Oceanic Whitetip Myth and Maddness

Swim softly and carry a big stick. Fast, agile, fearless, and by far the boldest sharks I’ve encountered…

Oceanic whitetips are notorious for having attacked drowning soldiers after the USS Indianapolis was sunk in WWII. There are stories about “the worst shark attack in history” with fingers pointed directly at them as the culprit. The unfortunate truth is, the tragic circumstances surrounding the sinking of the ship fed right into the instincts of these prehistoric creatures, whether the whitetip or other shark species. As with many shark tales, the stories are distorted and one-sided, leaving the sharks branded as vicious attackers when in reality they are survivors and opportunists.

Leathery-looking oceanic white tip off Cat Island, Bahamas

I decided to take my chances and jump into the heavenly warm and shockingly blue Bahamian waters. The visibility was outstanding with at least 100 feet in any direction. There was no sandy bottom; we were out in the open ocean off the coast of Cat Island.

Oceanic whitetips are striking with their distinct paddle-shaped dorsal and pectoral fins and white mottled pattern down to their tail fin. I was not under the illusion that these sharks were our friends, and I was soberly aware there was a chance one of us could get attacked unprovoked. But once I was in the water, I could tell immediately there was no threat, but more of a sense of curiosity and need for inspection.

Oceanic whitetip just below the surface off the coast of Cat Island

Unusual angle of an oceanic whitetip attacking the bait box off under the boat

The whitetips would boldly swim towards us and directly at us from any direction. We were warned by the Epic Diving guides to always keep an eye out for each shark, because as soon as you let your guard down they move in. And it was true. As soon as I lost sight of one shark, I would turn around and usually there was another shark coming at me from behind. They often make contact by brushing their fins along your belly or your flank, depending on the approach.

One of many close encounters with the oceanic whitetips

We must have looked odd, these wetsuit-clad black and bumpy creatures, contorting ourselves under water, making odd noises and wielding large, foreign objects that click and flash in their direction. How annoying we must have been. But the oceanic whitetips were steady, graceful, elegant, and engaging.

Oceanic whitetip with fish hitching a ride