United Arab Emirates: This shark-obsessed diving instructor is on a mission to banish the bad reputation these predators have – News

Many people are fascinated by the beautiful underwater world of our oceans. But diving instructor Sara Gojer, also known as local DJ Sara G, has an unusual favorite fish: sharks.

And the bigger and supposedly deadlier, the better.

Specialized in dives with sharks, it has the mission of banishing the bad reputation that these vital predators have.

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“Thousands of sharks are killed around the world every year,” he says. “Movies like Jaws have instilled in us the belief that they are dangerous animals that attack people at will. It’s simply not true. As long as you respect them, give them distance and are aware of your surroundings, it is very unlikely that they will cause you any harm.”

Passion for shark conservation

Originally from India and living in Dubai for 12 years, Sara first discovered her passion for diving about five years ago. Since then, she has completed several courses on shark conservation, qualified as a Master Scuba Diver Trainer and has become an ambassador for PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors.

Locally, it organizes shark dives at the Abu Dhabi National Aquarium and the Dubai Aquarium. He also organizes regular dives in Fujairah, where whitetip and blacktip reef sharks, small and harmless species, are abundant.

Keep calm diving with sharks

The next trip he is organizing is to the Maldives to swim with tiger sharks, one of the three most dangerous sharks in the world that can grow to more than five meters long.

After the threesome, Sara takes a group to South Africa to dive with bull sharks, another large and notoriously aggressive species. “I’ve always been an adrenaline junkie,” Gojer admits.

“But the main thing when diving with sharks is to stay calm. Sharks can sense your energy. If you panic, you may begin to kick more frantically or consume too much oxygen. “If you try to relax, you are much less likely to have problems.”

She explains that many dive companies cage tiger and bull sharks. But she wants to do things more ethically: “When people cage dive, they deliberately bait the sharks and irritate them on camera. It’s like putting a dog in a cage and hitting the bars to upset it. “It’s not right for people to think that sharks deserve less respect than other animals.”

Show respect and don’t turn your back on him.

Sara received her instructor training from Dubai-based PADI course director Ahmed Ramadan, who is also a shark fanatic. He inspired her love of sharks and taught her how to interact with them safely.

She says: “You should never turn your back on a shark and it is important to maintain eye contact with it. “You must constantly scan the area around you and be aware of your surroundings.”

One of the most memorable diving trips he organized was to the Dimaniyat Islands in Oman: “I took a large group diving with whale sharks for the first time. It was incredible. They are harmless to humans and can grow up to 12 meters long. They give you the same feeling as being on a giant mountain. “They make you realize how small you are and it is very humbling.”

Educate people, protect sharks

To date, the deadliest sharks Gojer has swam with are the hammerheads and tiger sharks at the National Aquarium.

“Aquarium sharks are obviously used to human interaction, but they are still real sharks and not stuffed animals. “I do a thorough safety briefing with all my clients before they enter the tank and talk to them about the different types of sharks they are going to see,” she says.

“Sharks are a very important part of the ecosystem and control the population. I want to educate people about why they deserve to be protected. In addition to providing fun experiences, conservation is a big part of what I try to do.”

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