Re: Any other Scuba people here?
When I lived in Ft. Lauderdale, I did go diving fairly often and often times came across a shark or two. They never really bothered me. I was always more spooked by Barracuda's. I was told by many people that the Barracuda's were much more aggressive. They certainly seemed that way. The occasional shark or two would for the most part, leave the area I was in. The Barracuda's would not only stick around, they would investigate. And.... They've got some real nasty looking teeth.
For the experts, are Barracuda's more aggressive? I know the type of shark makes a big difference. Just asking in general terms.
Barracuda's teeth are pretty ominous, then that huge eye that just follows you as they hang almost motionless (aside from the fins) in the water... They generally don't bother people. When your going to be diving/swimming in waters with barracuda, don't have anything shiney on you which could flash in the sunlight. That's their trigger. That's food to them. If one hits you, now there's blood in the water, coming from you. That's as attractive as the flash of sunlight. Ever notice that when you see one, you then realize there are more, and then all of the sudden it seems like they're everywhere?
I'm no expert, but I can accurately answer your question. They are more aggressive than most sharks. Most sharks are not aggressive when it comes to people.
If you have a shiney weight belt buckle, either subdue it or switch to a black or simply non-shiney one. Use a sheath which completely covers the blade of your knife. If the butt of your knife is shiney, subdue it. Anything shiney on your gear can be subdued. I'm not trying to scare you. These are just good precautions.
