Sharkbait74
New member
Just wanted to share a few pictures and experiences and see if anyone else is into the 'adrenaline rush'...
My first encounter with sharks was on a dive trip through the French Polynesia. It is common to see 4-10 blacktip reef sharks on every dive as they are attracted to the boats. So, I was expecting to see them... but didn't expect to encounter the 4 larger fish that rank #6 on the top #10 List of most Dangerous Sharks to Humans.
This is me, Dave... before he became "Sharkbait". Kinda like Peter Parker before he became Spiderman... only not really...
The transformation is complete... I am now Sharkbait.
Before we even hit the water, there were 4.5 - 6.5 ft of fins on the surface. A little unnerving... but like a sheep in a flock... I jumped in with everyone else...
There were about 5 or 6 of these 5.5 footers (give or take a foot). Very graceful, very uninterested in us... yet they followed us during the entire dive until the BIG FISHES showed up.
Now, I have to tell you... when we see a few blacktips on the surface and it is fully explained to keep your hands from waving around and that these 'little' guys will be of no harm to us... it's at least somewhat comforting to jump in the water. When you're down50ft+ and you see 4 large shadows approaching and all the divemaster can do is signal the vertical hand on head to indicate shark... at first you don't know what to think.
The divemaster corraled all the divers into a circle on the ocean floor as we were circled by 4 lemons. Was this planned? Part of the itinerary? I know enough French to realize it was a unique opportunity to cherish. Besides I was confident I was a faster swimmer and I had a dive knife (to cut my dive partner while I made my escape... hehe). Ok, I'm exaggerating... they were truly beautiful!
After my airpressure dropped 2,000psi in 5mins with our new 'friends'... I gave my camera to another diver and turned my back on a 9ft lemon as it approached from behind. It almost seemed like he wanted to snap the picture quickly to get out of the way as he almost totally missed what I felt was going to be a great photo op. Note, just the head shows from behind me...
If only he had waited another second or two...
In any event, the French Polynesia is a great place to dive with sharks. The Lemon Shark is ranked #6 on the top 10 most dangerous to humans... but I think that is only because they are perceived as 'docile' enough to dive with... hence there is more human/lemon shark contact than other species of shark. I do have a nifty video on a later dive... where two shark wranglers in chainmail hand fed these beasts tuna heads. NUTS, absolutely NUTS!
My first encounter with sharks was on a dive trip through the French Polynesia. It is common to see 4-10 blacktip reef sharks on every dive as they are attracted to the boats. So, I was expecting to see them... but didn't expect to encounter the 4 larger fish that rank #6 on the top #10 List of most Dangerous Sharks to Humans.
This is me, Dave... before he became "Sharkbait". Kinda like Peter Parker before he became Spiderman... only not really...
The transformation is complete... I am now Sharkbait.
Before we even hit the water, there were 4.5 - 6.5 ft of fins on the surface. A little unnerving... but like a sheep in a flock... I jumped in with everyone else...
There were about 5 or 6 of these 5.5 footers (give or take a foot). Very graceful, very uninterested in us... yet they followed us during the entire dive until the BIG FISHES showed up.
Now, I have to tell you... when we see a few blacktips on the surface and it is fully explained to keep your hands from waving around and that these 'little' guys will be of no harm to us... it's at least somewhat comforting to jump in the water. When you're down50ft+ and you see 4 large shadows approaching and all the divemaster can do is signal the vertical hand on head to indicate shark... at first you don't know what to think.
The divemaster corraled all the divers into a circle on the ocean floor as we were circled by 4 lemons. Was this planned? Part of the itinerary? I know enough French to realize it was a unique opportunity to cherish. Besides I was confident I was a faster swimmer and I had a dive knife (to cut my dive partner while I made my escape... hehe). Ok, I'm exaggerating... they were truly beautiful!
After my airpressure dropped 2,000psi in 5mins with our new 'friends'... I gave my camera to another diver and turned my back on a 9ft lemon as it approached from behind. It almost seemed like he wanted to snap the picture quickly to get out of the way as he almost totally missed what I felt was going to be a great photo op. Note, just the head shows from behind me...
If only he had waited another second or two...
In any event, the French Polynesia is a great place to dive with sharks. The Lemon Shark is ranked #6 on the top 10 most dangerous to humans... but I think that is only because they are perceived as 'docile' enough to dive with... hence there is more human/lemon shark contact than other species of shark. I do have a nifty video on a later dive... where two shark wranglers in chainmail hand fed these beasts tuna heads. NUTS, absolutely NUTS!
