Bait ball puts wary scuba diver in very dangerous situation

Bait balls are spectacular sights that are fascinating to watch. They are also very tempting for scuba divers to enter because the experience of being surrounded by millions of fish can be both beautiful and exhilarating. Fish gather in tight schools, known as bait balls to avoid predators. The more threatened they feel, the tighter they gather.Show more

Thousands of fish moving in unison create a mesmerizing visual effect, which is precisely why they do this. It makes it difficult for sharks, sea lions, and other carnivores to identify and zero in on individuals. The smaller fish scramble to stay in the middle of the ball and they constantly adjust in order to maintain their position relative to the other fish. Predators will circle the bait ball and herd it upwards, if they can, to make attacks more successful. Some will charge the school and try to grab any unwary fish that cannot see them approaching. Sometimes predators even work together to increase their chances of a meal.

When a diver sees a bait ball, it may just be the fish swimming in formation for security and not due to a sudden threat. But it may also be caused by the presence of an ambitious attacker that is displaying feeding behaviour. It is wise to avoid a bait ball if there could be sharks or swordfish nearby because a lunge attack might cause unintended injury to the diver.

ON some occasions, the bait ball makes the decision and the scuba diver is surrounded without it being intentional on his or her part. This is what happened to Solon and a few other divers in the Galapagos Islands. Footage from different divers and different angles tells a story that shows us exactly why a bait ball can be dangerous. Solon can be seen looking cautiously above and around him. The jacks are surrounding him and he is looking for the edge of the bait ball so he can avoid being caught in the middle. Unfortunately, the ball is large and it is moving more quickly than Solon can swim. He looks for signs of danger and tries his best to stay in the open where a predator will be able to recognize him and avoid him. As the jacks clear away, Solon's instincts prove to be accurate as a large Galapagos shark comes into view above. The shark's movements and fin position show that the shark is in feeding mode and likely to attack the school. Solon is able to move out and away, leading the other divers closer to the rocks where they will be able to avoid the shark.

Where there is one Galapagos shark, there is often several and a smart scuba diver understands not to remain close to the food source. The underwater world is beautiful and dangerous at the same time. We are guests in this domain and foolish behaviour can have disastrous consequences.