Who's afraid of the big bad bull shark?

So, last week I saw a large shape in the distance while diving that my guide excitedly told me was a bull shark - not the first shark I've seen by a long way, and the name didn't mean anything to me, so I just joined in the general diver smug satisfaction at having seen another big thing and thought little more of it.

an impressive silhouette ... 

Anyway, this week I saw another one up MUCH closer - about 3m away from where I floated underwater - and thought I would look up a bit more about this rather impressive creature. Big mistake ...

not-so-sexy up close ...

So, according to the National Geographic website, this could be classified as the most dangerous shark in the world, and is in the top three of sharks that attack people. Other things I have now learnt about bull sharks include:

- they're partly so dangerous because they're common in shallow water, and can even swim up freshwater rivers

- the film 'Jaws' was based on a series of attacks that were probably by a bull shark or sharks

- they're normally solitary but sometimes hunt in pairs (there were two down with us this weekend)

- they eat pretty much everything that moves, including each other

feeding bull sharks - are they quite mad?

Bizarrely, some people actually feed bull sharks so that they can get up close - not a good idea for many many reasons, not least because teaching sharks to equate divers with dinner time is bad news for divers not armed with some diversionary steak (good rant on this subject here) ... On the other hand, I've been advised that if they swim past me and I just stay very still, I could even try stroking them ... I am not yet convinced ... but will keep diving for now, with a special focus on moving very calmly and slowly until the end of shark season (September? October? ever?).

And just in case - I love you all, and don't regret a minute of it!