# A question for all you Recon, SEAL, MARSOC, CCT, Combat Diver types.



## busyworks (Jul 5, 2018)

Anyone have any shark experiences during training?

I always wonder how frequently .mil diver types encounter sharks. open water is a spooky place.


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## Ooh-Rah (Jul 5, 2018)

This topic  took a turn from where I thought it was going, cool question!


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## busyworks (Jul 5, 2018)

Ooh-Rah said:


> This topic  took a turn from where I thought it was going, cool question!


I was watching some YouTube top 5 video about close calls with sharks and it got me thinking!


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## digrar (Jul 5, 2018)

Look up Paul De Gelder, he was a Rifleman and Sniper in my Regiment prior to going over to the RAN and becoming a Clearance Diver. Paul lost an arm below the elbow and a leg above the knee to a Bull Shark.


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## busyworks (Jul 5, 2018)

digrar said:


> Look up Paul De Gelder, he was a Rifleman and Sniper in my Regiment prior to going over to the RAN and becoming a Clearance Diver. Paul lost an arm below the elbow and a leg above the knee to a Bull Shark.


Damn that's brutal. Bullsharks are mean fuckers.

Shark attacks are definitely one of my biggest fears, no matter how unlikely.


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## digrar (Jul 5, 2018)

He's done well to get through it. I think he was attacked in 2009, I flew on a plane with him last year or late the year before and he was looking mega fit.


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## Teufel (Jul 5, 2018)

I have run into sharks on dives. I was most afraid of salt water crocodiles when I was diving in Papua New Guinea.


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## busyworks (Jul 5, 2018)

Teufel said:


> I have run into sharks on dives. I was most afraid of salt water crocodiles when I was diving in Papua New Guinea.


Yea fuck that. I would be constantly thinking about that shit.

I feel like that's pretty good motivation to complete some training events as fast as possible ahaha.


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## Devildoc (Jul 6, 2018)

Not a combat diver, but a NAUI/PADI diver, also a scout-swimmer 'back in the day.'  I have encountered sharks, none aggressive.  As I think _Jaws _is the one of the best books _and_ movies ever produced, I like sharks.  I will tell you what does freak me the hell out:  flying in a helo over just about any beach, you see them, some of them massive and huge, in the surf zone.  I would rather "see" them open water than not see them in the foam of the surf, where 3/4 people become lunch.


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## Gunz (Jul 7, 2018)

The only sea creature I've had a bad encounter with was a Portuguese Man O War that wrapped its tentacles around my leg and it felt like 10,000 volts and left bright red, painful whip-like welts. This was off Edisto Beach in the 80s. When it first happened I thought a shark had bit me.

Benedryl, painkillers at the ER...and copious beers.


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## SpongeBob*24 (Jul 7, 2018)

Good to see medicine from the 80's still works.....(beer)   






Saw this on the weather channel, seems sharks like to mess up everyone's dreams....


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## BloodStripe (Jul 7, 2018)

Ocoka said:


> The only sea creature I've had a bad encounter with was a Portuguese Man O War that wrapped its tentacles around my leg and it felt like 10,000 volts and left bright red, painful whip-like welts. This was off Edisto Beach in the 80s and we were surfing. When it first happened I thought a shark had bit me.
> 
> Benedryl, painkillers at the ER...and copious beers.



A buddy in the Marines had one wrap around his shoulder. Left one hell of a scar.


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## Board and Seize (Jul 9, 2018)

My only shark experience:

For an open-circuit sustainment dive in Guam, my team hit a spot where a local resort put down feeding buckets to attract wildlife for the glass-bottom boats.  This was barely training, but there were about 6 nurse sharks in the vicinity that were pretty friendly.  We got up close to them, and I even managed to catch a short ride by hanging onto a dorsal fin for a few meters.  Pretty cool.


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## CQB (Jul 10, 2018)

digrar said:


> He's done well to get through it. I think he was attacked in 2009, I flew on a plane with him last year or late the year before and he was looking mega fit.


That guy is a stud. I saw his gorgeous partner first from across the street, then_ fark_, it's him. In shorts & wifebeater he's pretty impressive with all his ironmongery on display.


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## Gunz (Jul 15, 2018)

Paul de Gelder

https://www.amazon.com/No-Time-Fear-Attack-Survivor/dp/0143567322


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## Arf (Nov 4, 2019)

The class before mine had a 14 foot shark following the last swim pair during an open ocean timed swim. The instructors just kept pestering it from the boats and the instructors on the skis just yelled at everyone to hurry the hell up and finish because there was a shark following them. Nobody got pulled out of the water. 
We are armed with 1 smoke grenade per swim pair, and both of us have fixed blade knives at our hips during these swims.


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## mavs33 (Nov 8, 2019)

Obviously an unverified dirty civilian with no experience, but on “Cleared Hot” Podcast #88, Andy Stumpf talks about how many times he’s been out on a dive and knowing with absolute certainty his partner is on the right side, and being slammed by something on the left.


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## Jaknight (Nov 9, 2019)

mavs33 said:


> Obviously an unverified dirty civilian with no experience, but on “Cleared Hot” Podcast #88, Andy Stumpf talks about how many times he’s been out on a dive and knowing with absolute certainty his partner is on the right side, and being slammed by something on the left.


 Damn did anything ever happened?


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## mavs33 (Nov 9, 2019)

Jaknight said:


> Damn did anything ever happened?



No attacks per se. He also mentioned working with dolphins and said you’d be swimming along and hear their clicking noises and have no idea where they are then BAM they’d smash and beat the shit out of you lol.


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