Who has seen this shark????

[Code Monkey]

I've heard that the lists typically have some problems. Many people see a big shark and erroneously label it as a great white. On the other hand, many many swimmers disappear in shallow, murky rivers and, while experts agree that this was probably a bull shark attack, the deaths go unreported. I believe that many estimates put bulls as having killed more people than any other type of shark.

Not that great whites are all warm and fuzzy. A different interpretation of that "sample" bite is that they come out of nowhere, deliver one devastating bite, hang back and avoid all the flailing while their lunch dies, then re-approach to feed.

That said, I've dived with bulls on two occasions and, at no time, did I feel like I was in any danger (was a bit of a rush, though). Sharks *very* rarely attack divers.

 

[isurus]

What are the odds of seing an Qceanic Whitetip while diving? I thought they lived in really deep water in the open Ocean (hence the name!)

Depends where you dive. As Bruce pointed out if you dive the blue water reefs off Egypt like Elphinstone Daedalus or the Brothers the chances are pretty good (although irritatingly i never seem to see one - its becoming my bogey shark). I think there are places off Hawaii where they can be seen too. At one point the Oceanic whitetip was considered the most common large predator on the planet so if you go to the right places they can and will show up.

Nice video btw Bruce (although that Napoleon looked a bit grabby for my liking!).

 

[vipergts75]

Hey! I am kinda new here, but i dove with Bull sharks in Costa Rica (off Bat island i believe) The visibility was poor, and there was nothing more awe-inspiring and terrifying at the same time than seeing a large shadow come towards you, then as it approached, seeing that it was a large Bull shark. They swam right by us, one went right by my head and I barely saw it until its teeth were right next to me!! It was the best dive I have ever been on. I really want to dive with great whites though, but my parents (I am only 18, was 16 at the time of the Bull shark dive) say that “if I want to get myself killed, I will have to move out of the house and take the trip myself!” slightly melodramatic, and yet,, I am a poor university student, so sadly, the white sharks will have to wait….

 

[RadRob]

Personally I wouldn't rate Sand Tigers so high. They look fierce, but those are fish eating teeth. I have dived with lots of these lots of times on Protea and Aliwal shoals in South Africa. They are sluggish, like a nurse shark.
My top four would be Tigers, Bulls, Oceanic Whitetips and Great Whites. Not in any specific order as it would depend on the situation. Oceanics have the reputation for feasting out after ship wrecks and when you are in the water they come up really close and sometimes bump you to see if you are food. Tigers tend to ignore divers, but if one got interested in me I would not be a happy bunny. Bulls snatch at white flashes in turbid water, so occasionally get a human calf, which they usually spit out. GWs are an enigma, our image of them comes from cage diving and chumming. Yet many divers who have had natural encounters describe them as being nervous. I have yet to encounter one but have dived with the other three.

Requiem shark is a generic term used to define a whole group of sharks including bulls, tigers and blacktips.

As Bruce points out oceanic whitetip is a must on any list of "potentially dangerous" sharks due to its feeding style. The tigers I've seen have been very cautious around anything blowing bubbles for some reason. Sand tigers/raggies are pretty mellow and enjoyable to dive with - as a big animal they need to be treated with respect but I certainly wouldn't worry about them at all. They seem happy chilling in their cave for the most part.

I am not the one who made the list or put them in order. I give national geographic the credit for that. I would think they have some knowledge of what they are talking about, but I am not certain.

 

[sharky60]

I remember when the white shark pick in Molokini was posted it caused quite a sturr, I was frankly supprised that seening one in Maui waters was rare as in the winter they frequent the North Shore of Oahu, the 2 islands aren't that far apart. Especially when you think about how far whites migrate throughout the year.

I have always told people that a Great White dive would be the ultimate for me. I'm a shark freak, obviously, that's how I go my nickname, and diving with sharks was one of my top motivations for becomming a scuba diver.

 

[Cacia]

This friend of mine was freediving at night in bad viz and something passed right if front of him that was too big to be in his field of vision. He said he thinks it was a big shark, cause all he saw were gill slits about 8 inches apart! Yikes.

 

[sharky60]

... freediving at night in bad viz...

Just that part of it gives me the willies! then add 8" gill slits to the equation!

Yikes, indeed!

 

[Code Monkey]

Where have you dived with oceanic whitetips? I'd *love* to see one of those.

I haven't seen tigers or great whites but I'm planning Bahamian and South African trips to see them.

 

[isurus]

Where have you dived with oceanic whitetips? I'd *love* to see one of those.

http://www.divernet.com/biolog/0705whitetip.shtml
http://www.divernet.com/travel2/1204redsea.shtml
http://www.emperordivers.com/enews/000011.html

 

[astn]

Bull's are indeed dangerous. Below is a list of the top 7 dangerous sharks, in order from most dangerous (white) and least dangerous (hammerhead).

White, tiger, bull, sand tiger, blacktip, requiem sharks, and great hammerheads.

Mako doesn't make the list? I thought they were pretty dangerous.

Tigers will eat you, 'cuz Tigersharks eat anything ... there's a great documentary on PBS that has a guy listing all the things that have been found in a Tiger's belly. It includes things like concrete, plastic buoys, license plates ... they realize it tastes bad, but eat it anyway 'cuz they can. On a fear factor, they are pretty high, but I worry less about these then other sharks, mostly because you'll almost never see them--and when you do, it's because they are choosing to let you see them. If they attack you'll never see it coming.

Bull sharks scare the crap out of me, but recently while I was diving in Key Largo I spotted a couple of them off the Duane, and when I mentioned this to the divemaster on the boat, it was no big deal. Which is different from my last experience in the Keys where I saw a 'nurse shark' and my buddy and I were suddenly the last divers in the water ... but my identification skills have since improved. My understanding is they are not so much hungry as mean, they don't attack to eat you, they just attack 'cuz they don't like you. I've been wrong though.

Blacktip Reef Sharks are considered dangerous? They are definitely inquisitive, but the only time I was uncomfortable with them was lobstering ... but even then the whitetips were suddenly trying to be very friendly.

A shark that didn't make the list is the Galapagos shark, and in my experience, they are sort've scary. I can't particularly say they are dangerous, but there were a lot of them, are aggressive, and looked scary as hell.

I'd love to see a white underwater though if I was in their waters I'd pack a bang stick. I think cages are more useful if you're chumming, but I'd rather see them naturally.