Strange question. As a former SCUBA instructor who has dove in both the Caribbean and South Pacific, I have two.
On the Atlantic side, I like the Caribbean Reef Shark. They are not particularly aggressive but they are a true shark (in the sense that they could definitely rip you a second asshole if they are so inclined) but are not dangerous to dive with if you don't do something stupid. They are also fairly common.
On the Pacific side, the Gray Reef Shark is similar. It is an impressive animal but relatively safe to dive with if you don't get stupid.
I have encountered one tiger shark while diving off the island of Guam. Fun to talk about after but damn near shit myself during the dive. It was on a pinnacle that came to within about 130' of the surface. The shark came up from about a depth of 350', circled us a few times and went back down. It was checking us out. Scary!
Sharks are mostly safe to dive with although Boru trivializes this. Some species are definitely dangerous if you do the wrong thing. Most divers are aware of the risk and know how to avoid putting themselves in danger.
The group most at risk are surfers. It's mostly a case of mistaken identity. A person splashing away on a boogie board resembles a wounded turtle. A surfer paddling resembles a wounded seal. This rings the dinner bell for a tiger shark or great white shark respectively. Waders can be at risk as well. Any kind of thrashing around simulates a wounded animal. A shark in shallow water will only see a pair of legs which don't seem to present much of a threat - so it'll take a taste.
Like anything else of risk, it's just a matter of knowing what you are doing. It is relatively safe to interact with most sharks if you aren't stupid.
On the Atlantic side, I like the Caribbean Reef Shark. They are not particularly aggressive but they are a true shark (in the sense that they could definitely rip you a second asshole if they are so inclined) but are not dangerous to dive with if you don't do something stupid. They are also fairly common.
On the Pacific side, the Gray Reef Shark is similar. It is an impressive animal but relatively safe to dive with if you don't get stupid.
I have encountered one tiger shark while diving off the island of Guam. Fun to talk about after but damn near shit myself during the dive. It was on a pinnacle that came to within about 130' of the surface. The shark came up from about a depth of 350', circled us a few times and went back down. It was checking us out. Scary!
Sharks are mostly safe to dive with although Boru trivializes this. Some species are definitely dangerous if you do the wrong thing. Most divers are aware of the risk and know how to avoid putting themselves in danger.
The group most at risk are surfers. It's mostly a case of mistaken identity. A person splashing away on a boogie board resembles a wounded turtle. A surfer paddling resembles a wounded seal. This rings the dinner bell for a tiger shark or great white shark respectively. Waders can be at risk as well. Any kind of thrashing around simulates a wounded animal. A shark in shallow water will only see a pair of legs which don't seem to present much of a threat - so it'll take a taste.
Like anything else of risk, it's just a matter of knowing what you are doing. It is relatively safe to interact with most sharks if you aren't stupid.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
