418 Dive Log Australasia JUNE 2026.pdf

In many cases, fishing hooks will eventually rust and fall out—but sometimes they don’t, as in the case of “Josephine.” They become an unplanned piercing.

One is strictly for scuba divers. It is located on the edge of the island’s drop-off, right in the middle of the harbour entrance, and is not suitable for freediving. In fact, it would be quite dangerous. The location is exposed to constant boat traffic, with vessels regularly moving in and out of the harbour. The depth is only around 9 metres, and scuba divers are required to remain on the bottom at all times. Entering and exiting this site is done from the side under the strict guidance of their dive leaders. There are also two dedicated freediving areas, positioned to the left and right of the harbour entrance. The side used on any given dive is selected by the guides based on conditions. They stay in the water with the freediving guests at all times, closely supervising the group and ensuring safety. The guides also place tuna heads under rocks to encourage Tiger Sharks to approach in a controlled and predictable manner. You typically get around one hour in the water. This time limit is strictly followed by all operators to ensure everyone has a fair share of time with the sharks. In my view, freediving with Tiger Sharks opens up

far more opportunities for both observation and photography. I could settle on the bottom at 8–10 m and hold position while multiple individuals circled within a few metres, allowing clean angles and uninterrupted behaviour without bubbles pushing them away. Freediving let me move quietly and fluidly through the water, with less intrusion, and the interactions felt far more natural. It demands skill and awareness, but in return I felt like part of the environment rather than an external presence. There is something breathtaking about being on the bottom, surrounded by large, beautiful Tiger Sharks gliding through the water at a respectful distance, clearly showing no interest in me. Freediving with Tiger Sharks requires a solid foundation of skills. If I am choosing to enter the water with an apex predator, I need to be comfortable and confident in my abilities. The more relaxed I am, the longer and steadier my dives become, and that calmness is critical when sharing the water with sharks. Strong breath-hold capacity lets me stay down longer and observe natural behaviour without rushing. Efficient equalisation, ideally hands-free, ensures comfort at depth so my focus remains on the animals, not

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DIVE LOG Australasia #418 JUNE ‘26

www.divelog.net.au