Diving with Sharks !

[Bloo]

Well this isn't exactly non-fish related pics, but I don't have a clue where else to put them
Anyway, I went diving in South Africa in December and when asked if I'd like to go "looking" for sharks, I could not pass on the opportunity. When you see these pics, please bear in mind that these are not ferocious man eating sharks. These are Spotted Ragged Tooth pregnant female sharks that come to this specific area of the South African coastline to chill out in the nice warm waters while pregnant, and to later give birth. Though they are large and have fierce looking teeth, they tend to feed on small prey and fish and believe it or not, hardly feed at all (on live foods, i.e. fish) during the last stages of pregnancy. They actually came so close to us that you could see algae growing in strings off their teeth just to prove that fact.
I won't deny it wasn't absolutely deathly frightening and of course they will only let experienced divers go down to depths of about 15m in small groups, as this is a strict conservation area. But all in all we counted about 15 sharks in very close proximity and the pics are not in any way zoomed - that's the actual distance they were from us.
Anyhow, here are some pics and I hope they are not too scary

Me !

 

[betta_breeder]

How cool! I wish i could do something like that!

 

[chishnfips]

I watched a programme about sharks that use specific breeding grounds as nurseries, it's really incrediblt to see them.

That looks amazing, I am totally scared of sharks but would love to do that.

 

[Navarre]

Im speechless.. how i wish i could do something as uttely wonderful as that. You are very lycky to have shared the ocean with such majestic creatures.

 

[Bloo]

Thanks . Yes, it was definitely by far one of the best, most exhilirating, awesome, thrilling, jaw-dropping experiences I've had. I just could not stop talking about it for days afterwards - weeks in fact.....

 

[debiasir]

wow looks like fun and scary at thesame time

great pics

 

[elgecko]

Nice pictures.

I'd love to do that sometime.

 

[jasmine]

Amazing pics

 

[Arfie]

I couldn't be more jeleous!

I've only dived with sharks in the tank at Blue Planet.

My dream is to go in the cage of the tip of south Africa in the Great White Feeding grounds.

Nice pics too hard to take them that good, while clenching your buttocks

Arfie

 

[Bloo]

Thanks Arfie ! You're telling me ! Trying to "casually" hold a camera in a fairly strongish current while trying to kneel on the ocean floor, and while having to remain absolutely dead still with 15 of these ladies circling around you, is by no means an easy thing to do ! And at one point the current gave a swoop, tilted me across and my weight belt shifted, causing me to almost flip around. Water rushed into my mask and everything was panic mode for a milli second - which felt like an absolute eternity. For a very split second I forgot that I could breathe even though I could not see. I'm by no means the most skilled diver but I was so preoccupied with everything else - that was one of the not so nice moments. So if you go down to South Africa, I would urge you to go up to Sodwana to dive there. It will blow you away

 

[gaya]

Wow, awesome pics. and you look really cute in your gear.

 

[Bloo]

thanks Gaya, but you must be joking right ?! That gear is hideous but thanks anyway

 

[boozybears]

Ok..I've now officially added 'learn to dive' on my things to do list

Those are great pics! Can't begin to imagine how amazing it must have been to be that close to 15 sharks (and a wee bit scary too ) Thanks for sharing!

 

[troutfly]

I had a similar experience when I was younger, my dive instructor took us down to the Gulf of California to dive with the hammer heads when they were mating, talk about the pucker factor, these fish were everywhere plus in mating mode, we put our backs to the reef and watched houndreds of them swim by, occassionally one would get out of hand and then quickly "dispatched" by the others, impressive sight. I wish I had pics of it to show, but it was so long ago I wouldn't know where to find them. I would do it again in a heartbeat if I ever got the chance......I jealous...