Shark Protection

Question
I am looking into purchasing one of the electronic shark protection devices. I would like to firstly if they have been tested and proven to be effective, and secondly which device would you recommend.
Thanks

Answer
Hi John,

Various forms of shark protection have been tried over the past 50 years with varying degrees of success.  None of them have proven to be 100 percent effective and I would not rely on any of them for protection from a really aggressive shark.  I think the current crop of shark deterrents are based on generating an electrical field around the diver that the sharks find uncomfortable and will avoid.  I have not heard of any non-lethal deterrent that will stop an aggressive shark in it's tracks.  As for brand names, I have not studied them closely enough to be familiar with the brands.  You can probably research current technology by Googling "shark protection" on the internet.  I didn't do that prior to responding to your question so you might find something new in your search. However I doubt that it's going to be any more effective than what I've already suggested to you.

John, a question I have for you is:  Why do you think you need protection from sharks?  With rare exceptions, the sharks you're likely to encounter are timid and shy creatures who will generally go out of their way to avoid you.  Some, like the Great White Shark, are quite capable of injuring a diver but even these animals generally avoid contact with people.  I've been diving in the oceans of the world for over 50 years and I've never been threatened by a shark.  I've seen hundreds of them and they have invariably left the area after a brief investigation of me.  I know that there are records of shark attacks and many of these are true but, given the millions of people in the water around the world, the chances of getting attacked by a shark are tiny compared to the chances of getting hit by lightning.

John, I realize that you didn't ask me for my personal thoughts on sharks but I thought it might be worth mentioning to you in the event that you didn't have too much personal experience with them.

I hope this information will help you to make a decision on dealing with the need for shark protection.  If not, please write back and I'll try to expand a little more on the subject.

Best Regards,

Mike Giles
Mike's Dive Center
mikescuba.com