Dear Annie,

While I love sharks, I am intimidated when I am in the water with them. What are good shark diving protocols to follow so I can stay safe and respectful of their space?

—Apprehensive Appreciator

Dear Appreciator,

I love sharks too! What’s not to love about them? They’ve lived on our planet for more than 400 million years—since before dinosaurs roamed Earth. Sharks and their ancestors survived five global extinctions. Sleek by design, the way they move through the water mesmerizes all who are privileged to be in their presence.

One of my favorite experiences was diving in a school of hundreds of silky sharks in the marine protected area of Malpelo Island, Colombia. The silkies were feeding on a baitball. Our group followed proper protocols and not one shark acted aggressively toward us. We were wearing wetsuits and knew to stay far away from the center of the baitball, where they were feeding. We did not try to approach. In addition, we didn’t wear bright colors like yellow or orange. We tucked our safety sausages and jewelry away so the strange colors and shiny jewelry would not attract attention.

When diving with sharks, it’s important to be calm, breathe slowly, move slowly and avoid erratic movements. The silky sharks, in all their magnificence, acted just like fish swimming in the ocean and had no interest in us at all. When diving in the Bahamas or any other place with oceanic sharks, divers follow the same protocols as above.

Related Reading: How Can I Detect and Stay Safe In Down-Currents?

I’d like to reassure you that you are not alone in your trepidation. Many people are intimidated by or afraid of sharks because sharks are underrepresented in our education system and often misrepresented by the media. Also, diving with sharks is not an experience many get to have. It’s heartbreaking to think that in the past 50 years, more than 70 percent of oceanic sharks and rays have been fished from the ocean. So, as divers, we need to understand and protect sharks and rays.

There are more than 500 different species of sharks, and scientists are still discovering more. Many of these you will never witness as a scuba diver as they live in the deep sea. Others are newly discovered—like certain species of epaulette, or walking sharks. When I lived in Indonesia many moons ago, a new species of walking shark had just been discovered. At 9 million years old, these sharks are some of the youngest—evolutionarily speaking—on our planet. They come out at night and you can find them in northern Australia, Papua New Guinea and parts of Indonesia. They feed on invertebrates like crustaceans, polychaete worms, and small fishes. On night dives, you’ll want a red light to see them; white lights scare them off.

As a diver, you may get the chance to dive with all kinds of sharks. Often, you are stationed close to the rocky reef to observe the sharks as they arrive at cleaning stations at the top of underwater mountain ranges.

In the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, including the Galapagos, Cocos, Malpelo, Panama and Socorro, you can dive with migratory sharks, like hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, whale sharks and silky sharks. As divers, it is important to understand the behaviors of these animals. Let your dive guide know you are apprehensive before getting in the water so that they can give you more insight into what to expect.

Related Reading: A Complete Guide to Diving in Colombia

If you feel uncomfortable, remember you can always cancel your dive and get out of the water. I’d encourage you to research more and discover the truth about sharks—not necessarily from Shark Week though. It’s important to recognize that much of their programming continues to perpetuate harmful myths.

Dive into the PADI AWARE Shark Conservation specialty course and discover why sharks need you to be their voice. Participate in the Global Shark and Ray Census by PADI AWARE, a global citizen science program that monitors shark and ray populations, launching later this year. More than one-third of all shark and ray species are threatened. Your voice matters. Together, divers can take action to respect and protect sharks.

Ask Annie

PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer Annie Crawley answers your most pressing questions about dive etiquette, training qualms and gear analysis with zero judgment and a whole lot of lived experience.

Have a question for Annie? Send to [email protected] with the subject "Ask Annie".