I believe there is some innate, semi-dormant recollection of a collective experience shared by our primordial ancestors fleeing from a 60-foot megaladon in a prehistoric sea that makes us perk up when the word shark is mentioned. A one-syllable word that when spoken, whether in conversation over dinner or on a crowded beach, will get reaction. Tell people that you are going diving with sharks and you will most certainly be thought insane. The problem is that most people actually know little about sharks and have been conditioned to think of them only as something to fear. While this is often the case with things we do not understand, it is especially true of sharks. In years past, the diving industry did its best to discourage discussions of sharks and divers. Since sharks were considered dangerous, it did not seem prudent to accentuate such negative aspects of the undersea world. As time passed, pioneering individuals - most often photographers seeking dramatic images - ventured out to find sharks in the wild. After a great deal of trial and error, their techniques were refined and shared with other divers interested in doing the same. Today, shark diving operations can be found in various places in North America. Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions among non-divers is that sharks are in the water just waiting for us. The truth is that attracting these animals usually requires a fair amount of work. Bait is essential and is used by operators to bring the sharks in from great distances and to keep them interested once they arrive near the boat. In Southern California and New England, dive boats typically sail offshore and begin chumming with ground-up fish, creating a slick of fish oil and morsels that can extend for miles. The distance offshore depends on the coast. To find productive shark grounds in New England, the average trip is nearly 30 miles - a boat ride of two to three hours. California divers can begin chumming considerably closer to shore due to the deeper water found only a few miles off that coast. In both locales, it is hoped the chum will bring on the pelagics. In these deeper offshore waters a number of shark species can be found including blue, mako, dusky and thresher. By far the most prolific however, is the blue shark. With its long snout and wing-like pectoral fins, the blue shark is easily one of the most beautiful sharks to watch. In brightly lit water, the deep, rich indigo blue coloring on their backs is impressive. These animals are fine performers as well. They will often stay around the boat for hours, putting on a great show. Although the species is the same, blues found off California tend to be slightly smaller in size than those in the Atlantic. Pacific blues typically range between 3 and 6 feet long. Their Northeast cousins average between 5 and 8 feet with the occasional 9-footer cruising in for a look. Watching sharks in either of these places is best done from the protection of a cage for several reasons. First and foremost is for protection from the sharks. Although these animals may not be the villains they so often have been portrayed as, we must never become complacent. They certainly have the capability to do damage and there is no sense in tempting fate. We must also be aware that because we're chumming, we have created an unnatural situation. Sharks are not used to swimming amid an ocean of ground-up fish and oil. Add to that chunks of bait and the electric fields given off by metal objects like ladders, and we can begin to understand the sensory overload encountered by these highly developed predators. Even in natural situations sharks are unpredictable. In the conditions presented by a dive or fishing boat, behavior may be significantly altered. Another good reason for a cage in these locales is the nature of the diving environment. With several hundred or several thousand feet of water below, trying to fend off sharks coming at you from all directions can be next to impossible. One or two sharks, maybe, but as their numbers grow, keeping track of them while unprotected becomes impossible - and unwise. The process of chumming also requires the boat to drift in order to create the long slick. Trying to watch your depth, adjust equipment, ready your camera, fend off sharks and keep sight of the boat is no way to enjoy the experience. Some operations provide experienced guides dressed in chain mail who will hand-feed the sharks in front of the cage to make sure the divers inside get an incredible view. Even without this added specialty, if sharks are around, divers are rarely disappointed. Depending on the size of the cage, between two and four divers can comfortably fit inside. Viewports are most often designed into sections of the cage for unobstructed camera access. In California, sharks can be found year-round; however, operations usually run from April through December. In New England, the blue sharks show up in June and stay through November. Sea conditions tend to deteriorate after mid-October, however. In either location, water temperature rarely dips much lower than the low 60s Fahrenheit during the season. A quarter-inch wetsuit is the most comfortable suit of choice, especially since the diver in the cage isn't doing a lot of moving. With the shark cage generally no deeper than 10 or 12 feet, extra weight is required for divers to remain negative and firmly planted on the floor. Excess gear, such as snorkels, that might become entangled in the cage should be removed. Visibility is generally better on the West Coast, with 60 to 80 feet of blue water not uncommon. While days such as that do occur in the Northeast, especially in the fall, 30 to 40 feet of visibility should be considered average. Sharks in the Stream Another place sharks can be found is off North Carolina. When divers began frequenting several shipwrecks found off the Outer Banks, they saw firsthand what fishermen had known for years - large schools of sand tiger sharks were hanging out near the wrecks. It is unlikely that these engaging sharks have any interest in our maritime history, but rather that these shipwrecks just happen to fall in a region where the sand tigers feed and mate. The general region seems to be approximately 20 miles offshore from Cape Hatteras to Morehead City. It is a safe assumption that the sharks can be found at any place within this expanse; however, it is easiest to simply venture out to one of a few likely shipwrecks and see if they are there. Sand tiger sharks are one of the most ferocious-looking species around, with long slender teeth protruding from their mouths. Because of this, and due to their longevity when in captivity, sand tigers are often a main attraction at aquariums. They are voracious eaters, feeding on many species of local fish as well as crustaceans and squid. In spite of their rather ominous appearance, they are not considered dangerous to man. They grow in excess of 10 feet in length and often have sizable girth as well. Shipwrecks off the Carolina coast where sand tigers are commonly seen are in a depth range of 80 to 160 feet. Some of the best populations have been observed on the wrecks of the Australia (100 feet) and Tarpon (120 feet) off Hatteras and on the Papoose (120 feet) off Morehead City. Diving with these sharks is quite different from a shark cage trip. Instead of drifting in the water column, you are anchored to a wreck, which provides a platform for your observation. Since bait is not used, finding the sharks often requires swimming the wreck looking for them. On good days, huge schools of sand tigers can be seen, hanging like fighter planes in formation over the bottom. Other times you may find only a single animal (not the notorious loan shark, but the ubiquitous lone shark) cruising among the wreckage. A unique aspect of this type of shark diving is that it is completely natural. No chum, cages ... nothing has been done to alter the shark's behavior. Although the sharks are usually frightened by divers' exhaust bubbles, it is not uncommon to get within a few feet of them by patiently approaching slowly. If the Gulf Stream happens to be washing the site you are diving, visibility in excess of 80 feet and water temperatures of 80 degrees are the norm. The Stream does have a tendency to move in and out, however, so be prepared for cooler Labrador currents and reduced visibility. Getting too entranced with shark watching can also lead to lengthy decompression obligations since much of the diving is fairly deep, so bottom times must be carefully monitored. Beautiful Bahama Backdrops If there is one place on earth that has learned the value of sharks, it is the Bahamas. In a relatively short time, sharks have become a major tourist attraction in these beautiful islands off the southeastern United States. With the Bahamas' spectacular backdrops of colorful reefs and even shipwrecks, watching sharks here is something of a combination of the previous two types of encounters. Resting on the bottom in shallow water (30 to 40 feet), guides will attract the sharks using bait. Divers are given instruction on where to position themselves and how to behave when the sharks come in. Unlike chumming, there is not a lot of ground-up fish and oil in the water, but rather a more controlled doling out of fish parts to individual sharks. Unlike tourists feeding bears at Yellowstone, the shark feeding is done by trained professionals with a great deal of experience. The most common species attracted is perhaps the Caribbean reef shark, but lemons, blacktips and even nurse sharks will be found checking out the free lunch. Divers will see more sharks on one dive than they can possibly count. It is a very impressive sight. Offshore in the Bahamas, in the deep water only 10 to 12 miles out, silky sharks can often be found. When a method of baiting is used that involves more chunking than chumming, these smaller, fast-moving surface feeders will glide in from the deep blue, seeming to materialize from nowhere. The silkys found here are generally about 3 feet long and often will come in for great close-ups. Although the water may be deep 6,000 feet, the diving can be done close to the surface in as little as 10 to 20 feet. Individual pieces of bait are placed in the water, allowing the sharks to come in and grab them as they swim past. With this method divers are not swimming in a chum slick, and there is little chance of a bite by mistaken identity. Whether on the reefs or offshore, regardless of time of year, water temperatures in the Bahamas are usually in the 80s and visibility outstanding. There are few experiences like that of seeing a shark in the wild. There are no fences, nor is the ocean a game preserve. It is truly the last wild place on earth, and viewing these predators up close will undoubtedly have a lasting effect on anyone. For shark diving off West Palm Beach, or shark diving in the Bahamas by live-aboard, click onto the information bar below.