Diver fights of shark that swallowed his head...with a chisel

[Scubaqueen]

@Zabali_Clawbane

What saved that man was his lead weight vest, the shark couldn’t rend him in half due to the lead in his vest, even he admitted this. Still, remarkable escape! :eek:

what **Zabali ** said. i wondered why he wasn’t dead. the BCD (buoyancy compensation device) definitely made the difference. even a great white would have a bit of trouble chomping through 18 or so pounds worth of lead weight.

in all seriousness as a diver myself, sharks are far less of a concern than the media would have you believe. the article does say he was underwater, but it’s rather unusual for a shark to bother a diver - with the possible exception of a bull shark (and obviously this great white!), which has an ungodly amount of testosterone in its system and is therefore cranky by nature 24/7.

that said, i admit, A: i have no degree in marine biology, and B: i’ve never been around a great white, either, so the stakes may be quite different.

i’d bet this guy was nearing the surface and the shark did genuinely mistake him for a seal meal as has been suggested previously. i’m also wondering what kind of breathing unit he was using. the one drawback to regular diving is the regulators. they’re very noisy when you exhale. the fauna tend to avoid you because of this. if our abalone diver was using a rebreather, that’s something else again. the semi-closed system is almost completely silent. few bubbles to scare things away.

while underwater, i’ve been around different kinds of sharks quite a bit and they’re a lot less interested in you than you think. it’s near or on the surface you need to be worrying, if you’re diving in a shark-prone area.

on the other hand, a reputable dive shop charter isn’t going to be taking you someplace like that. sharks chomping on the customer base is bad for business.

[Uncommon_Sense]

@Dinsdale

I propose the issuance of lead vests to swimmers be mandatory as a precaution.

I’ve heard that most sharks aren’t bottom feeders. Good idea!

[Dangerosa]

@mamboman

Why are all you people fawning over this guy? It’s no big deal - he is an Australian after all. We Aussies learn to fight off sharks by ourselves by the time we leave 5th grade.

Punching out a great white? Pfffft. Nothing!

Stingrays, they’re the ones that’ll kill ya!

mm

I was going to emigrate, but I heard that as part of the citizenship test they have you wrestle a crocodile. Here you just need to know state capitals and stuff.

[carnivorousplant]

@Mangetout

I have to say, stabbing it with a chisel is much better than my Plan For Dealing With Sharks, which involved soiling my pants, screaming like a six-year-old girl, then being eaten alive.

Strange how you and I have the same plan.

@article

Sharks, including great whites, are protected in Australia.

[mamboman]

@TheLoadedDog

I’m an Australian. I’m a great big girly, squealing wuss.

Yeah, but you’re not a Queenslander

[trupa]

@kambuckta

When I was four years old, I toddled down to my local beach alone and found a baby shark wallowing in a rockpool. I carried the shark home to show my mum…alas it died on the way.

But that is what Aussie kids do. We are the best!!

Ahh, I see… Just like grizzlies and cougars over here then.

Ok, no biggie. Carry on.

[MovieMogul]

@TheLoadedDog

I’m an Australian. I’m a great big girly, squealing wuss.

You’re probably adopted. :dubious:

[mhendo]

First person i thought of when i read this story was Rodney Fox. Fox was also an abalone diver.

Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions - We Know Sharks...

Warning: one picture at the bottom of the linked page is a bit gruesome.

Now that’s a scar that will get you free drinks in a bar.

[blondebear]

I went to Rodney’s Shark Museum in Glenelg last year. It features a “Rodney Fox as he appeared after the shark attack”-mannequin. Not for the squeamish. There’s also and interesting photo of a huge great white being dissected, taken from directly above the table.