Sharks and your experiences

[scubaculture]

Hey guys

What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word shark?

What experiences have you had with sharks in the open ocean?

What do you think needs to be done to change public perception?

So many questions, good thing it's not a Monday

 

[drbill]

I get excited. We don't see as many sharks around Catalina as I did 30 years ago. What a shame. Mostly we see horn, swell, angel or leopard sharks with the occasional soupfins. Of course there are great whites in our waters, but divers rarely see them.

I've dived with sharks in locations including soCal, Thailand, Australia, Fiji, Tahiti, Belize, Honduras, Sea of Cortez, etc. Never had a bad experience with them.

The public should learn we are a much greater hazard to them than they are to us. They need to understand the importance of sharks and other apex predators in marine ecosystems.

Doc

 

[Coogeeman]

I crept up on a 2m (6ft) Angel Shark once as it was resting on the bottom and lay close to it for a few minutes before taking my glove off to touch it. I was going through a tactile stage.

Bad move!

It took off faster than a speeding bullet and then turned around as if to say “I’ll teach you a lesion” and came right at me, ducking down and away to my right and then slamming itself into my BCD just below my right armpit. Luckily its teeth are not sharp, they use them for crushing crabs and crays, and when it eventually got tired of shaking me like a rag doll I had a hell of a bruise to show for it.

I grew out of my tactile stage very quickly after that.

Coogeeman

 

[draco]

After 4 years of scuba, last week was my frst time with a shark. At that moment all feelings got mixed up. I was happy, excited and scared at the same time. watching such a beautiful animal swimming in its enviroment, while I'm there dressed like an unlucky astronaut, with no possibilities whatsoever to even getting close to the beauty of its movements underwater.
I kept my distance, but I refreained myself strongly to go there and swim with it!

Dive Safe!
Paolo

 

[matt_unique]

Hey guys

What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word shark?

What experiences have you had with sharks in the open ocean?

What do you think needs to be done to change public perception?

So many questions, good thing it's not a Monday

First thing I think of is "Where is it?!?!? I want to see it!". I have seen Nurse, Whitetip Reef, and Spiny Dogfish sharks while diving in various locations. The biggest one I have ever seen was at Northwest Drift in the Gulf of Papagayo (Costa Rica). I approached this Whitetip Reef shark looking through my camera lense (makes things looks smaller of course). When the shark filled the sight I snapped the picture. When I pulled the camera away from my face I was honestly spooked. I was right on top of this 6-7' shark and his only way out was through me (he was laying in the sand against a wall). I backed off slowly while facing the shark until I was a good distance away to then turn and return to my dive group.

I have had some great experiences with Spiny Dogfish here in Massachusetts as well. Once at Halfway Rock there were three of these sharks approaching me. I was at the deepest point of Halfway for the locals in 105' of water. The two smaller sharks veered off to the side. The biggest one did not alter course. It came straight for me (not aggressively) as it approached I rolled onto my back and watched this shark swim right over me. I could have reached out and touched it if I wanted to. That was perhaps my best shark encounter ever. These sharks are small - this one was about 4' tops.

--Matt

 

[DBailey]

Hey guys

What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word shark?

What experiences have you had with sharks in the open ocean?

What do you think needs to be done to change public perception?

So many questions, good thing it's not a Monday

Like others, I get excited when I hear the word shark.

In my short diving career, I have seen hammerhead and reef sharks. My best experience was about a 10 ft. hammerhead did a swim by to check us out. It started about 150 feet away (below as well), and it came within 20 feet of us at our depth. I swear it winked at me Then it just swam out into the blue.

Like many aspects of life, the public needs to be educated by methods other than Hollywood.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word shark?

My first thought is "where"? And my second thought is "can I get there before it leaves?'

What experiences have you had with sharks in the open ocean?

I went thru my tactile stage by hugging a nurse shark in Belize. OK ... I was a new diver and really didn't know better. I'd never do that now.

I've also seen, and swam reasonably close to white tip reef sharks in Bali and Maui.

I've had a few close encounters with six-gill sharks here in the northwest ... a couple where I had an opportunity to swim alongside the shark (within a few feet) for 2 to 4 minutes at a time.

It's exhilarating to swim with these animals ... but you still have to respect that they are wild animals and leave them a reasonable space and a way to leave if they so choose.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[DeputyDan]

The first word that comes to mind is misunderstood.

Also - leave them alone. It's the smart thing to do!!!

 

[RIDIVER501]

What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word shark?

Wheres my camera?

What experiences have you had with sharks in the open ocean?

Always Positive. Only had one shark ever get mildly aggressive but he was a tiger shark, but they are know for their cheery disposition.

What do you think needs to be done to change public perception?

Educate. get the media to stop sensationalizing incidents with sharks (and other marine life) and actually do some responsible factual reporting for a change.

So many questions, good thing it's not a Monday

good thing it isn't monday morning but I do need another coke for My vitamin C fix

 

[CBulla]

I've seen so few sharks that I hardly believe they exist. I've intentionally done dives in areas which bulls and hammers are known to frequent with the end result being no sightings. Other places I've been have yeilded the same result. Those sharks which I have had the opportunity to observe in the wild have had that captivating effect that only an apex preditor being in proximity to another apex can provide.