You're at 84 ft and you see a school of bullsharks. Now what?

[lairdb]

Here is a photo of the sharks in French Polynesia[...]

French Polynesia is definitely Blacktip Country:

Purging seemed effective (not that these guys were very threatening to begin with, but on one group dive, a couple was fairly scared, and every time they came closer, the local guiding them purged to push the sharks away again (and to futz my shots. Grrr.)

(Hey, Mike -- what site for your shot? IIRC, mine were either "Canyon" or Taotoi, off Moorea.)

 

[Valwood1]

If you are spearing and actually see bulls, then comes the hard decision on whether you try shooting anything or calling that site & moving on to another.

This is a hard decision?

 

[mania]

If you meet a school of bull sharks (or any other ones) you are much more safe than if you meet a single one.
86% of attacks were done by single sharks. Only 1% as done by the school of them
www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/scuba/shark/number2.jpg

BTw there are 3 ways sharks attack:

Hit&run – these attacks happen close to the shore, in the shallow waters and victims are mainly swimmers and surfers. These attack ends with one bite and are not fatal (except the cases of loosing too much blood as a result of the bite). Generally it’s understood that these type of attacks are the result of mistake done by shark. After one bite he/she realizes its mistake and doesn’t attack more
Bump&bite – much more dangerous, often divers and swimmers in the deep water are the victims. The typical behavior then is that a shark is circulating around the victim and often hits before biting
Sneak – the most dangerous. No warning signals from shark. The attack is absolutely unexpected and in many cases shark is not seen by its victim.
The last two types are more fatal than the first one. It’s understood that they are not a result of mistake – as the first one – they are the result of antagonistic behavior or simply it’s hunting. Shark doesn’t attack and bite only once but several times. Avoiding such attacks is difficult because in most of the cases the victim doesn’t see shark.

Mania
PS. The ysay to get close to the reef - at least that minimalizes the number of directions from which shark can attack. I Also heard about the octopus as a good way. And last but don't least - looking them straight into eyes. And remember thay do feel fear as well as our pulse -if as a result of fear it gets higher and higher - they feel it.

 

[oversea]

If you meet a school of bull sharks (or any other ones) you are much more safe than if you meet a single one.
86% of attacks were done by single sharks. Only 1% as done by the school of them
www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/scuba/shark/number2.jpg

BTw there are 3 ways sharks attack:

Hit&run – these attacks happen close to the shore, in the shallow waters and victims are mainly swimmers and surfers. These attack ends with one bite and are not fatal (except the cases of loosing too much blood as a result of the bite). Generally it’s understood that these type of attacks are the result of mistake done by shark. After one bite he/she realizes its mistake and doesn’t attack more
Bump&bite – much more dangerous, often divers and swimmers in the deep water are the victims. The typical behavior then is that a shark is circulating around the victim and often hits before biting
Sneak – the most dangerous. No warning signals from shark. The attack is absolutely unexpected and in many cases shark is not seen by its victim.
The last two types are more fatal than the first one. It’s understood that they are not a result of mistake – as the first one – they are the result of antagonistic behavior or simply it’s hunting. Shark doesn’t attack and bite only once but several times. Avoiding such attacks is difficult because in most of the cases the victim doesn’t see shark.

Mania
PS. The ysay to get close to the reef - at least that minimalizes the number of directions from which shark can attack. I Also heard about the octopus as a good way. And last but don't least - looking them straight into eyes. And remember thay do feel fear as well as our pulse -if as a result of fear it gets higher and higher - they feel it.

Now why is it that everyone else has tried to make us feel better and you go and blow it? :11: :11:

 

[Rick Murchison]

On larger sites this is inconvenient, to have to keep going back to the chain. I made a mod to my stringer so I can keep it with me when I think it's safe, but still have the option of dumping it fast.

You've just brought to mind another encounter, this time when we were freeboating and had no downline. I'd shot a nice grouper (on second thought I think it was my buddy who'd shot him and had him on his stringer... I told y'all my fergitter was gettin' better ) and had him on a stringer with me (I use a QR loop around the wrist rather than a clip on the BC) when a shark showed up. I pulled out my lift bag right quick and sent the stringer to the surface, where the guys in the boat picked it up.
Still had my sissy line available as a back-up stringer had I needed it.
Rick

 

[Mwright15]

The way I see it there are two ways to react in a shark encounter

1. When I'm guiding/instructing I brief to make a circle round me...

2. Otherwise use your knife to 'encourage' some light bleeding in your buddy.. and calmly but purposfully swim (far) away from him/her.

 

[mania]

Now why is it that everyone else has tried to make us feel better and you go and blow it? :11: :11:

C'mon - at the very beginning I made you all feel better by answering PF question that in fact the school of sharks is not dangerous :11ztongue
As for the rest - just to remind that these are great animals, I adore them but I'm trying to be careful.
Mania

 

[mwpowell]

Take some pics.

This was never covered in any detail in training. I'm not sure if it's better to make an orderly retreat to the boat, does that make you more vulnerable, or to be watchful and swim away? Are you safer at depth, or do you go shallower? If you are attacked, do you use your knife to rupture gills, does that put blood in the water and make it worse, or go for the eyes? Do you band together as divers or spread out? Do you act differently with different species of shark, or is there a proper thing to do with ALL sharks?

It seems a lone shark does not pose the threat that a school of sharks would. Not sure how I'd react.

 

[voop]

<SNIP>

...Though you can kind of "reason" with a bear...

Sorry to say it, but this sure sounds like the quick-path to a Darwin-award to me....

 

[pilot fish]

If you meet a school of bull sharks (or any other ones) you are much more safe than if you meet a single one.
86% of attacks were done by single sharks. Only 1% as done by the school of them
www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/scuba/shark/number2.jpg

BTw there are 3 ways sharks attack:

Hit&run &#8211; these attacks happen close to the shore, in the shallow waters and victims are mainly swimmers and surfers. These attack ends with one bite and are not fatal (except the cases of loosing too much blood as a result of the bite). Generally it&#8217;s understood that these type of attacks are the result of mistake done by shark. After one bite he/she realizes its mistake and doesn&#8217;t attack more
Bump&bite &#8211; much more dangerous, often divers and swimmers in the deep water are the victims. The typical behavior then is that a shark is circulating around the victim and often hits before biting
Sneak &#8211; the most dangerous. No warning signals from shark. The attack is absolutely unexpected and in many cases shark is not seen by its victim.
The last two types are more fatal than the first one. It&#8217;s understood that they are not a result of mistake &#8211; as the first one &#8211; they are the result of antagonistic behavior or simply it&#8217;s hunting. Shark doesn&#8217;t attack and bite only once but several times. Avoiding such attacks is difficult because in most of the cases the victim doesn&#8217;t see shark.

Mania
PS. The ysay to get close to the reef - at least that minimalizes the number of directions from which shark can attack. I Also heard about the octopus as a good way. And last but don't least - looking them straight into eyes. And remember thay do feel fear as well as our pulse -if as a result of fear it gets higher and higher - they feel it.

Are you saying look them in the eye, or do not look them in the eye? I know you NEVER make eye contact with a wolf because it will threaten him to attack. It would be a good idea for divers to stay in a group as opposed to swining individually away?