A feature titled “Understanding them to approach them better. Encountering sharks”, co-written with Steven Surina, photographs by Fabrice Dudenhofer, published in issue 55 of the French magazine Plongez !
In the feature
- Understanding a shark’s senses
- Reading their intentions
- Diving with sharks
- The rules to follow underwater
Extract
One of the first indicators to take into account, when reading the exchange between us and the sharks we dive with, is their swimming speed. A shark moving calmly, at a steady pace, is telling us we are in the presence of a relaxed, confident — perhaps even cautious — animal, taking its time to gather information about the new situation it has come across, and of which we are part. In that configuration, even if the shark comes closer, there is no particular cause for concern.
Where there is a noticeable acceleration, with more dynamic — though not necessarily jerky — swimming, a reduced oscillating motion and a stiffening body, particular attention is called for.
