Shark question....

TarheelFrag · #1 02/11/2007, 05:58 PM

I have spent a lot of time fishing offshore here in NC. I have decided that I want to start diving but I have one major concern...sharks. I have seen some big sharks while out fishing and I would rather avoid them. After reading the post about the guy getting nailed by the Great White I wanted to ask you guys about sharks. I know that guy was obviously making hymself look like prey but here are my questions...

1. Have any of you guys ever had any problems with sharks?
2. Where can a guy buy a 50 cal. "bang stick"?

fppf · #2 02/11/2007, 11:28 PM

There are far more dangerous things in the sea than a shark.

Unless your fishing and putting blood in the water or diving in there main hunting gounds you should have no worry's. And even then the chance is slim to none. If you think about how many people swim, dive, and surf in the worlds oceans, how often is there an attack?

billsreef · #3 02/12/2007, 05:05 PM

Your in far more danger driving to work than you are when diving with sharks. Heck, taking a shower is more dangerous

BTW the worst shark problem I ever had was running out of film while photographing them

As for a bang stick, they are not sold, and are actually known for making the situation worse...think creating a chum slick that your now swimming in

clayspst · #4 02/12/2007, 05:08 PM

i have been diving for 15years i have never had a problem with sharks. i ever spear fish still no problems. while underwater diving you dont look like prey so they dont attack. sharks dont attack for sport they do it for food.

davocean · #5 02/12/2007, 08:27 PM

IMO you have a greater chance of shooting yourself w/ that bangstick than being bitten by a shark.
And keep in mind, YOU are entering THEIR world, go peacefully.
I have been diving for 30 years.
I've seen 2 sharks close to my size that sped away soon as I went for a closer look.

r00onmac · #6 02/12/2007, 08:34 PM

i also think you have nothing to worry about... during my checkout dives in the keys last year we stumbled upon a reef shark who decided to disappear as soon as he saw us...

billsreef · #7 02/12/2007, 09:24 PM

Truly beautiful creatures when you take the time to actually look at them.

rmougey · #8 02/12/2007, 09:51 PM

Agreed!

Most of us consider ourselves lucky to get to see them up close while diving. They usually run when divers show up, rebreathers excluded.

-Rob

Von_Rahvin · #9 02/13/2007, 03:35 PM

it all depends on what you are doing. and how much you dive and where you dive.
if you spearfish your going to run into sharks. a .223 powerhead works just as good no need for anything huge, remember it's the shock and expanding gas that kills them not the bullet.
a ppd is a cheap and cost effective alternative to a full on powerhead.

sharks are beautiful, however you are also lower on the food chain than they are.

I've been chased to the surface only 4 times now, and have had sharks on most likely 200 dives and 1000 hrs of free diving.

Letmegrow · #10 02/13/2007, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Von_Rahvin

sharks are beautiful, however you are also lower on the food chain than they are.

I didn't know sharks ate people for food ?

Infact I have tried several dishes with shark meat in it.

billsreef · #11 02/13/2007, 03:58 PM

Considering how many sharks are killed by fishermen every year, I'd say we're higher on the food chain. However, in the water they do have an advantage. While we're not on the menu, that first taste that tells them "yuck, it's a human" does more than enough damage.

tibbs2 · #12 02/13/2007, 05:02 PM

I agree that shark's dont find us tasty. Usually they give you a taste bite and then don't come back for more. The problem comes when you have a big fish like a great white that gives you a taste bite. Their "taste" bites tend to remove arms, legs, torsos, etc.

virginiadiver69 · #13 02/14/2007, 01:03 PM

I do a lot of my diving off the coast of NC and have never had a problem. In fact I feel like I did not get my monies worth if I did not see any shark. First off, you will never see a great white there. Mostly 4'- 6' tigers. They are actually kind of timid and will mostly ignore you. If you are still worried you can do some study on shark behavior and learn to recognize their defensive postures.

quandary_23 · #14 02/15/2007, 12:23 PM

Just get an idea of what type of sharks you are REALLY going to encounter because most species of sharks pose no real threat to humans. I have seen many episodes on Discovery about shark repellents (chemical, electrical, explosive) try and find a safe alternative. Use common sense and remember diving is for fun, so if it bothers you that much stay with groups or guides or just look down from a boat.

And for the comment about sharks not eating people? Tell that to the 315 surviors of the 900 that went into the sea onbaord the USS Indianapolis. Some species of sharks are very oppurtunistic hunters and inquesitive creatures. They try food by tasting. Sharks like oceanic white tips, great whites, tiger sharks, bull sharks, and lone hammerheads are not to be taken lightly.

Letmegrow · #15 02/16/2007, 01:10 AM

People eat people too, but that does not mean they are on the menu at every restaraunt.

The point is that sharks are under the food chain from us.
Unless coaxed into a feeding frenzy will not eat you for food.

The more I read about sharks and see on tv, they actually are picky eaters and routinely go for food with higher fat content vs a easy catch.

Von_Rahvin · #16 02/16/2007, 09:18 AM

ok, now im just dieing. You tell that shark when your diving that you are higher on the food chain than it is.

When you get into the water it is the apex predator. no ifs ands or buts.

respect the animals, and realize that if they want to bite you they will. and the only things you can do are
a. shoot it
b. swim away and get out of the water.

Big sharks arn't scared of people. And no, little 5 footers don't worry me, 8 footers do. And i've killed sharks, both fishing and diving, they still worry me in the water.

speckled trout · #17 02/16/2007, 10:48 AM

Von_Rahvin, exactly!

Too many people want to believe everything is always going to be okay when they are dealing with wild animals, that unfortunately isn't always the case.

Remember the idiot who thought he could live with the grizzlies? He ended up coming out the wrong end on that deal!

I've spent my whole life in and around the water. I've seen literally hundreds and hundreds of sharks, some tiny, some huge. Fortunately, they are predictable most of the time. It's the rare instances that they aren't when you have to worry. And, they should all be respected, but especially the larger ones.

The larger ones are NOT afraid of you. If they want to attack you there isn't much your going to be able to do in most instances. Underwater, they definitely have the advantage and the neccessary equipment to inflict catastrophic damage to whatever they want, whether you like it or not. They are apex predators in their environment, you are not. If you don't believe me look at your teeth in the mirror!

While wade fishing I have had numerous 6 to 8' sharks approach and systematically remove all or most of the fish from my stringer. Once a big one gets going they tend to become a whole lot less afraid of you or anything else, for that matter. On one occassion, near the mouth of a river, I had an approx. 12 footer decide that he wanted to get a whole lot closer than I wanted. I had no fish on me at the moment and it didn't seem to make any difference. The fish would approach me on the sand bar and then arch away, only to circle and approach from a different direction.

All I had to defend myself was my 7' fishing rod which I poked and slapped at the fish with each time it tried to "investigate" me. I honestly believe that this fish had decided that I belonged on its menu. After several nervous minutes of this it finally decided to leave after I managed to kick it on the head. Thank God, I was only in about 3 foot of water! After I managed to kick it, it took off about a 100yards. I then took this opportunity to head throught the deeper water of the gut that separated me from the shore. Without looking back I took off as fast I could through the neck deep water for shore. When I got into wasit deep water, again, I looked back and it was once again coming back my direction. Talk about determined.

The more time you spend in the water, the more chances you have of being bitten. Yes, the chances are extremely slim, but they do increase the more time your in it. People always like to say that you have more chance of dying in your shower or in the car, but these really aren't all that great of things to compare it with. Afterall, you spend an enormous amount of time doing those types of things and you do them everyday, not just every once in while, like diving. It's really like comparing apples and oranges, IMO.

Also, a lady from my hometwon was attacked on a night dive. Her mostly eaten torso was retrieved from the water a few days later. Try telling her family that it's safer to dive than drive a car!

davocean · #18 02/16/2007, 11:13 PM

Hey, I'm just saying that if you go into the water, you know the risks.
No one forced you.
It's their world, and we know the chance we take whether shark or otherwise.
I personally fear inexperianced boaters, or idiots who carry a bangstick more than sharks!
Diving with a bangstick...that's just silly!
Most likely if you get hit by something serious you'll never see it coming.
Good luck to you bangstick carrying shark hunters!LOL