Scuba Diver Relearns Lessons from Jaws - The Hard Way

Ever thought of taking a scuba adventure while on vacation? Sounds like fun. Ever thought of jumping out of the protective cage to see the sharks up close and personal?

That would be stupid, right? That would earn you the Darwinian award, right?

Markus Groh, a 49-year-old lawyer and diving enthusiast from Vienna, found out the hard way that sharks kill. He was on a dive Sunday, 50 miles off the coast of Fort Lauderdale when he jumped out of the protective cage and into the open water. The water had been bated with bloody fish parts to attract sharks with a process called chumming.

The crew of the Shear Water immediately maydayed the coast guard who then airlifted him to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami where he died on Monday.

The Scuba Adventures website says they offer divers the opportunity to get "face to face" with sharks. The chumming process attracts hammerheads, tiger sharks, bull sharks. In other words, blood thirsty predators.

The New York Times says it's unclear which type of shark was involved. And the Associated Press says the company has refused comment on the incident. Shocking.

From the website: "Consequently, there will be food in the water at the same time as the divers. Please be aware that these are not ‘cage' dives, they are open water experiences."

Anyone remember Jaws?

Anyone still a little freaked out at the prospect of volunteering to become fishfood while on vacation?

Enough said...