Shark pods.
- Thread starter Simba
- Start date
Hi John,
I have been diving with a Freedom 7 for a while. I have not had a run-in with a big shark while wearing it (of course the day I didn't wear it I had a huge Zambezi have a few goes at me!) It has spooked a few gully sharks, but I have not had any shark experinces to speak of while diving with it.
I find that on shallow dives in caves, it tended to fall down around my head while I am head down in a cave, and in the surge for cracker, it also often ends up whipping past your pip, giving you a nice wake-up while you are trying to be nice & quiet. And in deeper water however I try to flare out and land on the reef, it tends to fall over my other leg and shock me there. I have resolved all of that by drilling 3 holes in the outside of my fin and putting cable ties through them which I leave open enough to fit the shield, and thread it through. Got this tip from an old time cape diver, Geoff Fridjohn, and it works a treat.
I have felt more comfortable with it than without it, although to be honest after that brute zambezi, it doesn't feel like anything short of a cage would really stop a big shark.
I only dive with it upcoast, in Cape Town kelp diving you don't need one, and you very seldom hear of whites while hunting tail, plus it would be a huge extra hassle while trying to get onto and into a school of tail. And no real shark issues in the deep for tuna, all of which is really the only CT diving I do.
Cheers,
Tony
I have been diving with a Freedom 7 for a while. I have not had a run-in with a big shark while wearing it (of course the day I didn't wear it I had a huge Zambezi have a few goes at me!) It has spooked a few gully sharks, but I have not had any shark experinces to speak of while diving with it.
I find that on shallow dives in caves, it tended to fall down around my head while I am head down in a cave, and in the surge for cracker, it also often ends up whipping past your pip, giving you a nice wake-up while you are trying to be nice & quiet. And in deeper water however I try to flare out and land on the reef, it tends to fall over my other leg and shock me there. I have resolved all of that by drilling 3 holes in the outside of my fin and putting cable ties through them which I leave open enough to fit the shield, and thread it through. Got this tip from an old time cape diver, Geoff Fridjohn, and it works a treat.
I have felt more comfortable with it than without it, although to be honest after that brute zambezi, it doesn't feel like anything short of a cage would really stop a big shark.
I only dive with it upcoast, in Cape Town kelp diving you don't need one, and you very seldom hear of whites while hunting tail, plus it would be a huge extra hassle while trying to get onto and into a school of tail. And no real shark issues in the deep for tuna, all of which is really the only CT diving I do.
Cheers,
Tony
I agree with Tony, I've used mine but only at certain spots when I felt safer having it with me! It definitely adds to the peace of mind!
As Tony said, it's not needed when doing kelp hunting here in the cape but there are definitely spots that having one would be an asset!
As Tony said, it's not needed when doing kelp hunting here in the cape but there are definitely spots that having one would be an asset!
Hey John
Drop Shark Shield an email via there website if you have questions about their product. I use one and can tell you that it doesn't work on raggies, cow sharks, gullies, pyjamas, small-medium sized bronzies or on small sharks of any species. It's no good for us 'bamboes hoenders' either because the electrode usually gets pushed up to the surface by the kelp and provides no protection and zaps the user. I use it in areas where there is less kelp and when I brave it out in the deeper parts. I won't dive in False Bay without it
I've had first hand accounts from spearos and shark researchers and they say it works on the GWs and other more dangerous sharks. Take a look at the SS youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ_8dLnN8aE
You need to get into the habit of leveling off at the bottom otherwise the electrode drops on your head.
Cheers,
John
Drop Shark Shield an email via there website if you have questions about their product. I use one and can tell you that it doesn't work on raggies, cow sharks, gullies, pyjamas, small-medium sized bronzies or on small sharks of any species. It's no good for us 'bamboes hoenders' either because the electrode usually gets pushed up to the surface by the kelp and provides no protection and zaps the user. I use it in areas where there is less kelp and when I brave it out in the deeper parts. I won't dive in False Bay without it
I've had first hand accounts from spearos and shark researchers and they say it works on the GWs and other more dangerous sharks. Take a look at the SS youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ_8dLnN8aE
You need to get into the habit of leveling off at the bottom otherwise the electrode drops on your head.
Cheers,
John
Spearlover
New member
Hi guys
Sounds as if a shark shield is a must on some spots... But I onley do shore dives around KZN never saw any big GW more zambiz and raggies. But if shark shield don't work on them??? Should I get one???
Divan
Sounds as if a shark shield is a must on some spots... But I onley do shore dives around KZN never saw any big GW more zambiz and raggies. But if shark shield don't work on them??? Should I get one???
Divan
According to: http://sharkshield.com/?/m/faqs
"What types of sharks does the Shark Shield deter?
All predatory shark species are repelled by the Shark Shield. These include Great Whites, Tigers, Zambezi (Bull), Mako, Oceanic, Grey Nurse, Hammerhead sharks.
Some sharks, in particular the bottom feeders, including Woobygong, Carpet and Port Jackson sharks, have their Ampullae of Lorenzini located under their snouts and as such have a diminished response to the Shark Shield wave form. A small number of sharks such as the Seven Gill shark have a diminished Ampullae so are less affected. The sharks that fall into these categories are in general, not considered dangerous to humans."
"What types of sharks does the Shark Shield deter?
All predatory shark species are repelled by the Shark Shield. These include Great Whites, Tigers, Zambezi (Bull), Mako, Oceanic, Grey Nurse, Hammerhead sharks.
Some sharks, in particular the bottom feeders, including Woobygong, Carpet and Port Jackson sharks, have their Ampullae of Lorenzini located under their snouts and as such have a diminished response to the Shark Shield wave form. A small number of sharks such as the Seven Gill shark have a diminished Ampullae so are less affected. The sharks that fall into these categories are in general, not considered dangerous to humans."
From Peter Gapp at Shark Shield:
"I had to do a bit of research to find out what species a raggie is, every country has different names for the same species. Looking at it and reading up I believe the raggie is what we call a Grey Nurse as a fish eater it has very noticeable ragged teeth. It is known that Shark Shield has little or no effect on Gray Nurses we don't fully understand why but it may be that they are more primitive sharks and have a lesser developed Ampullae of Lorenzini sensory organ Grey Nurses are considered harmless."
"I had to do a bit of research to find out what species a raggie is, every country has different names for the same species. Looking at it and reading up I believe the raggie is what we call a Grey Nurse as a fish eater it has very noticeable ragged teeth. It is known that Shark Shield has little or no effect on Gray Nurses we don't fully understand why but it may be that they are more primitive sharks and have a lesser developed Ampullae of Lorenzini sensory organ Grey Nurses are considered harmless."
[OFF-TOPIC - ON]
Hey x_yeti,
Do you think that there is any benefit to do FRC training for spearos?
I'm thinking that it may be a way to to build up conditioning for possible anaerobic scenarios for example, when fighting a big fish or for some reason having to go down without a proper surface interval.
[OFF-TOPIC - OFF]
Hey x_yeti,
Do you think that there is any benefit to do FRC training for spearos?
I'm thinking that it may be a way to to build up conditioning for possible anaerobic scenarios for example, when fighting a big fish or for some reason having to go down without a proper surface interval.
[OFF-TOPIC - OFF]
landshark wrote:
Hmmm.. I think CO2 tolerance training would be better for this - swimming underwater laps in a pool with progressively decreasing resting times.
The primary benefits of FRC dives are practising mouthfill equalisation and increasing flexibility of lungs and chest for deep dives. I don't think this is needed for spearing between 10-30m. If you are planning to shoot a fish at +60m like Trevor did then yeah it could be of benefit
Hmmm.. I think CO2 tolerance training would be better for this - swimming underwater laps in a pool with progressively decreasing resting times.
The primary benefits of FRC dives are practising mouthfill equalisation and increasing flexibility of lungs and chest for deep dives. I don't think this is needed for spearing between 10-30m. If you are planning to shoot a fish at +60m like Trevor did then yeah it could be of benefit
x_yeti wrote:
Shot, thanks for the info!
landshark wrote:
Hmmm.. I think CO2 tolerance training would be better for this - swimming underwater laps in a pool with progressively decreasing resting times.
The primary benefits of FRC dives are practising mouthfill equalisation and increasing flexibility of lungs and chest for deep dives. I don't think this is needed for spearing between 10-30m. If you are planning to shoot a fish at +60m like Trevor did then yeah it could be of benefit
Shot, thanks for the info!