Sharks

[Lady Vidora]

Okay, I've only been snorkeling once before, in Hawaii, and we didn't run into any sharks.....I just suddenly am panicking that we may run into them in the Carib. I always was taught that splashing a lot at the top would draw them, but I'm still freaked out.

 

I guess I'm looking for someone to assuage (sp?) my fears a big:(

[caribbean dreams]

My Daughter and I have seen sharks while snorkeling in Cayman Islands, St John and a sand shark in Dominica. I thought i would be terrified if i ever saw one up close but amazingly i was very calm and felt they would not harm me, i was about 6 feet away from the one in St John.

I am from california and see them very close to the shore at night & early morning, even been bumped by them but never under the water eye to eye with them, it was amazing.

I am also going on the Shark swim in Belize this summer sense i now know what my reaction to them is.

 

 

[JLC@SD]

Never saw sharks in the Caribbean when we snorkled.....I do not think they are a problem......and they will not take you snorkeling in a place where sharks might be present. There are alot of sharks that are harmless and we snorkeled with them in Tahiti.

[cruisingrobinsons]

We were in Georgetown, Grand Caymen in April,06. My son was worried

about sharks. I was off snorkeling and turned around and saw a shark.

I recognized pretty quickly that it was a nurse shark and my immediate

reaction was where is my son, so he would not freak out. I found out

later that he was in the group closest to the shark and was attempting to

pet and touch it. There was an eel on that trip too-one of the guides

was attempting to keep it from our group.:rolleyes:

[Porchbeers]

I done over 50 dives and I have only had two shark encounters. One was a nurse shark and the other was a planned shark dive. Both those dives were off of Florida. In the Carribean we have not encountered sharks. From people who have had sightings saw Nurse Sharks.

 

You'll be fine. I am sure you will be a little tense just thinking about it, but if you get the LUCKY chance of seeing a nurse shark, they are beautiful creatures. When I did my shark dive off Florida, I remember being anxious since it was my first time but once I saw the Carribean Reef Sharks...I wasn't nervouse...just mad...because they were extremly rude and would not stay still for a picture. They kept swimming away from me.

[golfer1966]

In Grand Cayman the guide took us to the reef where the nurse shark was and the eel. Thats the only time I ever swam and encountered a shark. Their is plenty of bait fish for them to eat as well. Now, once I was in Cozumel snorkeling and I popped my head up and looked for my wife and when I put my head back in the water there was a 4-5 ft barracuda looking right at me about 10 ft from me. Now that scrared me a bit seeing those big teeth at close range. I immediately raised my hand out of the water since I thought my watch flashing in the water may have attracted it. It then casually swam away. I swam to shore and told the life guard and she was like...."they wont hurt you, there is plenty of bait fish for them to eat." It was still scarey if you dont know.

[Lou33]

I don't think they have any people eating sharks in the Caribbean, so it is probably a non-issue. In Hawaii, there is the extremely rare chance that a Tiger Shark might want you for dinner, but in the Caribbean, I don't think they have Tiger sharks or Great White sharks.

 

I have never heard that anyone on a cruise was ever attacked by sharks. To put it in perspective, when you go on a cruise, you are probably 1000 times more likely to die in a car accident on the way to the airport, than being eaten by a shark. Just be safe driving to the airport and you will be OK.

[AlanFromFL]

Despite all of the media hype surrounding shark attacks, the chance of being attacked by a shark are miniscule. :o

 

In the Caribbean, if you happen to encounter a shark, the most likely species would be nurse sharks and Caribbean reef sharks; neither are considered dangerous (in fact, nurse sharks are bottom feeders!). I've encountered both many times in dives here in Florida and in the Caribbean & have never felt in the least bit frightened; it's always the highlight of my dive. :D

 

Consider yourself very fortunate if you have the opportunity to view these incredible creatures in their natural environment; sharks have much more to fear from humans than we have to fear from sharks. :)

[LCW]

We saw lots of sharks in Tahiti - but they pretty much ignore you. Only recommendation I have is not to go swimming or snorkeling at sunset, since that is whent hey feed. The rest of the time, they usually leave you alone.

[DiveCruiser]

I have over 1000+ dives in most of the Caribbean and Florida. Saw two Black tips in the keys, They circled and left. and nurse sharks in Bonaire and St Maarten. I got to pet the on in St Maarten (nurse sharks are bottom feeders and won't hurt.

 

Bob

 

PS I use to dive in the shark tank @ the Pgh Zoo.

[Lady Vidora]

I am not denying that sharks are kinda cool....I love seeing them in aquariums and all, but I'm a little afraid I might panic. However, I've decided if I get mauled by a shark, that'd be a pretty good story to tell if I lived :-)