3 Tiger Sharks...Honolua shut down

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Otter:
Oh come on....by the look of those photos, Tiger Sharks are just big puppies....

Otter, I agree with you that puppy claim was pretty absurd. You have to admit those are still amazing pictures. I think you can dive with tigers as long as you're cautious and don't let your guard down. That echeng website has a ton of good pics if you explore the entire site. Bottom line tigers aren't cold blooded killers but they are FAR from puppies.
 
robbcayman:
Otter, I agree with you that puppy claim was pretty absurd. You have to admit those are still amazing pictures. I think you can dive with tigers as long as you're cautious and don't let your guard down. That echeng website has a ton of good pics if you explore the entire site. Bottom line tigers aren't cold blooded killers but they are FAR from puppies.

Actually I am not convinced you can safely dive with Tigers. Being cautious and not letting your guard down implies to me that should they become agressive, you can take action to protect yourself. Short of the weapons mentioned above, which I woudn't carry....if a Tiger decides its time to eat and he/she decides you are food...you don't stand a chance.

I do agree that Tigers are NOT cold-blooded killers....that implies some lack of morals or ethics on their part. They are programmed to eat, crap, and make baby Tigers. If a diver fits into that plan, then they aren't being cold blooded, just doing what comes natural to them. Its the realization that we are in their space and really not all that well prepared.

That being said, I'd love to be able to shoot video of a Tiger and be able to brag about afterwards...all in one piece....they are beautiful creatures.
 
Otter:
Actually I am not convinced you can safely dive with Tigers. ....they are beautiful creatures.

This month's (June 2005) Reader's Digest had a rather horrifying example of when the limits on interaction with wildlife are pushed. The basic story began with the development of a Jane Goodall-type infatuation with Alaskan bears by a self-taught naturalist from California. He got to the point of naming individual bears and feeling that he had an "understanding" with them. Then came the fateful season of poor berry supplies and overcrowded salmon runs, the signs of which which he ignored because he "understood" them. The end result was he and his girlfriend being lunched, the sounds of which were recorded by the video camera that the girlfriend had turned on during the inital attack.

As I've mentioned in other threads, after having handled the shredded equipment from a notorious fatal attack on a diver at Kahe in the late 80's, I'll never mess with any tiger. (The incident is mentioned in the book "Rescue in Paradise; Oahu's Beaches and Their Guardians" by David Doyle.) For Hawaiians, some sharks including tigers are 'aumakua (family guardians) and are revered. But even Hawaiians recognize that sometimes 'aumakua go bad and must be dealt with.

Enjoy the scenery but respect the turf.
 
And to think I've been looking for the local reef shark in honolua bay for some time now ... As much as I enjoy watching sharks while diving, I'm not so sure I want to go looking for 6 tigers... I wonder if any of the turtles are left in the bay?

Tim
 
kidspot:
And to think I've been looking for the local reef shark in honolua bay for some time now ... As much as I enjoy watching sharks while diving, I'm not so sure I want to go looking for 6 tigers... I wonder if any of the turtles are left in the bay?

Tim
We did see a couple of younger turtles surfacing while the tigers were prowling the bay. Those huge turtles were down in their holes.

Fun stuff.
 
There are primarily two trains of thought regarding dangerous sharks. Eric Ritters thought who believed that bull sharks were misunderstood and kind (that's why he got attacked) Then there are those who are terrified to even see a shark. Like most things in life there is a middle of the road approach which is where I stand. Many divers have dove with Tigers without a cage and have not become lunch. I am not recommending that everyone try this because they are still wild creatures just use common sense.
 
bluemagoo:
This month's (June 2005) Reader's Digest had a rather horrifying example of when the limits on interaction with wildlife are pushed. The basic story began with the development of a Jane Goodall-type infatuation with Alaskan bears by a self-taught naturalist from California. He got to the point of naming individual bears and feeling that he had an "understanding" with them. Then came the fateful season of poor berry supplies and overcrowded salmon runs, the signs of which which he ignored because he "understood" them. The end result was he and his girlfriend being lunched, the sounds of which were recorded by the video camera that the girlfriend had turned on during the inital attack.

As I've mentioned in other threads, after having handled the shredded equipment from a notorious fatal attack on a diver at Kahe in the late 80's, I'll never mess with any tiger. (The incident is mentioned in the book "Rescue in Paradise; Oahu's Beaches and Their Guardians" by David Doyle.) For Hawaiians, some sharks including tigers are 'aumakua (family guardians) and are revered. But even Hawaiians recognize that sometimes 'aumakua go bad and must be dealt with.

Enjoy the scenery but respect the turf.

Alaska Magazine was quick to jump on the story and point out what an idiot that guy was before some feel good tree hugger type decided to make a "hero" out of him. He was disturbing the course of nature and it was only a matter of time untill he was bear lunch....
 
Well they are still keeping people out of Honolua and surrounding beaches. Fleming is closed too. They suspect a fisherman overfilled his nets and dumped the dead and dying fish in the bay where the Tigers came in to feed. And boy are they feeding.

Other rumors have someone going around to dive sites dumping these fish out of anger. Who knows.

Someone on one of the south beaches reported being bumped by a shark. So they were out looking for sharks down there too. I'm not so sure I believe that one or the vengeful fisherman story.
 
robbcayman:
There are primarily two trains of thought regarding dangerous sharks. Eric Ritters thought who believed that bull sharks were misunderstood and kind (that's why he got attacked) Then there are those who are terrified to even see a shark. Like most things in life there is a middle of the road approach which is where I stand. Many divers have dove with Tigers without a cage and have not become lunch. I am not recommending that everyone try this because they are still wild creatures just use common sense.
And it's probably the "terrified" ones that will get munched on.

Like most animals, sharks can sense fear -- this is something that says "easy lunch". There are some common rules with sharks, just like bears:

1) don't pee in your wetsuit (ok, well that one doesn't apply to bears so much)
2) avoid direct eye contact
3) when they start acting wierd, keep them in sight, but get out of there.
4) don't panic.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

Back
Top Bottom