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Diving with sharks
From the book entitled Professional Nomad Maurice Marwood:. View www.trafford.com/08-0776
We note with great care as the diver Stuart Cove carefully opened the lid of the bait box, threading a piece of raw fish in his hand and slowly releases was held over his head. Instantly, an eight-foot shark turned its head sideways, upward, snatched the bait from the end of the spear, and then swam a short distance to enjoy your snack. Meanwhile, a dozen other sharks swimming in and around us as we sat motionless in the sand between coral heads from 50 feet below the surface. Appeared to be maneuvering in a favorable position, as bait box lurking, knowing that another piece of food soon come.
My step-son Andrew had just acquired his scuba certification and determined to do a shark dive before ending his brief visit to the Bahamas. Once he had made a decision, there was little I could do but go along and try to make a safe and memorable experience for him. I had already been intrigued by the possibility of a shark jump, but had not considered high priority. However, sharing the experience with Andrew was a good excuse to make it happen.
The Office of Tourism of the Bahamas has every opportunity to promote the country's pleasant climate and beautiful clear waters. There is an extraordinary thriving marine species diversity among the coral, caves and blue holes. The diving possibilities are endless. Reef sharks are prohibited from being captured and harvest in U.S. waters. Also the feeding of sharks in the waters off the coast of Florida, so you should go to the waters of the Caribbean and the Bahamas for scuba diving in shark feeding.
You can find a shark dive in many parts of the Bahamas, however, who live in Nassau, we decided that the best option for us is Stuart Cove Aqua Adventures, located on the southwest side of the island of New Providence. Stuart Cove got a job as a stunt diver in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only (1981). Later, he bought his first dive boat and started his own dive business, soon became a major diving operations on the island of New Providence. In 1983, Stuart and his partner, Michelle, became the underwater production coordinator film on the island during the filming of another Bond film, Never Say Never Again. Coach Sean Connery and Kim Basinger as certified divers, so it could complete its role in the film. Stuart also choreographed wrestling shark underwater. Later, the site was part of the location set for the movie Flipper, and in 2003, had become one of the main centers of diving in the Caribbean. I figured that if the operation Stuart was good enough for James Bond, was good enough for Andrew and me, so we booked for diving sharks on a Saturday morning July. Would be an adventure of his life, even a short one-day event.
We arrived early to Stuart Cove Aqua Adventures with great expectations and a good number of butterflies in the stomach. It was a 45 minute ride to the dive location of a flat sandy area called the Arena and the track for sharks near the wall of New Providence and the Tongue of the Ocean. The event was organized as a two-tank dive. The first dive, a dive routine exploration along the wall at a depth 40 to 50 feet-time allows you to relax and get used to seeing sharks in the vicinity. It also provided an opportunity to change our minds and return to ship if you swim with the sharks suddenly seemed very intimidating. None of us opted.
In previous years, I was immersed in a variety of places throughout the Bahamas and had never encountered a shark. However, the time it dropped anchor, put on diving gear and entered the water, and were swimming at a distance, waiting for an easy lunch. The arrival of the boat and the anchor hit the bottom should have sounded like a dinner bell for sharks in the area.
By changing the tanks for the second dive, receive care instructions to follow during feeding. It is important not to panic or make sudden movements to sit in the sand with his hands and arms tucked close to our bodies, and to avoid shaking hands or touching the sharks swimming past. An underwater cameraman professional was present to take photos, so many would be available, it was not necessary to take ours. The internationally recognized "friends" system security was in force, and Andrew acknowledged that accepts me as his "friend."
With tanks and masks in place, we enter the water again and form a semicircle on the sandy bottom about 50 feet deep. The feeding was carried out at 11 am each morning. Several sharks were already beginning to collect in anticipation of the next shot, obviously knew how to tell time. Soon the feeder Stuart Cove boat left the bait box and gradually diverted downward to the center of the semicircle that had formed. Sharks saw the bait box, I knew exactly what it was, and immediately followed the feeder to the bottom. By then, many of the sharks were on hand and proceeded to swim around, passing between us, over our heads and all, many which are included in contact distance. I've seen a couple of members of our diving team struggle to get the correct negative buoyancy that allows them to sit comfortably at the bottom, and wait not provoke an attack with all its twist.
The Caribbean reef shark (classification: Carcharhinus perezi) is not considered a endangered species and life in abundance in the tropical western Atlantic and Caribbean waters from Florida to Brazil. Usually inhabit shallow waters near the coast, sailing along the edge of a reef or the continental shelf in deep waters, feeding on stingrays, crabs and small fish. The reef shark has six very acute senses to detect prey, including smell, sight, hearing, taste, and electrical pulses. They also can pick up vibrations low frequency sound, indicating a fish fighting nearby. Many anglers are surprised to find that a reef shark has taken a big bite out of their catch before were staggering, and they sometimes ending with a head from left to brag about. The only known evidence of Caribbean reef sharks become aggressive at times apparently passion when men have been known to leave bite marks on the dorsal fins of the possible lack of cooperation, a female partner.
They kept away from us unless they were fed, in which case it became quite bold and passed very close. Stuart Cove's feeders carefully presented the bait on the end of a steel Stainless spear, about two feet long to keep the sharks a bit farther away at the critical moment when it comes to food. Every piece was small enough to be easily swallowed in one bite, therefore, the other sharks did not try to fight for it. Feeders does not remove the food bait box until the Previous part had been completely consumed and the sharks were swimming calmly waiting for the next portion. This technique controlled the pace of food and prevent a feeding frenzy. When the energy level is excessive food and sharks became a little rebellious, food was withheld until the situation subsided. It was incredible nonstop action from beginning to end like few others vying for the position of waiting for food to go. Meanwhile the other sharks swimming about 20 slow circles around the area in contact with the distance, eager to take his place in line and get food.
At one point, the Stuart Cove feeder gently caught a shark and turned on his back as everyone watched in amazement. The shark suddenly entered a state of tonic immobility, a natural state of paralysis. Later I read that sharks can be placed in that state by reversing them, if one has the courage to do so. Shark can remain in this state of paralysis for an average of 15 minutes before it recovers, but in this case, only lasted a few seconds, long enough for us to observe paralysis. Scientists have often exploited this phenomenon to study the behavior of sharks. So if you ever find yourself being attacked by a shark just grab it and turn it around on your back …!
Suddenly, a shark off from the group, shook his tail slowly and headed straight Andrew and me. His beady eyes, chipped teeth and a devilish grin made terrifying for us a moment to go over our heads like a submarine in silence. As he turned and came towards us, the photographer captured the three of us in a great pose he stopped breathing shortly so that the bubbles do not obscure the view. When the shark goes back on us, both Andrew and I instinctively violated an important rule and let your hand glide smoothly over your belly, and swimming to the bait box. Only then did I realize a large hook caught in the corner of his mouth behind a line length. I was told later that it was a common sight.
At the end of the food, the sharks all disappeared quickly to find food elsewhere. We stayed until it was gone and then explore the area in search of shark teeth often fall and settle on the bottom. Just a couple of divers were lucky to find one. Finally, we surfaced and headed back to the boat.
The Bahamas offer some of the best matches of sharks in the world today. Most are well organized the water is warm and clear, and you get an excellent action. The experience was everything I had expected, and recommend it as an experience to remember. Andrew Heart would agree. He was able to make your list and move on to other adventures while carrying with him a great memory of that.
The recent popularity of immersion Shark stimulated the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) to provide a shark awareness course, which is already available in several places in the Bahamas. Those who want a close encounter can take one of the Assistant courses shark feeder, which allows recreational divers to wear a suit chainmail and feed the sharks.
There are numerous websites designed to instill fear and to highlight the risk of involvement in organized trade shark encounters. A site ventured the opinion that no one has ever lost money underestimating the intelligence and the opinion of divers, especially those shark shark diving, and that "food is to the Bahamas on sex and violence is to Hollywood." Another general diving operations described as "traps expensive and overdeveloped tourist. "Many sites are full of horrible descriptions and pictures of shark attacks, showing a lack of mutilated limbs and dumb to go fiddling with sharks blatant scaremongering. Several organizations are strongly opposed to the sport. In January 2002, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission obtained a law made it illegal for divers to feed the marine life in the State of Florida. A coalition base recreational divers, dive operators, fishermen and environmental groups fought a two-year battle with the industry and especially PADI DEMA (Diving Equipment Marketing Association), to pass the bill.
Statistically, shark attacks are rare and less risky than many other common activities in the water, especially considering the number of people in the world's oceans at any given hot summer day. However, shark diving requires training, common sense and experience of diving experience and good. Shark feeding events began in the Bahamas for over 20 years and during that time more than 60,000 divers have been involved with virtually no incidents of a respectful guest being bitten. I am sure that the danger posed by drivers found the Bahamas en route to Stuart Cove that morning in July would have been much greater than the danger represents the encounter with the sharks. The risk associated with the shark dive is reasonable and manageable, and I'm glad you were able to share the experience.
About the Author
Maurice E. Marwood grew up after the Second World War as the son of a struggling, part-time farmer in eastern Canada. He eventually escaped the clutches of poverty and earned an MSc in engineering from the University of Guelph and an MBA from the University of Chicago. During his early career, he spent 20 years in increasingly responsible international positions with Caterpillar and, later, an additional 10 years managing two Caterpillar dealer organizations—first, as President of the dealership in the Bahamas, and most recently as Managing Director for the dealership in Taiwan. An expert in corporate turnarounds, he spent several years restructuring and renewing a variety of business organizations struggling for growth and profitability; his executive-level leadership has spanned manufacturing, distribution logistics, marketing, and international sales of industrial equipment and packaged consumer products.
Marwood has served as a Rotarian, Director of the Nassau Institute, Governor/Director of Chambers of Commerce, advisor to the University of Calgary Faculty of Management, and to the Conference Board of Canada’s Operating Council for Business Excellence. He has been a frequent presenter and panel participant at university and industry association gatherings, and published articles on business management, leadership, and social issues in magazines, newspapers, and websites. In 2007, he was the first “foreigner” to receive a special annual award from the Council of Labor Affairs of the government of Taiwan, for innovation in the development of Human Resources.
From a young age, Marwood instinctively knew that life was for living and discovered an insatiable appetite for experiences and ideas. He worked hard to maintain a balance between life’s critical success factors—the material and the spiritual—making time to raise a family and pursue such adventures as climbing the Matterhorn, trekking Nepal, marathoning, skiing, snowboarding, scuba diving, and cruising eastern North America and the Bahamas. Firsthand involvement in a wide variety of events and situations shaped his values, opinions, and philosophy of living that he shares with honesty and passion.
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