The shark seen with rope around gills. Image source: Video still, YouTube
During a shark interaction scuba dive at Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas, divers spotted a shark with a rope wrapped around its body. In an amazing act of trust, the shark allowed divers to hold it in place while they cut the rope free, saving its life.
The dive took place on April 4th 2015, as Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas staff scuba divers witnessed a shark approach their shark feeding and appeared to seek help to remove a rope that was wrapped tightly around her throat. Shark Wranglers Charlotte Faulkner (from the UK) and Pia Venegas (from Argentina) were able to gently hold the shark in position and cut the rope free using a small dive knife. Afterwards, the shark stayed around the feed and has been back several days since the encounter.
Check out this amazing video of the unique experience:
The shark feeding is a popular dive package at Stuart Cove. The first first dive is a “free swim” with the sharks on a magnificent wall. The sharks follow divers throughout the dive because they are close to our feeding site, and they know the dinner bell will ring soon. However, no bait is exposed on this dive. This keeps the sharks curious and creates a very natural encounter for divers – just as you would encounter a shark in the wild.
The second dive of the trip is a shark feeding dive. Unlike ordinary dives, divers spend this dive kneeling on the sand bottom. Divers form a semi-circle in front of a professional shark feeder who will place a bait box. The feeder utilizes this bait box and a pole spear to control the release of food, which influences the sharks behavior. During the shark feeding dive, the feeder tries to keep the sharks in a “polite” feeding posture. The sharks come very close to the divers, however it’s out of curiosity and the search for nearby food. The shark experience is $170 for the two dives, and takes place every afternoon. More information on the dive specifically can be found here.
Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas is one of the leading scuba diving resort in the Bahamas, with daily dives on the famous reefs, wrecks, and walls of New Providence. More information on Stuart Cove can be found at http://www.stuartcove.com or at https://www.facebook.com/StuartCoves.
Be sure to read:
Diving With Bull Sharks: An Adventure (With A Purpose)
with Dive Balam in Playa Del Carmen
