INTRODUCTION
SHELTER
FOOD & DRINK
TRANSPORT
TO DO
MAPS
FORVM
SEARCH
POST NEW TOPIC
Puerto Rico

The current weather in Culebra

RSS feed
New Topic  |  Go to Top  |  Go to Topic  |  Search  |  Log In Newer Topic  |  Older Topic
culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: meghan jones (63.175.186.---)
Date:   07-17-06 12:37

First, let me say that my stay in Culebra has been wonderful. I would stay the rest of my summer, if not longer, if I could. However, there are many people who believe that there are no sharks in the Culebra area, with the exception of, maybe, a few nurse sharks. (The dive shop has dives set up to take you to areas they know to have nurse sharks.) During one fishing trip on Sunday July 16th we saw two different kinds of sharks in two different areas. The first was about seven feet and swam several times within about 100 feet of our boat. This shark, some of the others believed to be some type of reef shark or tiger shark. I did not get a close enough look at it to guess at what species it may be. We were fishing between the north side of Culebra (between Playa Bravo and the Cayo to the north which I believe is Cayo Norte. The other we saw swimming under our boat, after only a few minutes of chumming the water for other fish.We were anchored about 1000 feet from Punta Del Soldado (Souldier Point/Souldier Beach). It looked to be about 4 to five feet in length and had a blue silvery back. We could clearly see him in the water below. This shark stayed in our area close to 45 minutes and after that we never saw him again. I have felt safe snorkeling, diving, and swimming in almost every beach on Culebra. I foolishly wanted to believe that myth. I am glad I did not see them when I first got here because I may not have had such a great time.

Meg

Reply To This Message
Re: culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Michael (---.nyc.res.rr.com)
Date:   07-17-06 15:17

Where did you read that there were no sharks?

Enjoy Culebra!

Michael

Reply To This Message
Re: culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Debbie (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   07-17-06 19:24

Meghan - glad you're enjoying your trip. I am one of the persons who said I've never seen a shark in Culebra (except nurse sharks) - while diving. I don't fish, so I couldn't say that there are no sharks in the deeper channels, and it doesn't surprise me that you would see them while fishing. Think about it - a fish on a line being reeled in is pretty easy prey and chumming the water is certainly an attracting factor. I stand by my statement of no sharks while diving, as I've never seen one on the shallow reefs, but it does surprise me that you saw one so close to Punta Soldado. Are you sure it wasn't a dolphin? They have shark-like dorsal fins and love to play in the wake of boats. Seems like you were with it long enough though to know it was a shark. Very interesting!

Happy Diving!
Debbie

Reply To This Message
Re: culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: taz hamrick (---.prtc.net)
Date:   07-18-06 05:42

Darn! Sure wish I could have seen either one of your sharks..after diving here 3-4 times a week for 3 years, I have never seen anything but nurse sharks! The guys n gals who work out at Snapper Farm have seen Caribbean reef sharks from time to time..I used to feed blacktlp reef sharks when I worked in Tahiti..Sharks are a sign of a healthy reef system..anyway, its good to know I may yet see one..Thanks!!

Reply To This Message
Re: culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Debbie (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   07-18-06 18:30

LOL Taz - it's always only the divers who WANT to see sharks, huh?

Happy Diving!
Debbie

Reply To This Message
Re: culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: JoseGuzman (---.mia.bellsouth.net)
Date:   07-19-06 07:41

It would be extremely naive to think that there are no sharks in the sea...
whether is CUlebra, Hawaii, Just Van Dyke, Isla Verde, or any island on the world.
Sharks are sea creatures, the sea is their home and they move within their home.
Today they are here, tomorrow who knows.
For those who may say that they are territorial, BS, a shark can smell food miles away, they move from here to everywhere.

Capt. J.Guzman

Reply To This Message
Re: culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: MJ (---.prtc.net)
Date:   07-20-06 07:21

Hmm, is that one sniffing around now?? :)

Reply To This Message
Re: culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Doug (---.dsl.stlsmo.swbell.net)
Date:   07-20-06 15:36

I'd sure love to see some other shark species. So far, only 2 nurse shark sightings from my 12 visits. I saw a third, dead one, that had been spear-fished on Carlos Rosario. My companion risked a fight, I suspect, reading the riot act to the offender. He'd been fishing in those prohibited waters off a motor yacht from Fajardo.

Speaking of reef, how are Culebra's doing? I've read several frightening stories about widespread 'bleaching' (coral death) in the Virgin Islands, and I fear for our Spanish Virgins.

Doug

Reply To This Message
Re: culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Chris Stege (---.sdf.bellsouth.net)
Date:   08-01-06 22:10

You saw two sharks while on Culebra? That's awesome. I just got back and didn't see any, but only snorkeled. Myths are certainly fun, but the truth that the ocean is connected no matter where you are on it is even better. I have been scuba diving for 15 years and have seen more varieties of sharks than I can name while diving, and they are by far the best thing to see. Their grace in motion through water rivals the beauty of Culebra's beaches.

I tend to go by the rule than unprovoked, a shark as big as you or smaller sees you as more predator than prey, and will keep it's distance. The few sharks I've seen that were substantially larger than me stayed even farther away from me than the smaller ones, much to my dismay.

It's unusual to see sharks snorkeling, you have to go a little offshore. The reefs by the beaches where you snorkel are too barren of food for sharks to have any interest, and believe me, they have little interest in eating you. If you see a shark while snorkeling, consider yourself lucky!

The fact is that you are substantially more likely to be killed in your car than in the prescence of a shark, so please, be greatful when you see such extra ordinary and ancient creatures, and be more careful when you drive. I live in Kentucky and more than 2,000 people die on our highways each year, that's 20 times more than the number of people killed by sharks each year world wide, and those 2,000 highway fatalities doesn't even take the death toll of our country/back road car accident fatalities.

Happy Snorkeling

Reply To This Message
Re: culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: JoseGuzman (---.mia.bellsouth.net)
Date:   08-02-06 06:38

Do you expect to see sharks snorkeling, what is happening to you.
Get SCUBA, go deep between Cayo Norte and ZONI, go in the canal that takes you to Culebrita.

Sharks while snorkeling, WOW !

Capt. J.Guzman

Reply To This Message
Re: culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Doug (---.dsl.stlsmo.swbell.net)
Date:   08-03-06 14:00

My two sightings were at Luis Pena and Culebrita.

My first sighting, at Culebrita, was the larger fish, probably 6-7 feet long. I had swum out from Tortuga Beach, in search of some reef ( very little to be found, mostly turtle grass ) and as I approached the rocky cliffs on the extreme northwest corner of the bay, I saw a small underwater crevass. In it were the nurse shark, appearing to be at rest in a current, and a number of apparently symbiotic fish, all pointing into the current and maintaining position. At first my heart was racing, but there is something about the shape of that species that minimalizes the menace of its appearance. As I swam closer to take a picture, I spooked it and it scurried off and I didn't get my shot. On my return swim to the beach, I spotted a 3-legged green turtle and I had to wonder if my two most exciting creature sightings had met.


At Luis Pena, the shark was approximately 3 feet long and hid under a coral tower in about 15 feet of water. My companion and I both surface-dived to get a better look underneath. Of course, when diving without ballast, you have to work hard to stay down, and my kicking and arm movements scared the little guy off.

So far, my shark encounters have been more disturbing to the fish than to me.

Doug

Reply To This Message
Re: culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: boquicaballo (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date:   09-24-06 21:28

I've seen a few sharks @ Culebra, only while snorkeling. A few lemons, black tips, and what I believe was a bull. They have been around while SCUBA'ing, accordind to others who saw them, but I haven't.

Reply To This Message
Re: culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: taz hamrick (---.prtc.net)
Date:   09-25-06 07:57

Hey 'boquicaballo' does that stand for b--l shi--er????

Reply To This Message
Re: culebra shark myth
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: boquicaballo (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date:   09-25-06 10:25

Well, it's obvious that YOU DON'T KNOW. How long have you been in Culebra? 3-4 years? With time and experience, and the right attitude, you might learn. Do another 20 years of diving in Culebra, maybe actually talk to some locals, go to some dive spots other than the ones you learned from your 'tourist guides'. Sorry, but this is all the help I can provide you.

P.S.: Ask a local what 'boquicaballo' means.

;-)

W.

Reply To This Message
Threaded View Newer Topic  |  Older Topic