sealife in Padre Island and Port Isabel

[Dsparil]

what kind of dangerous sealife is there out in the Port Isabel area? What kind of sharks are out there? Barricuda? Thinking of taking up scuba diving once I get my new job along with underwater metal detecting.


Also a related question, can you eat sand tiger shark?

 

[ChunkyMonkey]

Hammerhead, black tip, bonnethead, bull.....black tip is good. I'm going on a shark fishing trip next month.

 

[Glockster69]

Dude, people SCUBA dive all over the world in much more dangerous waters than Texas'. How often do you hear of a dangerous/fatal dive?
Go dive and have fun for gawds sake!

 

[Wolfwood]

dangerous sea life would be a plus for me.

also an excuse to get a spear gun...

*humming the james bond theme*

 

[Glockster69]

*humming the Jaws theme*

 

[Wolfwood]

if james bond was in that movie, it would have lasted like 10 minutes tops.

i don't think he'd even get the tux wet.

 

[ROGER4314]

I have the Master SCUBA Diver and Divemaster ratings and have well over 100 logged dives with about 1/2 or more in the ocean. Been diving with sharks many times by accident and on purpose.

Made a shark dive in the Bahamas where I actually paid to be surrounded with Sharks up to 8 feet long. The sharks will leave you alone if you let them. They really don't want to mess with you unless you do something supremely stupid like jumping in the middle of a feeding frenzy.

I had to surface from a deep dive and looked up to see a pack of Hammerhead sharks circling above me. That caused some concern but it went OK.

Get a copy of "Touch The Sea" by Dee Scarr. It helps you understand how your existence fits in with the underwater world. It's an easy read and it's not too long. It's a good book that will answer a lot of your questions.

Barracudas? They seemed creepy to me until I learned that they are attracted to shiny things. A reflection makes them want to come over to check out the light. It looks like they're attacking but it's just curiosity.

I believe TexasRedneck has an instructor rating. Perhaps he can tell you more.

Flash

 

[TundraWookiee]

I have Master and Divemaster ratings as well and have to back up what everyone else has said so far. Keep your head about you and don't threaten the sealife and they are no real threat. Obviously you don't want to go spearfishing while diving with hammerheads but use common sense and things are fine. Most of the danger from diving comes from gear related issues or improper planning so be sure to take care of your things and plan your dives properly. I highly recommend scuba as a hobby...the experience is like nothing else in the world.

 

[ROGER4314]

The thing that I liked best about SCUBA diving is that they stress "self rescue." In a "situation" don't go looking for help. Figure out what YOU can do to extricate yourself from the problem! It's training that carries over into all areas of your life.

For instance, when a "newbie" gets choked, swallows water or coughs underwater, the first thing they try to do is bolt for the surface. An advanced diver will clear the problem, get his breathing under control and keep from losing his head. It's great training!

I saved a guys life in the Bahamas. I traveled alone so we buddied up for one dive. I really didn't know the guy. We were at 105 feet in a Bahamian "Blue Hole" and he just huffed his air away! He came up to me with eyes as big as saucers giving me the "I'm out of air....want to buddy breathe" signs. At 105 feet, that is fatal!

I saw his rental gear and recognized the old "J" valve reserve system but the handle had been removed. I whipped him around, turned the "J" valve to reserve, then calmed him down while I tapped my tank to get the Divemaster's attention. Our Divemaster had twin tanks so he could buddy breathe him to the surface. I didn't have enough air to get him up safely.

In that case, my knowledge of an obsolete valve style got the guy out of panic mode and got him some help. Had he bolted to the surface in panic, it would have gone very badly for him. Incidentally, his wife thanked me for saving his ass. I sluffed it off by saying "Heck, you're just used to him and thankful you don't have to break in another one!" We snickered about it but we both knew his butt was toast. Out of air at 105 feet.....OMG!

Advice? ALWAYS carry a knife! There are miles of nylon line and fish line underwater. Getting entangled in that stuff will end the game and it's so strong you'd never break it. I stitched my knife into my Buoyancy Compensator (BC) so if I was in the water, that knife had to be with me. If you strap the knife to your leg like many do, it's possible to forget it. I had a lanyard on my knife. I hooked the lanyard on my wrist BEFORE I pulled it out of the sheath. If you drop it, the game is over.

That knife lesson was hammered home to me in Tulsa. On lake Keystone, a parasailer went down got tangled in his parachute shroud lines and drowned. A Tulsa rescue diver went out to recover the body, he became tangled in the same lines and drowned with the victim. He left his knife on the boat! Lesson learned for me!

Flash

 

[TexasRedneck]

dangerous sea life would be a plus for me.

also an excuse to get a spear gun...

*humming the james bond theme*

hmm....with a li'l judicious editin', this puppy DESERVES a spot in the quotes section......

 

[Acera]

I have been diving since the mid 80's and have dove from deep cold German lakes to the cave systems of the Yucatan and Florida. Roger is spot on when he eluded to most all of the hazards underwater are not wildlife related, they are man made. Things like nets, sharp edges on wrecks, snags, entrapment, being an inexperienced diver, other inexperienced divers, unexpected and strong currents, loss of visibility, dumb ass boaters that don't know what a dive flag means on Texas lakes, etc. are all more of a concern. Sea life dangers are greater for those normal beach goers in the surf than for you, i.e. like stepping on stuff that pokes, stabs, cuts or stings you.

 

[bigjohn]

Been a commercial diver for years in the GOM, Not much DANGEROUS Sealife to be spoken of, If it is dangerous, it wil most likely leave you alone. There are no Man Eaters in the gulf, just Man nibblers...per say... I have had a few run ins with 'cudas, none that have ever drawn blood ( a few strikes at my faceplate, and a Big juicy tuna got eatenin front of me.) Jelly fish are nasty too. Have fun, and dive safe!