IF YOU DECIDE TO GO, HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
IT GOES AGAINST COMMON SENSE.
GET IN THE WATER WITH THE
OCEAN’S MOST FEARED PREDATOR.
SHARKS.
SHARKS. BUT THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS ALL
AROUND THE WORLD DO IT EVERY
YEAR.
YEAR. SHARK TOURS HAVE BEEN ATTRACTING
ALMOST 600,000 THRILL SEEKERS
WORLDWIDE.
WORLDWIDE. AN INDUSTRY WORTH MORE THAN $314
MILLION.
MILLION. BUT IS IT SAFE?
TODAY, I’M GOING SHARK DIVING TO
SHOW YOU.
SHOW YOU. BEFORE YOU EVEN GET ON THE BOAT,
DO YOUR RESEARCH.
LOOK FOR A REPUTABLE AND
CERTIFIED TOUR COMPANY ONLINE
WITH GOOD REVIEWS.
WHEN YOU GET THERE -- WHAT DO I
NEED TO KNOW -- MAKE SURE THE
OPERATORS DO A SAFETY BRIEFING.
>> IF YOU SWIM SLOWLY WITH YOUR
FEET, YOU’RE LOOKING MORE
NATURAL IN THE WATER.
>> Reporter: SO YOU KNOW WHAT TO
DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO.
AS WE’RE HEADING OUT, I’M
NERVOUS.
NERVOUS. >> TOTALLY NATURAL TO BE
NERVOUS.
NERVOUS. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.
>> Reporter: JANELLE HAS BEEN
DIVING WITH SHARKS FOR SIX
YEARS, LEADING DIVERS LIKE ME.
>> YOU CAN TRUST ME.
I GOT YOU.
>> Reporter: WHEN WE GET TO THE
DIVE SPOT, OUR CAPTAIN CHUMS THE
WATER TO ATTRACT THE SHARKS, A
RECENT PRACTICE RECENTLY UNDER
FIRE BECAUSE EXPERTS SAY IT
COULD ENCOURAGE SHARKS TO COME
CLOSER TO SHORE AND ENDANGER
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. OUT HERE IN THE WATERS, IT’S
LEGAL, AND MANY TOUR COMPANIES
DO IT.
DO IT. I SUIT UP.
IF YOU’RE GOING SNORKELING, TRY
ON YOUR GEAR BEFORE YOU EVEN GET
IN THE WATER.
IF IT HOLDS TO YOUR FACE, IT’S
GOOD.
GOOD. PRACTICE BREATHING THROUGH IT SO
YOU’RE COMFORTABLE.
YOU’RE COMFORTABLE. IF YOU’RE GOING DIVING LIKE
ME --
ME -- >> ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE YOUR AIR RIGHT HERE.
TANK.
TANK. >> Reporter: MAKE SURE A SAFETY
DIVER GOES DOWN WITH YOU, AS
WELL.
WELL. WITH SHARKS SWARMING BELOW,
THAT’S OUR CUE TO DIVE IN.
SHOULD I BE WORRIED RIGHT NOW?
>> NOT AT ALL.
THEY WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH US.
THEY MAY BE CONFUSED, BUT FOR
THE MOST PART, THEY KNOW WE’RE
NOT ON THEIR MENUS.
>> Reporter: THAT’S BECAUSE OF
WHAT I’M WEARING.
WHY AM I WEARING GLOVES?
>> THE SHARKS EAT SMALLER FISH.
IN THE BOTTOM OF YOUR HAND, IT
LOOKS LIKE A FISH.
THE GLOVES ARE PROTECTION.
>> Reporter: ANOTHER TIP, KEEP
YOUR HANDS CLOSE TO YOUR BODY AS
YOU SWIM, SO SHARKS DON’T
CONFUSE THEM FOR LUNCH.
IF A SHARK DOES COME TOWARDS YOU
LIKE THIS ONE --
>> THE BEST THING TO DO IS
MAINTAIN EYE CONTACT.
LOOK AT THEM.
THEY’VE ALREADY TURNED AWAY.
>> Reporter: THIS IS KEY, EYE
CONTACT.
CONTACT. EXPERTS SAY LET THE SHARK KNOW
YOU’RE A TOP PREDATOR AND
ESTABLISH DOMINANCE, WHICH IS
EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I COME
FACE-TO-FACE WITH THIS SHARK.
DID YOU THINK THE SHARK
RECOGNIZED I WAS BIG AND WASN’T
A FISH?
A FISH? IT JUST SWAM AWAY.
EXPERTS SAYS SHARKS ARE NOT
INTERESTED IN HUMANS.
WHEN YOU’RE UNDERWATER, YOU’RE
ON THEIR TURF.
DON’T GET TOO CLOSE.
>> DON’T TOUCH THEM OUT OF
RESPECT FOR THE SHARK.
>> Reporter: ARMED WITH THESE
TIPS, YOU MIGHT JUST BE BRAVE
ENOUGH TO TAKE THE PLUNGE.
ONE OTHER TIP, THE EXPERTS SAY
IF THE SHARK IS HEADING DIRECTLY
TOWARDS YOU, GET YOUR FOOT UP
AND GET THE FIN ON THE SIDE TO
REDIRECT YOU.
REDIRECT YOU. IF YOU CAN’T GET THE FIN UP, USE
YOUR ARM, LIKE A STIFF ARM
HEISMAN TROPHY MOVE, BRINGING
THE SHARK JUST BY YOU.
IT WORKS, THEY SAY.
IN THE DECADE THEY’VE BEEN
BRINGING FOLKS OUT HERE TO SWIM
WITH SHARKS, THEY’VE NEVER HAD
AN INCIDENT.
AN INCIDENT. GUYS, BACK TO YOU.
>> OH, KERRY SANDERS.
ALL NEXT WEEK ON SHARK WEEK ON
"TODAY," WE’RE TEAMING UP WITH
THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL SHARK WEEK
TEAM.
TEAM. WE’LL GET UP CLOSE AND VERY
PERSONAL WITH THE ALWAYS
FASCINATING GIANT SEA CREATURES.
WE’LL SHARE GROUND-BREAKING
INSIGHT FROM THE WORLD LEADING
SHARK EXPERTS.
SHARK EXPERTS. WHO BETTER FOR THAT ASSIGNMENT
THAN AL ROKER?
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
I WILL ADMIT, I DID HAVE A
MOMENT OF TREPIDATION WHEN I
LOOKED DOWN.
LOOKED DOWN. THEY TELL YOU, YOU ALWAYS DO
THAT BEFORE YOU DIVE.
I SAW TWO DOZEN SHARKS.
I THOUGHT, OH, OKAY.
BUT WE DID IT.
>> YOU’RE BRAVE, AL.
>> PRETTY AMAZING.
>> AL ROKER SWAM WITH SHARKS OFF