Must-follow Safety Tips For Scuba Diving With Sharks

What comes to your mind when you think about the term “Scuba Dive”? 

Do you think it to be terrifying or exhilarating? 

No matter what you think it to be, Scuba Diving in Goa can be both- terrifying as well as exhilarating. The key to enjoying the majestic creatures like sharks while staying safe is maintaining your composure. Though most of the sharks are known for attacking the humans, it is simply a result of the mistake as the sharks mistake the humans for other animals. 

Thus, in order to enjoy the diving experience, you need to be aware of what to do and what not when diving with the sharks. For instance, you must know how to respond when you encounter a shark exhibiting aggressive behaviour. However, for your convenience, here we have mentioned some tips for safe diving with sharks. 

⦁ Learn about shark behavior

You must be willing to get the best of your Scuba Diving trip in Goa. So, the first step would be learning about the sharks’ behavior. They will react differently in case they feel threatened by your presence. You need to be aware of the sign when a shark feels threatened and use those signs as a cue that it is the time to move away from the shark. 

⦁ Avoid wearing something shiny

When diving in the area that could have sharks, you must avoid the scuba gear that is bright coloured or shiny. Shiny things can attract the sharks and can cause them to mistake you for a fish having shiny scales. So, avoid the bright colours and just stick to the dark wetsuits and other diving gear. 

⦁ Stay calm

It is important to remain calm when diving with sharks because the erratic movements can gain sharks’ attention and provoke them. Don’t panic with the thought of sharks; just think as if you are surrounded by only small fish and coral. This will help you swim gracefully and calmly while ensuring safety. 

⦁ Move cautiously 

Swimming away or moving backwards in your scuba diving trip as fast as possible may appear as a sign of weakness to the shark. It can also make the prey feel panic and flee. However, once the shark starts having the feeling of dominance, it may lose its wary caution. So, neither try to turn your back or swim away quickly when doing Scuba diving in Goa. 

⦁ Swim with the purpose

You are likely to avoid the water and surface where you spot the sharks. Keeping in mind that your anxiety can cause the sharks to hunt, you must try to swim with the speed while following a purpose. 

Just go to the bottom of the dive site with maximum speed and your adventure is half done. The same you need to do while getting out of the water i.e. Swim with the purpose of moving to the surface while keeping the speed to the maximum. However, don’t forget to follow the safety tips in both the cases. 

⦁ Remain vertical in the water

Though a horizontal trim is considered as the optimum standard for scuba diving, it is not the case when dealing with aggressive sharks. Remaining vertical allows you to have a dominant profile in the water. It makes the shark hesitant of getting too close to you. 

⦁ Never follow sharks

Never make a mistake of following a shark; instead, give them a plenty of space. No matter how inciting it is, just stay away from it. The shark can turn around viewing you as a predator and can attack in self-defence. So, in order to ensure your safety, you should avoid following a shark. 

No matter you are looking for capturing a picture of the shark or just have a close view of it, you must let it go its way without any interruption. 

Above all, use your common sense and trust your gut, and you would be able to enjoy your scuba diving trip in Goa without any issue. And a thing you need to keep in mind is shark diving is not safe until you are completely aware that how to behave when sharks are around. So, once you think you are aware of the risks and the measures you can take to escape from the sharks, you can begin with your shark dive.