Mandatory Dive protection for Shark dives.

[deco_martini]

Last time I checked, weren't shark meshes ineffective for very large sharks?

Pretend this is your head:
http://www.reefseekers.com/Ken pages/Camera-toting_Tiger_Shark_from_Paul_Krupela.jpg
Now imagine him squeezing his mouth shut (which has happened, however, the camera in this photo survived in tact)
There is a lot of crushing power in the jaws of a Bull or Tiger.

If the goal is to provide safety for people doing predator dives, I am not sure chain is effective since it protects from cuts.

 

[Nylorac]

Big pillows surrounding cars would be a good idea as they have a tendency to run into other things...

We really should outlaw and get a handle on bad weather... floods, lightening, tornados, maybe even require mandatory parkas and mittens to stop frost bite...

Seriously, there is some risk that comes with diving. When we add big animals with teeth the risk goes up. If you dont want risk dont dive- even with the best training possible there is risk. If one wants to reduce the risk of being bit on a shark dive the best plan would be to not do said shark dive. Even better- if one wants perfect safety there are many other activities- tiddlywinks, scrap-booking, watching TV, etc...

I would rather live before I die. (My head near big "predator" shark. Please note the lack of cage.)
-------

Now wait a minute - you could sustain a serious paper cut from scrap-booking activities, or get a tiddlywink tossed in your eye. Guess we need to outlaw those too.

 

[Nemrod]

You can make your own mesh suits. Do a google on chain mail. Probably not spelled right. I have a friend who does all that stufff for festivals. He makes suits using stainless wire (aluminum, copper etc), one loop at a time. He can make a suit in his spare time in about a week and they are very rugged. Swords, sharks probably just bounce off, unless they are really big.

N

 

[Jim Ernst]

We better invent some sort of bear suit for campers as every now and then the smell of bacon is too much for those furry beasts and some poor camper in a Coleman tent gets his head bit....

Heck, maybe we need some sort of mandatory dog cage since kids are mauled by dogs all the time..

BTW. If a big shark is comin' for ya, it dont matter what your cert level is.

That is very funny, Though very true to the point!!

Thanks for a great post and a good laugh!!

 

[Nomad]

Each individual is responsible for their own actions.

Unless an individual poses a risk to another individual, no government or any entity has any right to restrict their activities.

Sorry for sounding kinda libertarian.

Like I teach my kids, if you have the knowledge to make a choice, then make it.

Otherwise, defer to the wisdom of others.

Either way, the consequences belong to you.

 

[Scubagolf]

When did Long Beach start requiring snorkels?

It was Laguna Beach, California. Questionable on enforcement now, though.

 

[alcina]

Did he say "squid encounter" ???

 

[seibert.kyle]

While some people may think that protections should be mandatory, I think it would be a waste of time. If some people went throught all the trouble to get this made mandatory, who would regulate it? So far, I have never encountered the "scuba police" swimming around checking things out. If you feel that unsafe, dont go on the dive, or rent some sort of protection.

 

[gonetobaja]

Last time I checked, weren't shark meshes ineffective for very large sharks?

Pretend this is your head:
http://www.reefseekers.com/Ken pages/Camera-toting_Tiger_Shark_from_Paul_Krupela.jpg
Now imagine him squeezing his mouth shut (which has happened, however, the camera in this photo survived in tact)
There is a lot of crushing power in the jaws of a Bull or Tiger.

If the goal is to provide safety for people doing predator dives, I am not sure chain is effective since it protects from cuts.

Deco,

The shark in that pic must have not read the memo about not biting the divers. Looks like that camera was the last thing between him and a tourist.

As far as the protection goes, there are several suits available some made out of pure titanium rings. the rings on all of the suits are electricly welded together, each ring. There are thousands of rings in a suit. Each ring is made small enough to keep the tooth point from going through but big enough to not break from a hit. The thing about the suits is that the shark can taste that you have metal all over you. Also because the suit is so effective in preventing the teeth from cutting you the damage from a bite is kept to soft tissue damage, and strains from the odvious twisting from a hit. If you can defeat the cutting of the teeth the majority of sharks may shake you but they let go.

If a tiger were to grab you in a sharksuit, then they may very well break your arm or leg but you may get to go home with it. The welded rings of the mesh act like steel ligaments keeping your body together.

Did he say "squid encounter" ???

Only the ones that can bite a lemon size chunk out of you leg.....

 

[Zoomer]

Ok, let me get this straight. We had an incident where a diver was bitten in the leg accidentally because it was too close to a container of chum. If some of the speculation I've heard is true, the death may have had more to do with an embolism due to rapid ascent rather than the bite itself and loss of blood (has anyone confirmed or denied this?).

Based on this we'd consider mandatory shark protection gear? I don't think so. I hope not.

I've done dives with hundreds of sharks in many places throughout the world. Was there an element of fear at times? Yes. Were there ever any aggressive moves towards me? No.

How many of these same shark trips has the operator involved had over the years. How many of them involved no injury or death whatsoever?

Personally I think we should require huge safety nets that follow below every commercial airliner as it flies from point A to destination B. We know they occasionally fall out of the sky.

Doctors: Diver Attacked By Shark Bled To Death - Local News Story - WTVJ | Miami
MIAMI -- Doctors confirmed on Wednesday that a shark attack victim who died this week bled to death from his injuries.

Officials said Austrian tourist Markus Groh was on a cage-less shark expedition Sunday morning when he was bitten in Bahamian waters about 50 miles off Fort Lauderdale's coast.