Why the fear of Great White sharks?

[k374]

Besides the reef sharks that I have seen numerous times I have also dove in an aquarium with hammerheads and tiger sharks. These sharks appeared very shy and generally tried to keep a good distance from me. They didn't seem any threat whatsoever.

What is it that differentiates the Great White? Why are cages often used to dive with them? Do they have a much different temperament than Tigers and Hammerheads that make them more dangerous?

 

[drbill]

Actually I'd probably be more afraid of a tiger shark based on my encounters with both species.

When I moved to Catalina in the late 60s I had several fears: great white sharks, flying, lightning and Hells Angels. After diving here for over 40 years, great white sharks are no longer a fear. If they haven't "gotten" me by now, I doubt they'll be too interested now that I'm aging into a frail old geezer. Besides, I've had them swim past me underwater without showing other than a passing interest as they headed towards the sea lion colony further up the coast! And I do not mind flying... especially if there is a good dive location as the destination!

On the other hand I have been bumped while kayaking by a huge (estimated at 22' based on our 18' kayak) tiger shark in the Sea of Cortez that looked me straight in the eye as it approached. It was a rather chilling experience.

 

[ScubaFeenD]

The great white terror that you always see on TV is a horrible portrayal of an amazing animal IMHO. After chumming the water they work these predators up into a frenzy and then capture images of them voraciously feeding (they dont attack, they feed; thanks drbill), which they then market as pictures of a great killer. Its horrible, and doesnt capture how amazingly adapted these animals truly are-they are just a set of swimming teeth. They are sterotyped as mindless (or mindful) killers that just want blood blood blood, and that depiction simply isn't true.

That being said, there are some tours out there that now allow swimming with great whites without chumming, and as a result you can actually leave the cage to "interact" with them.

Needless to say, I am in awe of them, but not terrified. I would be cautious around them though, but I usually am around any large marine animal.

 

[Peter_C]

Probably because they accidentally bite more people around the North Coast than other sharks. Surfers are at the highest risk.

 

[jet126]

I'm not an expert, but I have attended a few lectures regarding sharks.

Whites are incredibly intelligent (more so than most dog breeds) and like all sharks, very curious about us humans. In order to understand something they will "touch" with their mouths. Since a white is powerfully strong, their "touch" is usually enough to sever a limb.

Most shark fatalities are not from an all-out attack - it's a curious test bite that results in the victim bleeding to death.

That being said, we are in their environment and should absolutely give them the awe and respect they deserve. Sharks are at the top of the food chain and Whites at the top of the shark chain - And so need to be treated as such.

 

[drrich2]

Besides the reef sharks that I have seen numerous times I have also dove in an aquarium with hammerheads and tiger sharks.

Since you mentioned this was in an aquarium, let me confirm; you did mean TIGER sharks, not SAND TIGER sharks? Big difference.

Adult great whites are very physically intimidating from what I see in photos & video. A huge animal, well-known as an apex predator, very powerful, with a huge mouth with multiple rows of large serrated teeth in jaws capable of immense crushing force, those strange black eyes that seem to have no iris, fast and stealthy in the water, and of course most of us at one time or another have seen simulated human attacks or recreations (Jaws movies, etc...) or watched footage of great whites in chummed waters, or breaching for sea lions off South Africa. A sea lion is a pretty good stand-in for a human, size-wise I'd think, and on t.v. they do show that seen from below there's a resemblance (especially if you're on a surf board).

Also consider that people don't like the thought of helplessness and panic while being attacked. If a shark did attack 'Jaws style,' swimming by biting hunks or biting you and shaking, imagine those rows of serrated teeth tearing into your skin, fat, muscle and organs, salt water rushing into the wounds, water getting in your mouth and throat, while you're screaming and thrashing in mind-blasting fear and unimaginable pain.

It's rare, but it does capture the imagination a bit, enough to make great whites the feature monster on lots of horror movies.

Remember; bathrooms kill far more humans than lightening bolts, but what scares people the most; thunderstorms or taking a shower?

Richard.

P.S.: I would love to cage dive with great whites, which would still be anxiety provoking, but deliberately getting into the water with a big one swimming around where I could see it and no cage? No. You can give a nice intellectual lecture on the irrationality of it, and I'm still not hopping in the water with a 16' great white and no cage. Diving off the coast of California knowing one might swim by without you knowing it would be one thing; deliberately getting in the water with one would be something else.

 

[ScubaFeenD]

P.S.: I would love to cage dive with great whites, which would still be anxiety provoking, but deliberately getting into the water with a big one swimming around where I could see it and no cage? No. You can give a nice intellectual lecture on the irrationality of it, and I'm still not hopping in the water with a 16' great white and no cage. Diving off the coast of California knowing one might swim by without you knowing it would be one thing; deliberately getting in the water with one would be something else.

I feel like a lot more people swim in the vicinity of very "dangerous" sharks far more often than they realize.

 

[fisheater]

I'm sure that we (I) do. Low vis is a blessing.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

toofums. BIG TOOFUMS and lots of them is why.

 

[drbill]

There are places around the island I won't dive due to the prevailing low vis conditions, presence of sea lions and observations of GWS (not to mention sea lions seen underwater with bite marks and floating at the surface with their digestive tracts torn out).

When there is decent vis, I doubt the GWS is going to mistake us for a sea lion. Low vis is a different story unless, as I believe, they are not fond of all the racket our SCUBA gear creates underwater. Diving up in NorCal where vis is generally much lower would not be of great interest to me. Yep, I'm basically a CWW (Clear Water Wussie)!

A few years back I was diving Church Rock off Catalina. It is close enough to the sea lion colony to be patrolled by the landlord, and the vis was somewhat dismal. I sensed a presence that seemed ominous and assumed it was a GWS so I hunkered down in a large crevice and filmed there until my gas ran low (I was only in 30 f).

When I got up to the boat, people asked me if I had gotten any video footage of "it." I said "Did you see the GWS?" "No, you had a young gray whale hovering above you for about 20 minutes." I saw nothing.