Up Close and Very Personal 20 Feb 2011
18 Escape.com.au
Shark dive NSW
Up close and very personal It is daunting, but you’ll be converted by a swim with sharks, writes Roderick Eime
THE DEEP: The sleek bodies of grey nurse sharks cruise the waters of Fish Rock.
I CAN see about 5m in the chilly, turbid depths, but the shadow forming in front of me is unmistakable. Drawing closer, it gradually morphs into the nightmarish apparition that sends swimmers and divers into spasms of panic. It’s a shark – and a big one. ‘‘Relax, stay still,’’ I tell myself and I deliberately slow my breathing, but my heart pays no attention. It swims straight for me, mouth agape and full of teeth as sharp as
razor blades. My discomfort increases as it becomes clear the fearsome creature is not changing direction and now he’s close enough to stare at me. He’s not cruising alone either. Two wingmen escort him in formation. I duck for cover behind a rock in a futile attempt to hide as they cruise past within arm’s reach, our eyes locked in a steady gaze. The slim, streamlined body is the result of 400 million years of evolution and perfectly formed, the tail barely moving as if propelled by some hidden device. An encounter with a shark, especially one this close, is not the kind of eco-tourism experience most sensible people would crave, let alone consciously seek out. But that’s exactly what happens every day at Fish Rock, just offshore at South West Rocks, where excited divers from around the world come to swim with the famous grey nurse sharks that gather there.
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‘‘You’d have to be pretty unlucky to get a bite,’’ says divemaster Jon Cragg of Fish Rock Dive Centre. ‘‘Try poking it in the eye and sticking your hand in its mouth.’’ The grey nurse shark (carcharias taurus) has an undeserved reputation as a maneater, most likely through confusion with other species of less refined eating habits. If I were a 5kg snapper, however, then I should be very afraid. The biggest sharks aren’t quite 4m long, but they possess an ominous serenity that is unnerving. The 1975 movie Jaws, with its memorable and menacing soundtrack, was quite likely the worst publicity any shark could get. The backlash against every species the world over was horrific and many were hunted to the brink of extinction for fear they ‘‘might’’ attack. As our collective paranoia subsides, shark conservation emerges as a cause celebre for the 21st century. The practice of finning live sharks for soup and the netting of swimming beaches are just some of the controversial activities that have spawned recent groups such as Save Our Sharks and Shark Savers. The 40-year-old Australian Marine Conservation Society is more forthright in their campaign. ‘‘Sharks play a vital role in healthy marine ecosystems,’’ says AMCS spokesman Ben Birt. ‘‘However, there is a worldwide trend of declining shark populations, with sharks and other big fish down to 10 per cent of their previous numbers in the last 50 years.’’ Along the NSW coast, grey nurse sharks have enjoyed total protection since 1984 and it’s one of the few places left in the world where divers can reliably swim with the grey nurse. But legislation alone may not be enough to save them. Fishing, netting and habitat disturbance have reduced grey nurse numbers to the point where the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists them as endangered. As slow breeders, there is little hope they will recover their numbers any time soon. Today there are perhaps a dozen animals cruising here in small groups, with no particular objective in mind. They’re just hanging out. And that’s what they do. NSW has about nine ‘‘aggregation sites’’ along the coast where the 500 or so remaining animals loiter. Researchers have tracked single sharks along the entire coast, but they always return to their favourite site, like going on holidays. Julian Rocks, Seal Rock, Montague Island and Magic Point near Maroubra are just some of the preferred spots for diving with these cool monsters. Each site is a proclaimed ‘‘critical habitat’’ and comes with a set of rules such as ‘‘don’t touch’’, ‘‘don’t feed’’ and ‘‘don’t obstruct’’. Heavy penalties apply. ‘‘It’s not unusual to see 20 or more sharks gather here sometimes,’’ says Jon as we watch the video in his dive shop. ‘‘Fish Rock is certainly one of their favourite spots, probably because there are always lots of tasty fish around.’’ The grey nurse’s habit of following the sort of fish anglers love is undoubtedly part of their undoing. One shark I see is trailing a length of line attached to a big nasty hook in one of his claspers. Ouch. My initial fear overcome, I enjoy drifting with the sharks around the massive underwater outcrop. Larry, my dive guide, signals me to follow him into the mouth of a cave at a depth of about 20m. The cave is another one of the attractions at Fish Rock and soon we are in total darkness with just the beams of our flashlights to guide us. Larry runs the light along the walls of the cave, illuminating lobsters, scary eels, wobbygongs, vividly coloured
19
CLOSE ENCOUNTER: A diver swims with grey nurse sharks off Fish Rock.
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THE DEEP Swim with Sharks Fish Rock Dive Centre, South West Rocks. Daily dive excursions with all equipment, guide and tuition. Two dives $185. Motel-style accommodation on site. www.fishrock.com.au
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