The kind of question you'd expect a new diver to ask

[Porkfried]

So I'm content with believing that it's safe to chill with sharks.
I must ask though, does this apply to all sharks?
I feel as though if I were diving without safety equipment and a great white came up, I'd be pretty afraid.
And what about Oceanic Whitetips?
are there any sharks out there that will just straight up rip my face off?
Are all sharks safe to be around?

I define safe as: If I consistently dive with a certain type of shark for years, will it be likely to injure me at least once.

Are shark bites kind of normal things that divers get used to?

I've dived 24 times, sorry about the new-diver question.

 

[JJEH]

...sorry about the new-diver question.

Don't be sorry. There are no stupid questions out there...

I cannot tell you from my own experience because I'm still learn how to dive.

But there are some rules "how to interact" with sharks. Some "do & don'ts" you can find at sharkschool.

We "know" around 450 different species of sharks... I have no idea how much we don't know. The deeper you get the more different species you can find...

There is NO shark who comes straight into your face and rip your head off!

Sharks are over 400mio of years on this planet... it takes a lot of "evolution" to stay alive that long. If a shark is in his "hunting-mode" they don't attack their prey blindly because the prey can hurt the shark in their throes of death possibly causing injury to the shark and preventing him from hunting in the future.

Sharks are always dangerous on principle. Just like Lions, Tigers or any other predator...

If you see a behavior where the shark is "air-, water biting" (Gaping) - he/her is pissed and tell you to back up. Better you listen to this. Also if sharks jump out of the water. Than it's hunting time... so always be careful and read the behavior of a shark.

So if you are interested in a shark dive, look for a experienced operator out there. And may you wanna start with a cage... depends on the operator or rather what he/her offers...

And a pretty good graphic of "how to position facing a shark":

[source: sharkproject.org]

 

[diversteve]

<-- These guys are pretty safe (avatar)... Except watch for that tail.

 

[GregT943]

It depends on the sharks behavior and what you are doing. A lot of dive operations will abort their dive if they run into a great white, which is understandable. I have been diving with tigers and bulls a number of times (not on a shark feeding dive, big difference when you run into them naturally) and they generally didn't show any interest at all in us, and I find this is usually the case. The first time I saw a tiger it was a big 15 foot shark that came within a few meters of us and then just swam off. Just checked us out and then left. Generally they don't take an interest in you and are even quite skittish of divers.

Now if you are diving and a few oceanic white tips are circling you and are really taking an interest in you, then you should definitely think about getting out of the water. But if they simply swim by and take a quick look at you and then swim off, then I wouldn't be too worried. Although with Great Whites I would enjoy the siting but would really consider getting out of the water even if it was a brief encounter where the shark didn't show much interest. It really depends on their behavior.

Now if you are spear fishing and a great white, tiger, bull, oceanic white tip, etc. shows up, then you should get out of the water.

But sharks are essentially safe to be around and no shark will simply just attack you with no warning. There are always warning signs prior to a shark "attack" on a diver, its just up to the diver to take notice to those signs. Sharks need to be respected just like any other wild animal.

On a side note, I just watched the documentary Shark Water. It was really good, I recommend it.

 

[*dave*]

Are shark bites kind of normal things that divers get used to?

I've never been bitten by a shark, but I'd have to guess there aren't many folks who would consider it to be a normal thing. I've also got a pretty strong suspicion that those who have been bitten haven't really gotten used to it.

 

[GregT943]

I've never been bitten by a shark, but I'd have to guess there aren't many folks who would consider it to be a normal thing. I've also got a pretty strong suspicion that those who have been bitten haven't really gotten used to it.

yeah the only people who might get bitten from time to time are the people actually feeding the sharks on a shark dive. But thats why they wear those metal shark suits. Getting bit is definitely not a normal thing. I have never been bitten, and I don't think I have ever met a diver who has been bitten, only surfers.

 

[OfficetoOcean]

Diving with large predatory sharks is never safe but you can manage the sutuation to the best of your abilities and hope that you read the situation properly. The people who get bitten are neraly always the ones who are complacent and who believe their knowledge of sharks is greater than it actually is.

Incidentally, I am biteless thus far

 

[Lee Taylor]

I suggest you start studying the different types of sharks, their adult sizes, and their behaviors. I will help you by noting the three top sharks to PAY attention to, in my opinion, are the Bull, the Tiger, and the Great White.

You will eventually see "a shark" if you dive long enough. I was looking for sharks to photograph last season. I only saw one. He turned and disappeared moments after he saw me.

As a general rule, sharks are very interested in people, but most of the time not for feeding purposes.