California Shark Dive--Attempt II!!!!!!

A couple of my 'ol buddies and I have discussed the idea of doing a shark
dive in California.

Two of us are fairly strong and/or competant in the open water skills, and
two have limited experience.

Suggestions? Comments? Insights?

Thanks!

"jbeck" <jNOSPAMbeck@zianet.com> wrote in message
news:440cd7cf@nntp.zianet.com...
>A couple of my 'ol buddies and I have discussed the idea of doing a shark
> dive in California.
>
> Two of us are fairly strong and/or competant in the open water skills, and
> two have limited experience.
>
> Suggestions? Comments? Insights?
>
> Thanks!
>
>
Sharks are boring and overated. Take your ol' buds up to the PNW and get
your asses over to the Seattle aquarium. They got an octopus there that eats
sharks. Great fun for the whole crew!

"Don" <rath2@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:IPmdnXrqda2dbZHZnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>
> "jbeck" <jNOSPAMbeck@zianet.com> wrote in message
> news:440cd7cf@nntp.zianet.com...
>>A couple of my 'ol buddies and I have discussed the idea of doing a shark
>> dive in California.
>>
>> Two of us are fairly strong and/or competant in the open water skills,
>> and
>> two have limited experience.
>>
>> Suggestions? Comments? Insights?
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>>
> Sharks are boring and overated. Take your ol' buds up to the PNW and get
> your asses over to the Seattle aquarium. They got an octopus there that
> eats sharks. Great fun for the whole crew!
>

I am sure that aquarim is great, but I will have to pass on it this year.

In my several hundred open water dives, I have *never* seen a shark. It's
one of those things, no matter what others may think, that I must do.
<speaking for myself, not the rest of my idiot friends>

jbeck wrote:

> In my several hundred open water dives, I have *never* seen a shark.

That is not reciprocal.

Matthias

"Matthias Voss" <spammat.voss@gmx.de> wrote in message
news:dujhgj$gts$03$2@news.t-online.com...
> jbeck wrote:
>
> > In my several hundred open water dives, I have *never* seen a shark.
>
> That is not reciprocal.

:^)

I also wonder where you've been diving jbeck. I've seen lots of them,
certainly not on every dive or even every area I go to, but I've seen my
share here and there in the world.

So I'm just wondering, do you usually only do local dives/freshwater dives?

"jbeck" <jNOSPAMbeck@zianet.com> wrote in message
news:440cf9d2$1@nntp.zianet.com...
>
> "Popeye" <Popeye@Finalprotectivefire.com> wrote in message
> news:120pqvu1l3953a7@news.supernews.com...
>>
>> "jbeck" <jNOSPAMbeck@zianet.com> wrote in message
>> news:440cd7cf@nntp.zianet.com...
>>>A couple of my 'ol buddies and I have discussed the idea of doing a shark
>>> dive in California.
>>>
>>> Two of us are fairly strong and/or competant in the open water skills,
>>> and
>>> two have limited experience.
>>>
>>> Suggestions? Comments? Insights?
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>
>> Go for it.
>>
>> Shark dives are fun and interesting, and somewhat less dangerous than
>> driving on the freeway.
>>
>> Educate yourself on different types of sharkdives, and their possible
>> ecological impact, first.
>>
>
> Looking for something guided

Unguided shark dives are called...diving.

In North Carolina, we have to Bogart our way through dozens of Sand Tigers
to get into a wreck.

>...was hoping to get some recommendations on some quality dive
>operations...or at least a recommended, no BS resource.

I should have elaborated but I'm at work.

Some folks have an arguable point that shark feeding dives have a negative
behavioral impact on the sharks.

The various methods of baiting and/or feeding the sharks are probably the
primary focus point.

This has led to shark dives being banned in many places.

I myself disagree, at least to any amount of consequence.

I don't know if this applies to baiting a GWS with, er... you, in a cage.




>
>

"jbeck" wrote

> In my several hundred open water dives, I have *never* seen a shark. It's
> one of those things, no matter what others may think, that I must do.
> <speaking for myself, not the rest of my idiot friends>

Sounds like your problem is observation skills. Where are you diving?

Want to see sharks, go spearfishing.

Lee

Matthias Voss wrote:

> jbeck wrote:
>
>> In my several hundred open water dives, I have *never* seen a shark.
>
>
> That is not reciprocal.
>
> Matthias
>
or dive with a lawyer

"jbeck" <jNOSPAMbeck@zianet.com> wrote in message
news:440cd7cf@nntp.zianet.com...
>A couple of my 'ol buddies and I have discussed the idea of doing a shark
> dive in California.
>
> Two of us are fairly strong and/or competant in the open water skills, and
> two have limited experience.
>
> Suggestions? Comments? Insights?

Southern California shark dives, other than the white shark charters to
Guadalupe mentioned following your first post, are occasionally done by a
handful of local operators with the intent of finding blue sharks in open
ocean. Often a mako will show up as well. The "divers" sit in a cage,
usually just with snorkels not scuba gear, and the boat chums until the
sharks come in. Therefore, your buddies don't even have to be certified
divers to enjoy the thrill of waiting endlessly for the sharks to arrive all
the while being coated in an oily, smelly fish scum.

On the charter I was on (the Aquatica), divers with a minimum of 50 dives
(their rule) could opt out of the cage and instead hang on a weighted line
at about 20 feet. This was a much better experience. When you get 4-6
blues circling you, it's impossible to keep your eyes on all of them at the
same time. They give you a "shark billy", basically a filled section of PVC
pipe, that you are supposed to use to push the sharks away from you if they
come too close. I never used mine, idiotically pushing my face up against
one as it swam by, and touching another on the tail. But I supposedly
benefit from professional courtesy and don't recommend you try this at home.

"Popeye" <Popeye@Finalprotectivefire.com> wrote in message
news:120qlqkdmglj02f@news.supernews.com...
>
> "jbeck" <jNOSPAMbeck@zianet.com> wrote in message
> news:440cf9d2$1@nntp.zianet.com...
>>
>> "Popeye" <Popeye@Finalprotectivefire.com> wrote in message
>> news:120pqvu1l3953a7@news.supernews.com...
>>>
>>> "jbeck" <jNOSPAMbeck@zianet.com> wrote in message
>>> news:440cd7cf@nntp.zianet.com...
>>>>A couple of my 'ol buddies and I have discussed the idea of doing a
>>>>shark
>>>> dive in California.
>>>>
>>>> Two of us are fairly strong and/or competant in the open water skills,
>>>> and
>>>> two have limited experience.
>>>>
>>>> Suggestions? Comments? Insights?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks!
>>>
>>> Go for it.
>>>
>>> Shark dives are fun and interesting, and somewhat less dangerous than
>>> driving on the freeway.
>>>
>>> Educate yourself on different types of sharkdives, and their possible
>>> ecological impact, first.
>>>
>>
>> Looking for something guided
>
> Unguided shark dives are called...diving.
>
> In North Carolina, we have to Bogart our way through dozens of Sand
> Tigers to get into a wreck.
>
>>...was hoping to get some recommendations on some quality dive
>>operations...or at least a recommended, no BS resource.
>
> I should have elaborated but I'm at work.
>
> Some folks have an arguable point that shark feeding dives have a
> negative behavioral impact on the sharks.
>
> The various methods of baiting and/or feeding the sharks are probably the
> primary focus point.
>
> This has led to shark dives being banned in many places.
>
> I myself disagree, at least to any amount of consequence.
>
> I don't know if this applies to baiting a GWS with, er... you, in a cage.

Thanks Popeye.

Have never dove the east coast, and some of this crowd is now in California.
Thus why we are leaning towards California. I think seeing GWS would be
very interesting.