aggressive sharks on decompression stop

[bell47]

The waters where I dive are known to have large sharks in the late summer and fall. Makos and an occasional great white are here that time of year(not to mention blues, porbeagles, and threshers). What would you guys do while on a deco stop and had a large shark nearby. What if it acted interested in you? What if it got aggressive acting? Would you shorten your stops and risk being bent? skip some stops? Make all stops and hope he doesn't nibble on you? I'm new to deco diving, but this diving will put me further offshore where these guys swim so I'm curious. Are there any general rules for dealing with sharks on deco stops? Thanks guys.

 

[H2O 70]

Weigh the options. What is likely going to kill or hurt you...a shark or getting bent?

Statistically a lot more SCUBA divers die from getting bent vs. being bit by a shark.

I'd stay in the water and make sure you have plenty of buddies with you...give the shark options.

 

[dpwrkK5]

Sharks do three things: survive, eat, reproduce; in that order of importance. Because of that they always go after the easiest meal. The less effort, the less risk, the better.
A noisy, dark, bubble blowing creature will not appear easy.

That and I only ever see sharks while spearfishing.

 

[Wantonmien]

The waters where I dive are known to have large sharks in the late summer and fall. Makos and an occasional great white are here that time of year(not to mention blues, porbeagles, and threshers). What would you guys do while on a deco stop and had a large shark nearby. What if it acted interested in you? What if it got aggressive acting? Would you shorten your stops and risk being bent? skip some stops? Make all stops and hope he doesn't nibble on you? I'm new to deco diving, but this diving will put me further offshore where these guys swim so I'm curious. Are there any general rules for dealing with sharks on deco stops? Thanks guys.

bell47 - definetly do the safety stops, as without them you are almost certainly going to suffer, whereas the chance of an aggresive shark fancying you for a snack during your deco stop are probably only marginaly higher than they had been through the duration of your dive.

Must admit whilst doing a safety stop at 5m off the Oz barrier reef and seeing 4 sharks circling about 15m directly below us and gradually getting closer - that I began to wonder if I 'really needed' the safety stop my computer was telling me I should take - but convinced mysef that sharks had been in the water all the time I had.

keep safe

 

[Kevrumbo]

Be Careful What You Wish For. . .

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Always wanted to see an "Apex Predator"; after this past encounter, I don't care to ever see one again in the open water. Simply stated: saw the "Resident 9-footer" outside Honokohau Harbor in Kona, The Big Island. It just so happened I was doing my last checkout dive for my Advanced Trimix Cert., in 150 feet of water --with a significant and mandatory Deco Obligation to clear. My Instructor and I found shelter in a nearby upsloping reef as we made our gas switch at 70 feet. The Tiger Shark only reappeared once, and then swam off into the blue-- my Instructor & I then doing continuous Helicopter Turns guarding each other's back side, as we completed our Deco Stops. Longest 20 minutes in my lifetime, never ever been that terrified before in my entire Diving Experience. Upon getting back on the boat, the Instructor says, "Wow that was cool! --too bad we didn't get to see the 14-footer as well . . .!!!"

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/1261810-post38.html

 

[JustinW]

I think the diver probably meant, "What do I do on a safety stop should a shark become aggressive?"

Self defense would be my suggestion. All sorts of gadgets you could try from an air blaster to a power head. A burst of air bubbles may be enough.

 

[humanbeing]

I'm a noob, but perhaps having the dive knife at the ready would be the most prudent thing. That tiny thing will be no match for a ten footer, but it's better than nothing. Even with the risk of having it backfire and prompting them to be more agressive, I'd rather have that knife than not have it.

On a related note, check out this close (but harmless) encounter this wreck diver had with a shark. Bet he had to change his diaper after that one! Section of interest is at 3:30:

Night Dive - 18 Fathom on Vimeo

 

[mikeguerrero]

I'm a noob, but perhaps having the dive knife at the ready would be the most prudent thing. That tiny thing will be no match for a ten footer, but it's better than nothing. Even with the risk of having it backfire and prompting them to be more agressive, I'd rather have that knife than not have it.

On a related note, check out this close (but harmless) encounter this wreck diver had with a shark. Bet he had to change his diaper after that one! Section of interest is at 3:30:

Night Dive - 18 Fathom on Vimeo

Thanks for sharing the video... As a diver that has taken a few steps into the DIR community, I have seen the backwards kick and proper use of them.

I was shocked when he shined his HID at the shark, he thought that would deter it, must of sent electrical signals to investigate.

Talk about nervous as you see him first swipe the light several times at his face and his mouth, shark still comes, then he has to do a back kick .

I have seen video of the back kick for drills, but never would I think I'd see video of a dir diver back kicking from a large shark.

I was very impressed and a little startled.... Once again thanks for sharing....

MG

 

[Thalassamania]

Back in 1992 I was diving as pivot diver on a blue-water night dive off Bermuda. There were two collecting scientists and a National Geographic cinematographer with me on the dive. About 25 minutes into the dive I saw a large shark (probably C. longimanus). It came toward me and I pushed it away with my light. I pulled on the tethers to signal the other divers and the shark went toward the photographer. He saw it and, of course, began filming. The other two divers followed the plan for such incidents. They detached their tethers, came in to me and then released their tethers. I dropped my tether and signaled them to surface. The three of us ascended, facing outward, at a normal rate. I watched the shark and photographer. The shark turned toward us and circled around us near the surface. I dropped a "Dietzman Death Square" that I carried for such occasions, the shark followed it as it sank. I told the two divers to enter the zodiac. As they clambered into the boat the shark came right back up, but stopped at the photographer, who, of course, began filming again. I dove back down to the photographer. When I got to him the shark had gone back toward the surface and was directly above us. I dropped the photographer's tether, we ascended back to back, the shark swam off about 20 feet and was just at the limit of my light. I waited until the camera was in the boat and the photographer was starting to climb aboard. I dropped another Death Square and as the shark dove after it, I quickly followed him aboard.

Greg Dietzman, a tech at WHOI got the idea that sharks would follow little squares (maybe 3x3 inches) of galvanized sheet metal, and it worked, at least long enough for us to get back in the boat. They became know as "Dietzman Death Squares." We've had good luck in the open ocean with them.

 

[H2O 70]

I'm a noob, but perhaps having the dive knife at the ready would be the most prudent thing. That tiny thing will be no match for a ten footer, but it's better than nothing. Even with the risk of having it backfire and prompting them to be more agressive, I'd rather have that knife than not have it.

On a related note, check out this close (but harmless) encounter this wreck diver had with a shark. Bet he had to change his diaper after that one! Section of interest is at 3:30:

Night Dive - 18 Fathom on Vimeo

Sandtigers. You'll see a lot of them off the wrecks in NC. I've definitely had them that close in the day as well. Curious lot. Rather docile.