Shark Diving while Menstrating?

[diverdoug1]

You go fishing for sharks? I hope you use circular hooks and put them back afterwards, cos just exactly what the world's very seriously depleted shark population needs is somebody to hoik another one out of the water for no particular reason. Forgive me, I don't know you, but if you're tagging and tracking all is well and good.

Bull sharks have attacked people for no good reason, men/women/bleeding or not. It may be defensive or territorial. They are potentially agressive animals and it has recently been postulated that female bulls will - unlike other sharks - defend their pups.

The general consensus from research referred to above is that menstruating women have no more chance of attracting sharks than a diver wearing yellow fins. Some people suggest that urinating in the water attracts sharks as well - for those that like to pee in their wetsuits. If menstruating women caused shark attacks I would not have as many female colleagues as I do.

So - if you are capable of diving during your period - do so. The only equipment you need to bring when you are diving with sharks is a camera.

Cheers,

C.

I do use circle, hooks, but I practice filet and release. Blacktip is one of my favorites to eat (one about 3'-4' in length, steaked out, and blackened on the BBQ is best). Our shark fishery in south Florida is healthy and well regulated. I release the other shark species I catch, but my target species is Blacktip (YUM YUM).

 

[lemondiver]

ok, I think the men answering the post may be a bit confused........when you menstrate you are not "gushing" blood, it usually stops in water and you would be using a tampon. Oh and on the fin color there's a reason it's called yum yum yellow and most shark dive trips require you not wear bright neon colors, the light glints on it and does attrack attention. Blues tend to like to nip bright colors too.

 

[TechBlue]

Actually, the menstrual blood does not attract sharks because it is kind of a dead blood, i.e. the shark can feel it's not someone bleeding from a wound.

Relax and enjoy

be weird or anything but I wonder if that has been tested?

Why would chumming work to attract sharks? It would seem to me that the blood etc used for chumming would be "dead".

I'm certainly no shark expert but I wonder if sharks are actually drawn to blood as we have been led to believe or is there something different that actually draws them to chum or injured animals.

Good point chumming uses fish blood, human blood does not mean anything to a shark.

ratherbediving,

Relax and enjoy your honeymoon and your diving

Chris

 

[aku321]

I cut my finger on a wreck dive once and it was gushing blood. Back on the boat I tried to patch it up but they olny had cheap bandaids and I needed stiches. The second dive was on a reef and there was a shark there. I looked at my finger, which continued to bleed, then at the shark wondering if I was going to get eaten. The shark didn't care. Now if I was on a actual shark dive where they get the sharks in by chuming and they are excited I think it might be different.

 

[diverdoug1]

ok, I think the men answering the post may be a bit confused........when you menstrate you are not "gushing" blood, it usually stops in water and you would be using a tampon. Oh and on the fin color there's a reason it's called yum yum yellow and most shark dive trips require you not wear bright neon colors, the light glints on it and does attrack attention. Blues tend to like to nip bright colors too.

Lemondiver, would that non-gushing blood be "oil-based" "dead" blood?

 

[sailingk8]

I do use circle, hooks, but I practice filet and release. Blacktip is one of my favorites to eat (one about 3'-4' in length, steaked out, and blackened on the BBQ is best). Our shark fishery in south Florida is healthy and well regulated. I release the other shark species I catch, but my target species is Blacktip (YUM YUM).

As a Marine scientist maybe you can tell me how many parts per million of methylmercury Blacktip Shark filets contain?

 

[ShakaZulu]

Pretty interesting, looks like a lot of BS responses to me...go dive, and let us know what happens

PS. Dead blood, can you explain that to me again

 

[diverdoug1]

As a Marine scientist maybe you can tell me how many parts per million of methylmercury Blacktip Shark filets contain?

Sorry Sailingk8, I don't have a source for mercury tissue levels in the smaller sharks we eat, but it is supposed to be close to the levels found in other slower growing predators of similar size (such as Wahoo, or Swordfish). We usually try to limit our consumption to 2 servings per month of shark/mackeral/wahoo/swordfish. One of the highest levels of methylmercury in comonly consumed seafood in the US is sushi grade tuna. Everything in moderation. Bon Apetit. P.S. please pass along your favorite Blacktip recipe (I sear mine with louisanne cajun seasoning, and sprinkle on montreal seasoning and lemon pepper).

 

[Belmont]

According to statistics Ratherbediving has 47% chances of being divorced because she was married 7 years ago when she posted.

Now I'm kidding, maybe she can tell us what happened during her honeymoon (divewise I mean)