Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving in the Bahamas, but be wary of Tiger sharks!

 


ENJOY SNORKELING AND SCUBA DIVING IN THE BAHAMAS, BUT BE WARY OF THE TIGER SHARK!

     You will love the underwater Bahamas! The crystal-clear, gin-colored waters offer adventuresome entertainment for tourists. However, when snorkeling or scuba diving in the Bahamas, avoid the Tiger shark at all costs. The lady in the photo is making a mistake, for the Tiger shark she is snorkeling with can be aggressive and has attacked humans a recorded 111 times. Hint: Go with a certified Diving Operation in the Bahamas to meet sharks. Don't go it alone! (Watch the video below)

     The Tiger shark is frequently encountered by scuba divers throughout the Bahamas, and it feeds on the turtles, other sharks, and even whales. It is especially abundant off Tiger Beach, which is a shallow sandy area 30km north-west of West End on Grand Bahama. Shark tourism is popular in the Bahamas.

     Although sharks rarely bite humans, the Tiger shark has the largest share of fatal shark-bite incidents, making it one of the most dangerous shark species. They often visit shallow reefs, harbors, and canals, creating the potential for encounter with humans.   

     I became enthralled by a 14-foot Tiger shark that was seen gliding through a boat marina in Abaco, Bahamas. I also learned much about their mysterious behaviors from the staff at the Bimini, Bahamas Shark Research Lab. In fact, while at the lab, they caught one in the nets they set up offshore to capture and tag/release sharks. They found a high frequency of mature Tiger shark females and juveniles, which led to the hypothesis that Bimini serves as a nursery grounds for this species. Tiger sharks prefer shallow water habitats (such as those found to the south, east, and north of Bimini) as juveniles and progressively move to deeper oceanic waters (such as to the west of Bimini) as they grow larger.

     The more I learned about these fascinating sharks, I had to devote several episodes in the PENUMBRA DATABASE spy thriller to them. CIA Spymaster Corey Pearson ventures to Nassau, Bahamas after a young CIA agent he recruited was killed by a Tiger shark. Was it an accident… or murder? Although sharks rarely bite humans, the Tiger shark has the largest share of fatal shark-bite incidents and is regarded as one of the most dangerous shark species. Corey’s recruit found out the hard way. Here’s a snippet from that scene in the PENUMBRA DATABASE: 

The scent reached the tiger shark resting eighty feet below in the cooler waters. Millions of years of evolution caused its prehistoric brain to awaken when a minuscule amount of blood reached the cartilaginous beast. Its station-wagon sized body rose from the blue hole and tracked down the origin of the continuous blood slick. The dorsal fin protruded above the waves as it glided over the shallow reefs and approached the dock. Dagger Mouth grew energized as the blood trail grew stronger. Its electromagnetic sensors switched on to pick up any vibrations or minuscule electric fields generated from the source of the bloody fragrance.

     “Here da monsta’ come! Quick, Cherestal, let’s make our friend more appetizin'. We gonna make you into chicken chumsicle, my silent friend who don’t talk!”

     Bolan began to laugh as he stuffed chicken parts into the oversized wetsuit, while Cherestal poked holes in it with his knife. The silent man finally spoke.

     “I want you to tell Sandoval something. The organization I work for has resources beyond your comprehension. They will stalk you to the ends of the earth…and spend limitless resources to do so. They will exterminate Sandoval and both of you. You’ve made a grave mistake…your lives will go to the dogs after today.”

    Perhaps it was the somber tone, the unexpected confidence or the resoluteness buttressing their prisoner’s last words that made them stop chuckling.

     Cherestal blurted out, “Dis man should be beggin’ fo' his life…not threaten us!”

     Tougas yelled at his cohort, “Shut the fuck up! You forget we on video!”

     Sandoval would view the video and hear the prisoner’s words. The Haitian duo feared him more than this mystery man of mental steel. They hooked the ankle chains onto the mobile lift. Cherestal cranked the manual winch and the man in the bloated wetsuit stuffed with dripping chicken parts was hoisted upside down into the air and lowered to a foot above the water’s surface.

     The nineteen-foot shark glided in circles several times around the head of the sandy-haired man, who closed his eyes and remained silent. On the third pass, the 2,150-pound creature lunged. In an instant, Bolan and Cherestal stared at a severed pelvic bone and two legs dangling from the lift.

     Tougas shut off the video cam. “I hope Sandoval not be angry at us. We couldn’t get da brave man to scream.”

                 ~~~~~~~~~~ 

Now that I’ve got you scared to death about entering the Bahamian waters, don’t be! I’ve run into Caribbean reef sharks, Nurse sharks, and many other species while snorkeling and scuba diving in the Bahamas, and never felt any danger at all. They are, basically, docile creatures.

     Watch this video and meet “HOOK” a gigantic Tiger shark that roams the Bahamian waters:  



Robert Morton is a member of the Association Of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and writes the spy thriller series "Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster". Journey with Corey through the Caribbean, Bahamas, Florida Keys and Key West. 

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