big to be attacked.

There was a closed call of it trying to “test bump” the guy at just under the surface who got distracted by other Oceanic Whitetip.