Sharks ? :)

[screagan]

Heah, I'm just curious...are sharks common in the southern caribbean beaches/snorkling sites?

 

Actually, I'd like to see one, assuming that it doesn't want to bite me :).

[MadCnty]

In Nassau "reefs" are numerous (Bahama Mama), but don't know about the Southern It.

[paddy Anne]

Saw a very tina one while in Grand Cayman. Our tour guide chased him away.

 

 

Paddy Anne

[TERRY223]

Sharks can show-up anywhere, and at anytime- especially in the warmer areas of the worlds oceans. Enjoy your dives :D , but just to be safe- grow another set of eyes-in the back of your head. Remember the movie"JAWS":eek: :eek:

[Hypo]

I am a scuba diver and have been diving in the Caribbean for nearly 20 years, (about 8 dives a year). It is really strange, but I have never seen a shark in the ocean. They are there, but I just wasn't looking in the right place. They won't bother you, and unless you are in areas like the Pacific/Australia, the "Jaws" scenario is more remote than being struck by lightning.

 

There are many other creatures in the ocean that are more likely to cause you discomfort, like fire coral, sea urchins, sea lice (small jelly fish). But all of these are not life threatening. Go and enjoy the sea and all it has to offer.

 

Mark

[lvcruiser]

You'll stand a better chance of seeing a land shark than one in the ocean.

[bankofdad]

If you're lucky you'll see a shark when snorkeling, but that's really really unusual. Most of what you'd see if you did would be reef sharks (of different varieties) or nurse sharks. Most species you'd see aren't normally agressive to humans, unless they're provoked or there's something in the water exciting them (like you'd see on shark feeding tours - which are very controversial, but I'm not taking sides).

 

Regardless of where you are in the world, avoid dawn/dusk swims. Most aggressive sharks are normally nocternal feeders. Avoid murkey water - most shark "attacks" happen due to "mistaken identity". For safety, stay with your group, and if you do see a shark, don't freak out - abnormal body movement could excite it's senses.

For whatever reason, I've seen a lot more sharks in the Pacific than in the Caribbean. However, the most intimidating thing I've ever seen underwater was a six foot long great baracudda while snorkeling in Belize. Very intimidating in the way they look at you and sometimes "yawn", but attacks on humans are extremely rare...

[catkoe1]

We went on a snorkeling catamaran a few years ago and saw a family of three baby sharks....way down at the bottom. It was awesome to see and I never felt frightened.... Ignorance is bliss... I was very afraid of the sting ray that swam by me. I don't think I could swim that fast again, event though my life depended on it...... Funny scene but that was before I new that sting rays were very docile also.

[boingy300]

We were staying in the Bahamas w/ our 4 year old twins. We went ocean viewing in a semi-sumersible sub. We waved to divers and saw snorkelers....then we heard the men up on deck yelling something. The divers started swimming away, and the snorkelers were quickly climbing into the boat. The guys up top were yelling "Hammer". Here comes a huge hammer head, chasing a school of fish. He was large (someone said 8 ft.) but w/ our distorted windows he looked even larger. His hit was enough to rock our boat. They said seeing a hammer in that area was very rare. We had a great look at him, glad we were safe!

Karen

[xpcdoojk]

I have made about 50 dives in the ocean, and have seen 1 shark, a 6 to 8 foot nurse shark on a night dive in Cozumel. One time on some dives in St Thomas, we didn't see a thing, but we were close to the Atlantis submarine with my wife onboard, she showed me pictures of two black tipped reef sharks right where we were diving. They were both about 2 to 4 foot long. I agree that seeing a shark is a long shot while snorkeling or scuba diving. I worry far more about jellyfish or sea lice as someone else stated.

 

jc

[claowens]

We were on the Rhapsody during spring break and were sitting on the balcony and in between the ship and the shore there was a shark, looked like it was around 6-7ft long, people were snorkling and swimming in the water, close to the shore and it was just swimming around, it didnt ever get very close to the people, and the shark didnt look like it was even concerened with the people in the water, we were to far away to tell them, but it was kinda scary to see.

[stretch]

The most dangerous sharks on the ocean work at the spa on the ship. They'll do anything to get into your pockets.

Stretch

[davispigeon]

Sharks don't really worry me too much but SEA LICE? Eeww. Can someone please explain what they are and more importantly, how to avoid them?

 

My one and only snorkeling expedition was ruined when I stepped on a sea urchin as I was wading into the water at St.Croix. I certainly am more worried about the pinching stinging little sea creatures than the big toothed ones!

 

Expert divers, please advise!

[island lady]

Actually the sharks are the losers. The population of sharks here in Florida is being depleted at an alarming rate. They have far more to fear from us, then we of them. The over fishing of them is terrible. Most are fished for as a sport, and killed just for being sharks. Some sort of trophy thing.

Usually if you don't bother them, they won't bother you. Kind of like bees,...dont' mess with them, and they will buzz by.

Cheers!

[xpcdoojk]

Here is a web site for information about sea lice, which are baby jellyfish.

 

http://www.fau.edu/safe/sea-lice.html

 

And from another site I cut a prevention recommendation.

 

http://dermnetnz.org/arthropods/sea-bathers.html

 

"

What can you do to prevent sea bather's eruption?

 

Other than staying out of the water, not much can be done to completely avoid the jellyfish's sting if they are present in the water. People have tried various barrier creams to prevent the larvae from getting to the skin but creams do not provide a strong enough barrier to the stingers. Sometimes, a wet suit will limit the infestation to the edges of the garment. General experience indicates the infestation seems to occur near the surface of the water so snorkelers and swimmers seem to be the most vulnerable.

 

If you think have been exposed to the jellyfish larvae, the most effective preventive measure is to take off your bathing costume as soon as possible and rinse the body in seawater that doesn't have the jelly fish. Pat-dry with a towel and change your clothes. Do not rub the affected areas with towels or hands as that could cause additional stinging. Caution: An immediate rinse with fresh water, vinegar or other solutions may actually cause additional stinging from larvae clinging to your skin or clothes."

 

I always wear a full body protection suit when I am not sure if there is a risk of jellyfish, small or large. In warm water I have found a 0.5mm to 1mm wet suit to be good insurance. In colder water, obviously, you can wear an even heavier suit with even better protection. If you think you have come into contact with the larvae of jellyfish, be careful and wash your suit before you wear it again. Don't take a fresh water rinse!

 

jc

[Bookit]

Xpcdoojk,

 

Thanks for the links and the informative information. I never knew you were such a "sea creature"! :D

[kabado]

My son is a scuba diver instructor and when with on a certification dive in the Sea of Cortez (I think - might have been somewhere off of California's west coast), he wondered why all his students suddenly got behind him like they were hiding. He figured it out when he saw the school of hammerheads about 20 feet above them. He thought it was awesome. I am not quite sure if the students are talking yet :)

[vossjemi]

On our trip to Cancun, we took an excursion to Isla Mujeres. Near the pier, there was an enclosed area with some locals who would allow you in the water with 2 nurse sharks, let you hold them, and take your picture. I think they were only asking for a $1 donation, but we gave more than that. The nurse sharks were about 6-7 feet long. My DH didn't do it, but I couldn't resist. I was told they had no teeth, so being bitten wouldn't be a problem. The skin literally felt like sandpaper. My DH got some really good pictures of me holding one of the sharks. That was before I had kids, and now my kids love to look at the picture of Mommy holding a shark!;)

[kitty1]

Sharks don't really worry me too much but SEA LICE? Eeww. Can someone please explain what they are and more importantly, how to avoid them?

 

My one and only snorkeling expedition was ruined when I stepped on a sea urchin as I was wading into the water at St.Croix. I certainly am more worried about the pinching stinging little sea creatures than the big toothed ones!

 

Expert divers, please advise!

 

Sea lice are baby jellyfish. They cause irritating bumps and are painful. Can occur all over your body. They sell a lotion called sea safe that will prevent you from getting stung. You can buy it on the internet. Search for sea safe lotion.