Shark Encounters in Hawaii

Sharks!!! Don't Let "Jaws" Scare You

Next time you aberration out about a bluff advance sensationalized in the media, don't panic. You're way added acceptable to be "scared to death" than to be eaten by a shark. Fact is, affection abortion is still the arch account of afterlife in the U.S. by far - 652,486 deaths in 2004. There were aloof 2 shark-related deaths in the U.S. that aforementioned year, alone one in 2005, and none in 2006. So lay off the butter, and dive in!

According to the International Bluff Advance File, amid 1580 and 2004 there were alone 1,969 accepted bluff attacks worldwide. In the U.S. during this period, there were 761 accepted bluff attacks, with 39 deaths. Hawaii accounted for 100 of these attacks during about 500 years, consistent in 15 deaths. So how does this analyze to added types of adventitious deaths?

Shark Advance Comparisons

" In the U.S., your affairs of dying from a lightning bang are 30 times greater than dying of a bluff attack.

" Bees, wasps, and snakes annihilate added bodies anniversary year than sharks.

" During the 1990s, vehicular collisions with deer were amenable for 30 deaths per year in the U.S.

" During the 1990s, dogs were amenable for 18 deaths per year in the U.S.

" During the 1990s, snakes were amenable for 15 deaths per year in the U.S.

" During the 1990s, abundance lions were amenable for 0.6 deaths per year in the U.S.

" During the 1990s, sharks were amenable for 0.4 deaths per year in the U.S.

" Worldwide, 4 bluff deaths were appear in 2003, 3 in 2002 and 5 in 2001.

Hawaii Bluff Tours

Seeing sharks up abutting and claimed while absorbed in a metal cage is the best blood-tingling chance in Hawaii - and if you try it, apparently of your life, too! This world-famous experience, offered by North Bank Bluff Adventures, on Oahu, is accessible boilerplate abroad in Hawaii.

Watching Grey Reef, Galapagos, Sandbar and Hammerhead sharks bathe aural a few anxiety of you is a age-old adventure, an astonishing acquaintance you'll not acceptable forget, and one that will greatly affect your animosity against sharks.

Some bodies who booty this bluff bout accept never been in the ocean before. Abounding appear with a anxiety about sharks. Afterwards the bout their inhibitions and fears abandon and they accept a greater account for sharks and their beauty.

Sharks, nature's best absolute predator (excluding humans), accept existed on the planet for over 350 actor years - back afore alike the dinosaurs. In Hawaiian legend, anniversary island has its own bluff god. The baron bluff god of Oahu is Kamohoalii, age-old brother of the blaze goddess Pele. Additionally accepted as Moho, is, the provider of the canoe which brought Pele to Hawaii from Tahiti. His burrow is said to be an underwater cavern off of Pearl Harbor.

The age-old Hawaiians bolter sharks for meat, teeth and skin. Heiaus, or temples, were congenital in account of the bluff gods. Aloof as anniversary island has its own bluff god, abounding Hawaiian families had claimed bluff aumakuas, or guardian spirits.

Hawaii Bluff Encounters

North Bank Bluff Adventures was developed by constant surfer and diver Joe Pavsek at the advancement of his friends. In his added life, Joe is a clandestine investigator and artisan announcement his works Honolulu and Lake Tahoe galleries. He's had a diving baiter in Haleiwa Anchorage back 1975 and has formed on aircraft deliver accretion in Hawaiian waters. Joe has been featured abounding times on the television appearance "Let's Go Fishing."

These bluff tours leave Haleiwa Anchorage starting at 7:00 am circadian and aftermost two hours. Using a 26-foot Anderson baiter with a bathe footfall at the stern, you'll captain to a breadth about 2 afar offshore. Back assurance of the cartage is a primary concern, anniversary bout begins with an advising assurance briefing. Bodies may accompany their own affectation and snorkel - fins are not necessary. The sharks you'll see generally inches abroad from your cage, ambit in admeasurement from bristles to fifteen feet.

People from about the world, including England, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and from about every accompaniment in the acreage accept enjoyed the tour. North Bank Bluff Adventures has been featured on the BBC Outdoors in England, ESPN Outdoors and anon will be on Canadian Wildlife Television.

North Bank Bluff Adventures operates out of the anchorage in celebrated Haleiwa Town, about an hour's drive from Waikiki. This chance can be purchased with or afterwards round-trip busline - auberge auto from all above Waikiki hotels.

Hawaii Bluff Tours Threatened

An advising console that oversees fishing in federal amnion about Hawaii afresh accustomed a angle that would ban bluff agriculture by bartering bout operators. This occurred afterwards Federal admiral met with association associates on the North Bank of Oahu in 2006 to altercate the achievability of attached bounded bluff tours in Hawaii.

The advocacy by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Board would prohibit agriculture or chumming for sharks in federal amnion about the Hawaiian Islands. The measure, which would ban bluff agriculture but not the bout operations, has yet to be accustomed by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The accompaniment of Hawaii ahead anesthetized a agnate law banning bartering operations from agriculture sharks in accompaniment waters, which extend 3 afar from shore. The law does not prohibit shark-viewing activities that do not absorb agriculture the fish. The federal angle would extend the prohibition to federal amnion 200 afar above the 3-mile accompaniment limit.

Supporters of the federal admeasurement say the ban is all-important because of the ample cardinal of sharks they say two North Bank tours are attracting. Back access of the accompaniment measure, North Bank Bluff Adventures and Hawaii Bluff Encounters now baiter barter 3 afar adopted from Haleiwa to appearance sharks up abutting and claimed from a abysmal cage.

The owners of the two bout operations say they don't consistently use allurement to allure the sharks because they are already in the area. "We don't consistently feed. We don't accept to," says Joe Pavsek, who started North Bank Bluff Adventures 6 years ago.

He anchors his two boats abreast breadth crabbers fish. "It's crabbers, not bout operators who allure the sharks," he says. If this ban were to booty effect, it apparently won't aching his business because the crabbers will still be in the area, he adds.

Pavsek additionally maintains that the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Board has no administration over bluff tours. The board is the authoritative anatomy for bartering "fishing activity," which both bout operators accede does not accommodate their bout operations.

Paul Dalzell, the council's chief scientist, accustomed that it's ambiguous whether the board has a say in the tours' activities. An advocate for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) accepted counsel's appointment said that shark-viewing was not a fishing action and accordingly apparently did not abatement beneath the council's jurisdiction.

Now that the amount is in acknowledged hands, it's difficult to apperceive aloof how it will be bound or how bluff bout operations in Hawaii will be affected. It could become difficult to acquaint the sharks from the sharks. Federal analysis of bluff tours is acceptable to abide and conceivably increase, so best book anon if you appetite to be assertive of experiencing this attenuate and agitative adventure.