Is scuba diving with sharks safe?
The risk of injury, let alone death, while diving with sharks is incredibly low. In contrast, more common leisure activities such as biking, swimming and boating result in a significant number of injuries and fatalities each year. Underlying respiratory conditions (e.A person with heart trouble, a current cold or congestion or who has epilepsy, asthma, a serious medical problem, or who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, should not dive.
How do scuba divers avoid sharks?
Keep a safe distance. Keeping a safe distance from sharks is important, as they are wild animals and can be unpredictable. A good rule of thumb is to stay at least 6 feet away from the shark. This not only keeps you safe, but it also allows the shark to swim freely and behave naturally without feeling threatened. Instead of swimming away: stand your ground, face the shark, make eye contact, extend your fins out if you can to ask for space, and if you absolutely need to then push firmly down on the top of the shark’s head to guide them away from you, making sure to follow through as they swim away.Pay attention to Nature’s signs. Circling birds, splashing water, a dead whale, feeding seals and dolphins may also indicate a shark is near. Do not enter the water. Use the buddy system.
What is the golden rule of scuba diving?
Never hold your breath. This is undoubtedly by far the most crucial of all safety rules for diving because failure to adhere could result in fatality. If you hold your breath underwater at the depths at which scuba divers reach then the fluctuating pressure of air in your lungs can rupture the lung walls. The most frequent known root cause for diving fatalities is running out of, or low on, breathing gas, but the reasons for this are not specified, probably due to lack of data. Other factors cited include buoyancy control, entanglement or entrapment, rough water, equipment misuse or problems and emergency ascent.