swim with a great white shark

I would like to swim with great white sharks because it is my dream and for the thrill.

There are so many deadly things in the ocean besides Great Whites. I think people tend to blow attacks out of proportion. First off you are in the ocean which is their home. Second if you consider the numbers it is so unlikely for you to be attacked. For example: On the Pacific Coast of North America from 1900 to present day there have been 128 unprovoked shark attacks reported of those 11 were fatal. Now how many people do imagine have set foot in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of N. America in the last 108 years? (California, Oregon & Washington) There were 32 people killed by dogs in the US in 2007. That is nearly 3 times as many deaths in 1 year by dogs in the US than sharks over 108 years off the Pacific Coast. To satisfy those of you who want equal results the total number of deaths by sharks in the US since 1900 is listed as 89. Of that 89, 13 were never found and presumed dead, 8 had body parts wash up on shore (undetermined if wounds were pre or post mortum). Of the 89, 19 were fisherman killed while working (some fell in and were killed by sharks feeding on fish they were catching the others were killed by sharks caught in the net when the net was opened on board) and 70 were swimmers (2 were swimming near a tuna cannery..umm hello why not bath in chum before you swim?, 1 died in surgery and 1 cop suspect was a murder though the coroner ruled it a shark attack) They generally do not like the taste of humans. Most people are bitten once but bleed to death. They are huge, with razor sharp teeth and even a test bite from them can be deadly. In general sharks do not hunt us because they want to eat us they usually think we are something else. Wet suits do tend to make you look a lot more like a seal or sea lion (great white’s favorite). The guy attacked in Solana Beach in April of this year for example was about 150 yards out in a wet suit preparing for a triathlon when he was bitten. Less than 24 hours before that a seal was found beached on that very shore. The shark bit him 1 time but unfortunately he was hit across both thighs. You cut one femoral artery and it takes roughly 4 minutes to bleed out with a normal heart rate. Consider he got both of his hit, had already been swimming so his heart rate was up causing his blood to pump faster and then add in the adrenaline from the attack. He was dead before his friends got him to shore. However if the shark was truly interest in a human he would have finished eating not let go plus he has 8 other swimmers to choose from. I truly think he had chased that seal they found and lost him and was lurking around waiting for him to show up and mistakenly took this poor man for a seal. I was in San Diego swimming in the Ocean with about 35 or 40 Leopard sharks just 2 weeks before this happened probably less than 6 miles south of the attack. I completely respect their power and strength but also admired their grace and elegance. Check out these links for some proof they aren’t as bad as people think they are.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLbL3i9p9EE
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=7329994

before i die i want to swim right next to a dangerous shark

I will never forget that opening sequence in the film Jaws with the bell tolling whilst that poor woman is being chomped on like a chicken nugget!!! But even though I have a huge fear about sharks that (like many other people!) was confirmed by watching the film I also have a huge fascination about them! I am lucky enough to swim often in the summer months in Cornwall with Basking Sharks which are the worlds second largest fish/shark (correct me if I am wrong on that!) but thankfully harmless! It’s still unnerving though being in their element and humbling if they come up to you! Obviously there would be a cage thing going on (hopefully!) when diving with Great Whites but I want to learn more about these creatures and not base my reactions on a film…. which is still one of my favorites!

it scared the hell out of me and i wouldn’t reccomend it- those people who go in the cages in south africa – that sucks they just bait the sharks and now they are attacking more people near where they do this- these people are messing up the ocean for the rest of us who really use it every day!

Ok, I have now seen one! In person! It was at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and it was very very beautiful.

Terrifying, but well worth it. Cage dived with Great Whites in Shark Alley, South Africa.