Beqa Island, Fiji
Shark diving without a cage. Sounds insane, right? That’s what I idea too. Turns out sharks aren’t the terrifying monsters nosotros intend they are.
For millions of years sharks accept slow evolved into nature’s most deadly assassins. Lethal eating machines with razor sudden teeth, lightning-quick speed, together with an unquenchable thirst for human blood!
(Ok, I made that terminal purpose up.)
But we’ve all seen the moving-picture demonstrate “Jaws” — together with Hollywood doesn’t lie. It’s why thousands of people only about the public endure from Selachophobia. Fear of sharks.
But who tin give notice blame them? Why on earth would whatsoever rational mortal swim inwards the sea non knowing what man-eating creatures may lurk beneath the waves?
As for those who purposefully seek out the company of sharks — they clearly accept a expiry wish.
Seeking The Company Of Sharks
As an adrenaline junkie, my tolerance score these days is high. Luckily Republic of the Fiji Islands delivered the goods. They accept a Shark Reef Marine Reserve located off the coast of the isle of Beqa, where yous tin give notice become swimming with upward to 8 species of shark.
To aid finance shark inquiry together with compensate local villagers for their lost line-fishing grounds, Beqa Adventure Divers offers scuba diving trips into the marine reserve’s shark-infested waters.
They allow yous acquire face-to-face with these underwater killers.
Killers of fish that is.
Because shark attacks on humans only about the public are exceedingly rare — despite pop belief to the contrary.
Shark Attack Odds
Let’s await at some examples. How probable is a shark laid on inwards the United States? Odds are greater that 1 of these volition give to yous first:
- You volition operate from a domestic dog attack.
- You volition operate from a lightning strike.
- You volition acquire killed yesteryear bees or wasps.
- You volition live executed for a crime.
- You volition live bitten yesteryear a human.
- You volition operate falling downward inwards your home.
- Dick Cheney volition shoot yous on a hunting trip.
As for actual death yesteryear shark attack, that’s fifty-fifty rarer. Like 1 inwards 3,748,067 to live exact. You are more likely to operate spell earthworks a sand hole on the beach.
So halt earthworks those stupid things. They’re dangerous!
My First Shark Dive
Knowing these statistics made it a fleck easier to bring together the professionals at Beqa Adventure for my kickoff ever shark dive. They’ve been doing this for over 10 years with no problems.
I’ve been scuba diving inwards caves before, but diving with large Bull together with mayhap Tiger sharks was a large deal. These massive animals tin give notice grow 8 to fifteen feet long together with weigh hundreds of pounds.
Both accept a history (however rare) of attacks on humans.
I’d live lying if I told yous I wasn’t nervous to dive with them.
But, equally I’ve learned over & over 1 time to a greater extent than on my travels, breaking out of your comfort zone is a salubrious matter to do. So downward I went downward below to view these toothy phobia-inducing creatures inwards person.
Shark Diving Fiji
It was fourth dimension to accommodate upward together with hop off the boat for a 100 human foot descent into the ocean. Once at the bottom, local Fijian dive masters positioned us on top of a coral wall, looking downward into a sandy pit. Then the feeding began. There was no turning dorsum now!
Two divers delineate fish parts from plastic containers attracting a gigantic whirling volume of Jacks, Snappers, together with other reef fish. It wasn’t long earlier the sharks appeared to arrive on the action. First it was Nurses, Black Tips, together with Grey Reef sharks. At iv to vi feet long, they were impressive enough.
But thus came the Bulls. Ten human foot 400 pounders with menacing teeth.
Most of the large guys kept their distance from us, but only watching their huge forms maneuver through the H2O was an awe-inspiring sight.
After close 17 minutes of sharky fun, nosotros ascended to a depth of xxx feet to proceed the spectacle of motion. Black Tips, White Tips, Grey Reefs, together with Nurses swam only a human foot or 2 away from my confront alongside hundreds of colorful red, blue, together with yellowish reef fish.
Our dive masters used aluminum poles to maintain some overly excited sharks from getting equally good close.
Shark Feeding Controversy
Now if yous didn’t already know, feeding sharks similar this is a fleck controversial. Some tell that it trains them to associate humans with food, increasing the odds of an attack. Yet in that place is naught difficult proof of this yet. It’s alone speculation.
These diving trips pour much needed coin into shark conservation & inquiry projects. Without that money, shark populations only about the public volition proceed to quickly decline. If dive operators don’t pay to aid salve the sharks, who will? You? The government?
That’s wishful thinking inwards my opinion. It won’t happen.
The ONLY argue marine life is protected at Fiji’s Shark Reserve is because of the coin flowing inwards from these dive trips. Beqa Adventure Divers teamed upward with local villages to ban all line-fishing hither inwards 2004. The result? H5N1 1 time dying reef is thriving together with total of life again.
After over 10 years of feeding sharks here, attacks inwards Republic of the Fiji Islands are soundless only equally rare equally anywhere else. Averaging 1-2 a year.
It’s of import to maintain inwards take away heed that swimming with sharks is in all likelihood a fleck to a greater extent than unsafe than watching them on the Discovery Channel.
But don’t autumn for all the media sensationalism. Math doesn’t lie. The odds are inwards your favor. These beautiful together with powerful creatures are improve seen inwards mortal anyway. ★
Watch Video: Shark Diving inwards Fiji
(Click to spotter Shark Diving Beqa: Fiji on YouTube)
Accommodation: Uprising Beach Resort
Company: Beqa Adventure Divers
Cost: $158 US (2 tank dive trip)
Packing Guide
Check out my travel gear guide to aid yous start packing for your trip. Pick upward a move backpack, photographic television set camera gear, together with other useful move accessories.
Book Your Flight
Book inexpensive flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to detect deals. Also read my tips for how I detect the cheapest flights.
Rent H5N1 Car
Discover Car Hire is a cracking site for comparison automobile prices to detect the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.
Book Accommodation
Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($35 discount!). Read my post for tips on booking inexpensive hotels.
Protect Your Trip
Don’t forget move insurance! I’m a large fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read to a greater extent than close why yous should e'er comport move insurance.
READ NEXT: Waterfalls & Waterslides On Taveuni
Would yous ever swim with sharks?
Sumber lksmadrasah.blogspot.com
