Welcome to Thunderdome

GORDON wrote: A lot of the volunteer meetings are held in Malawi.

That's a long flight for a volunteer meeting.

That's just how we roll in T-Town.

This happened today

Sweet Christmas!

Does the suit and beard make a noticeable difference in your mobility down there? Does it freak the fish out who use colors to identify predators?

Mobility: yes. Especially the damned beard, it floats up into my face. It's also pretty heavy when waterlogged and I'm climbing back up the ladder.

Fish reactions: I think so. My zebra shark buddy isn't quite sure what to do about it. Only got a couple face bumps, instead of a bunch of them. The black tips are the ones to be concerned about... but they typically don't get within 5 feet of me unless unless one of them hits a fish and they all kind of frenzy. Most of the divers have had an experience with that. So no, they don't appear fazed by the santa suit.

GORDON wrote: I think so. My zebra shark buddy isn't quite sure what to do about it. Only got a couple face bumps, instead of a bunch of them.

GORDON wrote: the Zebra shark bit onto the fake boot cover of the diver and "held on" to it for a short time.

Hmmm.

The zebra shark eats chunks of fish off the bottom , when fed. I wonder if the diver was kneeling, feet in gravel, and the shark got confused.

I'm diving the last dive of the year, December 30. I'll let you know.

About to gear up for the last feed dive of the year. Gonna see sup with the zebra.

GORDON wrote: About to gear up for the last feed dive of the year. Gonna see sup with the zebra.

It was nice knowing you.

Make sure someone posts the video of you being mauled on YouTube.

Yup, got bit by the zebra shark.

One of the aquarium workers told me before the dive that the zebra shark has been making aggression moves, possibly related to mating. They had to get rid of the second zebra shark because this one kept latching on to the fins, and they'd have to physically get in the tank and make it let go. So he told me that when it gets too close, just push it away.

And in the tank, it was getting close like it always does, so I gently pushed it away 3 or 4 times over the course of giving the feed show to an aquarium full of little kids, who always get excited high-fiving the diver through the glass. So I fed the reef fish, gave the show, and the tender up top told me over the comm system that he had unplugged me from the lobby.... which means the visitors can no longer hear us. But I can still communicate with the guy up top watching my air supply, which is nice.

So I'm in about minute 15 of the dive, going window to window, posing for pics, fist-bumping kids, occasionally pushing the zebra shark away, when I felt it clamp on to the back of my calf, right below my knee joint. Startled me, I exlaimed a "Yahhh!" SO I'm glad the microphone wasn't broadcasting to the guests. It didn't feel painful, but it felt like I'd been gummed and squeezed by a 6 foot shark. The teeth of a zebra aren't chompy like a Great White or Tiger, so it didn't even penetrate the wetsuit.
Fortunately it let go after about a second and a half, and now I considered myself to be in a shark fight, more or less. I turned to keep it from getting behind me again, and actually steered it away from my face almost immediately. I told the tender I'd just been bitten, I thought I was fine, but I was calling the dive. The fucking shark kept trying to get behind me, I kept pushing it away, all the while moving toward the ladder, and still waving at kids as I passed by. I'm not sure how violent it looked from out there, but I didn't want them to see a panicked diver. So I even gave a couple high-fives on my way out, when the shark circled the coral and I had a safe moment.

Latched my elbow in the ladder rung as per usual in order to take off my fins in the water, had to push it away again. Got both fins off, and got up the ladder faster than I ever have before, ha. Adrenaline is a hell of a drug.

Debriefed with the aquarium staff, they didn't know what they were going to do about it, as the Director was out today. I told them I'd be willing to get back in right now if they'd like to closely observe the shark... they declined. But I told them I'd keep signing up for more dives, NBD.

Called my kid, after, to brag.

"Just dove the aquarium, the fucking zebra shark bit me."

Him: "That's pretty cool."

"Right?"

BTW don't say anything about this on social media. I don't want them cancelling the diver program.

GORDON wrote: "Just dove the aquarium, the fucking zebra shark bit me."

I think "gummed" is the word you're looking for based on that picture

GORDON wrote: I told them I'd be willing to get back in right now if they'd like to closely observe the shark... they declined.

Is...Is that code for you going in and having relations with the shark?

From now on I will only be accepting advice and ribbing from people who have survived sharkfights.

GORDON wrote: From now on I will only be accepting advice and ribbing from people who have survived sharkfights.

I chase a shark that had actual teeth once.

Stegostoma fasciatum has actual teeth.

I use the Latin name now, out of respect for a fellow combatant.

I once stepped on a sand shark in Florida (true story). I frightened him so much he swam away instead of attacking (possibly true).

I have also, legit, swam with Man-O-Wars. You will respect my authoriti!