THE  FOUR MOST COMMON INSHORE SHARKS THAT ARE 

DANGEROUS TO MAN

IN HAWAII

TIGER SHARK

IDENTIFICATION:   Short vertical bars on side, fading with age to tan or dark gray; broad, blunt snout.

LENGTH:   Up to 18 feet or more; averages 12 to 13 feet.

EATS:   Wide variety of marine animals, carrion (and sometimes visitors.)

HABITAT:   Deep coastal waters during daylight, nearshore waters at night. (Night dive anyone?)

I have never encountered this shark while diving and have no desire to. He is the bad boy of the ocean here. It is widely believed locally that Tiger Sharks are coming in closer to shore to eat the Green Sea Turtles, which have greatly multiplied since being a protected species. 

GALAPAGOS SHARK

IDENTIFICATION:   Large first dorsal fin with nearly vertical rear edge.

LENGTH:   Up to 10 to 12 feet.

EATS:   Bottom fishes.

HABITAT:   Outer reef to deep water, occasionally inshore areas near drop offs.

I have seen this shark twice while diving. One of those instances is only a tentative identification.  In that sighting my dive buddy and I surfaced from a 120 foot dive off of the Pu'u Olai area in South Maui. A large shark followed us to within 15 feet of the surface. It again appeared beneath my kayak at a depth of approximately 8 feet after I had entered the kayak. Some divers confuse him with the Gray Reef Shark, but he is much larger and more of a threat in my opinion.

GRAY REEF SHARK

IDENTIFICATION:   Dark margins on pelvic and caudal fins; second dorsal and anal fins dark; pectoral fin tips dark.

LENGTH:   Up to 7 feet; averages 3 to 5 feet.

EATS:   Bony fishes; occasionally cephalopods and crustaceans.

HABITAT:   Deeper waters on outer edge of the reef. 

I have seen these on  back wall dives at Molokini Crater.

SCALLOPED HAMMERHEAD SHARK

IDENTIFICATION:   Front margin of head has four shallow lobes.

LENGTH:   Up to 12 to 13 feet with some reaching 15 feet; average 5 to 7 feet.

EATS:   Reef fishes, sharks and rays; cephalopods and crustaceans.

HABITAT:   Found inshore and far at sea; more common in shallow waters during Spring and Summer.

I have never seen any of these sharks while diving here