USVI-On-Line

Thought I'd link in this old thread on Sharks from the OT board....

http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... php?t=5858

Thanks Sherban, I feel so much better.

I hope if I do see a shark it's a Cobbler Wobbegong . He seems to be the safest. What's with the 10 Nurse Shark fatal attacks? I thought they were like friendly little puppy dogs.

Cyp- I'm not a shark expert....but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night....

My opinion, for what-ever reason, is--- it seems that sharks don't get aggressive around the VIs much...based on the little bit of data I have looked at. I sure don't mean to stir up any trouble on this...seems sharks get aggressive in alot of other places like FL...

My original goal was to figure out if we should expect to see any sharks while snorkeling around STJ...I think the answer is yes. It also seems alot of people see them and nobody has been attacked (that I know of)...over-all that is good news.

BTW- The nurse sharks stats are 10 unprovoked attacks with zero fatalities...whew...maybe more like puppies...

Sharks=puppies...uh...well, sharks have bigger teeth.

The water is so clear that the sharks can tell you aren't their normal prey most of the time they attack they can't see what they are going after.

Yes, I've been attacked by more sea urchin than sharks. As posted last week, within 15 minutes of the start of our first dive we saw a 9 1/2 foot female nurse shark with two smaller males who were trying to breed. Our instructor said that it was the largest nurse shark she has ever seen. Diana saw a black tip on the right side of Cinnamon Cay while snorkeling.

From what I've read, most shark "attacks" are acidents. Sharks are eating machines. They spot something and go after it. When they taste it and realize it's not food they spit it out. The problem is that this taste results in critical or mortal injuries.

JIM

cptnkirk wrote:Now thats cool Were ya way off the point or close to shore. I'm sure kirk knows the diffrence between tarpon and tuna they look nothing alike maybe could have been some huge barjack though they look like tuna,don't no if they get that big.

I am only speaking of the New England Tuna They're huge (hundreds of pounds!) and are quite a bit off shore. There are different types so perhaps the smaller ones in the warmer waters do come in...not sure. I know for a fact the the Tarpon do run along the shores cuz we have them here in FL that you can spot swimming along the beaches, especially around Gasparilla Island.

Rather swim with them than sharks fo sure!

Take care,
Kathy

Hey all,
I am on island now with the family, trip report when we get back but I had to jump into this conversation:

We were out SCUBA diving off of Mingo Cay. I looked past the dive master into the open ocean and what did I see?? A shark swimming about. Got the dive master's attention, he seemed a little freaked out. It was Bull Shark over 6 feet long. Let me tell you since he was the 1st non-nurse shark I have seen he was HUGE!! We dropped down low, the shark looked us over and swam away. He came back 2 times. Dive master said it was only the 2nd bull shark he has seen in around St. John. Made for an exciting dive.


I don't want to go home

LS

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Hey Kirk,

No doubts here brother! I was on the backside of waterlemon cay a few years ago and a solo large tuna swam right past me. Scared the living sh*! out of me at first!

Sharks? swim enough you'll see them in most of the bays. Leinster & Lamshur I seem to see alot of small blacktips and Cinnamon is usually good for a nurse shark or two.

Jorge wrote:OK, I don't want to get a frenzy started,but there are plenty of sharks in the area. I have some pictures from last year of a whale carcass that was being towed back out into deep water with loads of sharks hanging off of it like a lunchtime buffet. I shouldn't post those pics.

I remember those pictures. They were freaky.

LS, you are the second person that has reported seeing a bull shark close to shore...the other person saw one out at those rocks in the middle at Salt Pond Bay. Bull sharks make me nervous because of their association with all of the attacks in FLA...of course the water is murkier there.

Since this is the shark thread, I am reposting the picture of the sharks I saw at Turtle Bay a couple of weeks ago. I thought they were blacktips by default, but now I am wondering if they could have been bull sharks. I've eliminated pretty much every other shark. Does anyone have an opinion?

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2519174153/" title="turtle bay reef shark by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2030/251 ... 71aa41.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="turtle bay reef shark"></a>

edited to remove giant picture!

Last year at Francis, out towards Whistling Cay I found myself in a huge school of Tarpon...There was a big fat ray on the bottom flapping up the brine shrimp and they were in a fast food frenzy!!Scared the $hit outta me (I was by myself)Once I got my breath I realized what they were, but then also realized that I was probably part of the food chain as well and got the hell outta' there...still it was pretty cool..that's the only place I have seen a nurse shark also...

Becky...those were big enough for me what ever they were!!':shock:'

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SJfromNJ wrote:Becky,

How big was that shark? I cant see the typical "black tip" from that picture.

Taking into account the 20% distortion rule (aka everything looks 20% larger underwater), and then adding in the "big fish" exaggeration factor...rationally I would say they were no smaller than 5.5 feet and no larger than 6.5 feet long. They were definitely bigger than me, lengthwise, but not hugely so. Does that make sense?

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Wow, who's the "brave soul" with their hand on the shark I wouldn't have any limb with in 6 feet of that frenzy!!

Thanks Jorge, when you mentioned these photos a few replies back I was hoping you'd share again.

Kathy