Meeting up with sharks

[GraemeC]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section, feel free to move it.

The main thing right now that is holding me back from diving is sharks. I was just wondering if you have ever run into them?.... Is running into a shark during a dive a common occurance? The reason I ask this is that I am scared to death of sharks and dont think i would probably freak out if i ever saw one during a dive -_-.... may sound like a bit of a sissy but sharks and bears are not my friends (and since i dont have to worry about finding bears underwater... ya) Guess im also wondering what you do if you run into a shark during a dive.....

 

[Cacia]

One of my biggest fears used to be sharks. Now, I love it. You probably will not see one for quite a while, depending on where you dive. My advice would be to do a shark dive in a place like Tahiti or Palau and just get totaly over it in one dive, it is very liberating. Then you realize how they are not interested in you.

 

[craborn]

I can understand what you are saying. I do not dive in the ocean very often because of where I live but the first time I did I was in the Phillippines and I was surrounded in a ball of Baracuda. I looked at the dive master and he said it was ok so I just hovered. I knew they could but there was not reason for them to. I am not on their food chain. I would never tell you it will be ok but from what I have read there are very few if any attacks on divers. COme dive in the lake with us mud divers hehe Clay

 

[duckster3d]

continue diving and enjoy one of natures wonders.

 

[GraemeC]

allright thanks guys.. maybe its just hollywood putting negative images in my head.. but whenever i picture sharks, i picture huge fish with extreamly large teeth comming to eat me up -_-.. haha sounds stupid and silly but thats the way it is with me... maybe i will do what you suggest and do a shark dive -- just there is no way i would be brave enough to do it if i wasnt in one of thoes cage things..

 

[photohikedive]

I hope David A. doesn't mind me crossthreading his post, but, if you were to talk to him about his shark experiences, maybe you would be able to confront your fear. Take a look at this thread.....

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=132354

 

[duckster3d]

OH and here is one of my favorite pics. i took all of these out in openwater swimming with the sharks.

I use this one as my background for my laptop computer. keeps people away lol

 

[GraemeC]

*gulp*
would keep me away duckster :|... haha thanks for the link.. i'll start reading that.

 

[realdiver7]

It depends on where you dive as to how often you may see sharks, but I didn't see a shark for my first 3 summers of diving in waters where I knew they were, and I am strictly an ocean diver. I was actually disappointed because I had always heard of the thrill of seeing them.

I have only been approached with slightly aggressive behavior by sharks whenever I had been spearfishing for a while, and had several bleeding fish on a stringer, with plenty of blood in the water. The sharks clearly followed the blood trails under me and gradually made their way towards my STRINGER, which was floating along behind me. I never felt like I was personally in any danger. Lesson learned...don't spearfish in their territory, and don't compete with them for THEIR food.

To make a long story short, you are not on their menu, they are wonderful photo opportunities, it is fascinating to watch them in their natural environment, and consider yourself fortunate to see them. I have been head-to-head with some big ones, but curiosity, excitement and amazement overtook my feelings and I always enjoy the experience. Consider yourself lucky when you see them, keep your camera nearby, and respect them because you are a visitor in their domain. You've also earned your divers' bragging rights after you encounter one for the fiirst time, and non-divers will always ask you about your "great" shark stories!

I have attached some pics of some large, menacing looking, but very gentle and docile sand tigers (8-12 ft. long) at my favorite dive site at 85 ft. Many of these encounters were head-to-head, but fun! When you look at the pics, keep in mind that I purposely made dives at this site because I knew I could photograph sand tigers. These were not random, chance encounters.

 

[Damselfish]

Some places are known for sharks, and people spend lots of money to get to those places just to see them. Most places (including most popular places in the Carribean) you see few or none and it makes people's day to get to see one. Even if you spot one you have to get lucky to get close, usually they swim away. Most problems you hear about are with swimmers splashing around at the surface like wounded seals. Divers are noisy with all those bubbles and don't look like food.