These days, we know that sharks aren't quite the bloodthirsty predators they were made out to be in books and movies of the past. That still doesn't take away a feeling of unease any time we step foot in the ocean, because while the odds of a shark attack are rare, it is a possibility any time you enter a wild animal's domain. The tiger shark is one of the most aggressive species of the bunch, and if you need any further proof of that, just watch this footage taken by a spear fisherman in Australia. This guy and his buddy were down quite deep when the tiger appears. While we've seen plenty of curiosity encounters on video involving sharks and spear fishermen before, this encounter is different, mostly because you can tell this shark means business.
As the two spear fishermen ascend, they keep looking down to ward off an attack from the tiger, which darts quickly back and forth and makes multiple lunges at them. It's a long trip to the surface where they luckily have a boat waiting. We will warn there is a bit of explicit language at the end of the video after these guys get out of the water. It's understandable once you see what happens in this encounter!
WARNING: Strong language is used in the video.
This type of footage is scarier than any Jaws sequel could be, because you get to see the real speed and sharp, aggressive movements a shark makes when they are threatening a human. These guys were lucky the shark seemed to back off every time they raised the spear guns in its direction. It makes us wonder if this shark had a prior encounter with a spear fisherman. Fortunately, it just follows them to the surface and doesn't take a bite out of either diver as they scramble back into the boat.
These guys were clearly on an adrenaline high after they got back in the boat. It just adds insult to injury when the shark then ate their catch. We suspect the smell of blood and fish oil from the spears was probably what drew this tiger in to the fishermen in the first place. It goes to show one must be extra careful when spearfishing, because you never know when a shark is going to be lurking nearby and decide it wants you out of its territory.
This video was probably a best case scenario. The men got away without injury, and so did the shark. Hopefully both sides are now a little wiser and more willing to avoid one another after that.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Instagram For original videos, check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
