Posted on 04/04/2022 5:22:05 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A group of Florida teens saw something during a dive last week they’d never seen before — and then they saw it again the very next day.
Nick Bailey and Justin Shaw, both 17, have been diving their whole lives.
They said they try to dive at least three or four times every week, and they see sharks all the time.
But they’d never seen a great white shark. That all changed last Friday.
Bailey was diving around 4 miles off the coast of Stuart, Florida, when he saw the great white.
"I thought I saw a bull shark," he said. "But really quickly, I realized it was not a bull shark."
Bailey immediately flipped on his camera to record the close encounter.
It turned out to be one of the best, yet most disappointing, experiences of his life.
"After I looked at the video, I realized I was so close to it," Bailey said. "I really wish this could happen again so I could touch it."
Sometimes, wishes come true.
The very next day, Bailey was diving off the coast of Jupiter.
This time, Shaw was with him.
Again, they spotted a great white shark.
Video below: Watch Bailey touch the great white shark
"When I realized what it was, I was like, 'Wow, this is happening,'" Bailey said.
"Then we look over, and he’s just cruising the bottom," Shaw said. "Nick went down, and I just followed behind him. I was just super surprised. I’ve never seen one before."
Bailey then did something he now admits wasn’t very smart.
He swam to the great white and grabbed his tail.
"I know that sharks can change their behavior in a matter of seconds. But that thing, he was cool," Bailey said. "I knew what he wanted. And he wanted nothing to do with me."
Bailey and Shaw said not only weren’t they scared, they’re planning on diving again as soon as possible and hoping for a third crack at their once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I’m a certified diver and have been surfing since 1980 and have never seen a durn shark in the wild.
Florida teen grabs a great white’s tail and lives to tell about it. Today’s Florida Teen is tomorrow’s Florida Man.
Yeah but remember, he’s 17 and has been a diver for his WHOLE ENTIRE life.
Well ... not yet.
But almost.
Cool. I am in Hobe Sound inbetween Stuart and Jupiter and love going out on the boat in this area. So much wildlife. I once saw a shark swim right along side my boat just like in the movie Jaws. Amazing.
I always thought that teens couldn’t swim
Two days in a row. Not very bright are they? 🤪
Chummy kids ...
Now THAT’S what I call “woke”.
I grew up in Stuart. My surfer buds were always running afoul of lemon and nurse sharks, but never a great white. Dang.
LOL
Yeah, it could tend to wake a person up.
Looks like some kind of strange injury to the dorsal on the first shark. Never saw anything like that.
I’ve seen one Great White on the surface in Monterey, CA and probably 30 Reef Sharks diving in Australia.
One of the Reef Sharks was so close its tail hit me in the mask as it passed.
Maybe fouled into a net or something and dragging it. Notice what looks like a line on the left fin.
Sometimes I miss the immortality of youth.
Third time’s a chum.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.