Diving with oceanic whitetip sharks is no joke, the are very powerful and cunning predators.
Diving with these elegant yet deadly predators requires a certain mental fortitude and basic knowledge of how to interpret what the scene may look like to the shark.
First of all it helps greatly to avoid wearing bright colors… especially bright colored fins as they may be mistaken for fluttering fish.
It is also pointed out in the article referenced below that horizontally oriented pectoral fins can be interpreted as good. However angled pectoral fins that are angled downward means the shark is in predator mode.
Other pointers are to make yourself look large by swimming in tight groups and minimize any fluttering movements as sharks interpret this as easy prey.
Another important factor for diver safety is to keep calm.
….. the biggest thing is to not think or act like bait. The sharks will pick up on that instantly. And with that, I find my mantra: I am not bait.
Faulkner answers another prayer: She hands me a pair of fins. Dark blue ones.
In the water, the first few passes the sharks make are a simple display of power — Lamborghinis doing warm-up laps. I work to make my buoyancy as perfect as possible. I want to avoid needless kicking, so I make like a statue and simply watch.
Sharks are funny. Anyone who has swum with them confidently likens them to dogs. Puppies even. Part of me understands. When interacting with us, they are harmless. They rub against divers to get a reaction.
See the amazing video that illustrates a divers wise decision to abort his dive as it gets scary…
These divers are filming a group of whitetip sharks in the pacific when the mood changes.
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Tiger Shark Attacks Scuba Diver Who Broke Protocol
