Shark attacks are in the news again, and I wanted to share what i've been learning.

Snorkelers and free divers made up 15% of the 65 unprovoked shark bites the International Shark Attack File confirmed in 2025. The risk is still very low, but I went through the actual studies to see what applies to us specifically. (freedivers/spearfishers)

A few findings that stuck with me:

From below, we look like seals. A 2021 Macquarie University study filmed swimmers, surfers and seals from underneath and ran the footage through a model of juvenile white shark vision. At the surface, the silhouettes were indistinguishable. A long, dark wetsuit outline floating at the surface is about as seal-like as it gets.

Crosswise stripes broke the silhouette. In a 2024 follow-up off South Africa, the same team put LED lights on seal-shaped decoys that white sharks were regularly attacking. Stripes of light running across the body stopped the attacks. Stripes running along the body didn’t.

Reef predators avoid banded patterns. A 2022 study towed snake-shaped lures past coral trout, trevally and groupers. Solid black lures were attacked 12 times. Black-and-white banded lures were attacked zero times. No sharks were in that study, though, and tiger sharks are known to eat banded sea snakes, so it’s not a guarantee.

Most deterrents haven’t held up in testing. In a 2018 test of five personal deterrents on white sharks, only one electrical device made a significant difference, and it still failed about 40% of the time. Magnetic bands and scented wax had no measurable effect!

The takeaways for freediving: dive with a buddy who watches you at the surface, skip dawn and dusk, keep speared fish off your body and away from your float line, and get out when seals are around.

Disclosure: I design a striped rashguard inspired by this research, and I say plainly in the write-up that no clothing has been tested as a shark deterrent.

The full article with all the sources is linked in the comments.

I've seen sharks (mostly nurse and black-tip reef) often when diving, (free and SCUBA) but they were always shy.

Has anyone here had a shark show interest when you were at the surface? Curious what you did.

Who still wears black 'seal costumes' these days? :)

Hey everyone, I know this is a long shot, but about 3 weeks ago I was backpacking near Soda Springs at the Royal Gorge, jumping off a cliff into the pool under the waterfall, when I dropped my brand new GoPro into the water and it instantly sank. The good news is it's in a dive case. The bad news is the pool is said to be 47 feet deep. I added a video here to show exactly where I lost it.
I'm hoping someone here is a diver, or knows one, who might be up for a recovery. I'd be happy to pay a reward, cover gas, or buy a few beers. If I can't find anyone to help, I was planning on renting an underwater drone and trying it myself. The footage on it means a lot to me, and I'm honestly heartbroken about it.
I know this is a crazy thing to ask, but it doesn't hurt to ask! If you've got any tips, know someone who can help, or have been to that spot and have an idea where it might have ended up, I'd love to hear from you. Drop a comment or send me a message. Thanks so much!