Diver pre-checking the water for sharks

From BearWiki

Confirmed: The film crew had a diver check the water for any potential dangers before they had bear jump in.

While they didn't do a very good job of it, Graham Strong (director) confirms that they had a diver check the water before Bear to jump in for a dip [1]

With very little shelter on the raft Bear decides to go for a swim to cool off. We have a diver on hand who confirms that there are about 25 sand-bar sharks, which are luckily the least aggressive, in these waters. But suddenly, and with Bear still away from the raft, four 17ft tiger sharks approach. Everything goes into slow motion as Bear seems to take forever to get back aboard. Within seconds the tigers start to circle, bumping the raft. We jump around, beating the raft and screaming, which is what you do to scare them off. We are all absolutely taken aback by the shark attack. And it’s the first time I’ve heard Bear swear. But we’re all alive, and we’ve got another amazing sequence for the series ( right).

Note all of the use of the word "we". "We" have a diver on hand. "We" jump around, beating the raft and screaming. "We" are all absolutely taken aback. It is quite obvious that the chase boat was right next to bear's raft this whole time, as seen in this picture.

[edit] Analysis

Support: In short, Bear's ill-advised dive involved planning and consulting with his crew. Adds support for the chase boat being right next to him.

Support: Additionally, this crew member's report of this situation contradicts Bear's own report of the situation, where he says he dove off the raft and LANDED on a tiger shark.

Support: It is interesting to note the director saying Bear was away from the raft when the sharks appeared, where in Bear's interviews about the episode, he says he dove on top of one of the sharks without knowing it was there.

Oppose: Correct and False: The boat was off-camera, but it was necessary in order to achieve the filming of the episode. A diver off the crew's boat checked the water for sharks, gave a negative signal. Bear jumped in several minutes later within feet of a tiger shark that had approached during the meantime. To negate the authenticity of being surprised by a shark because Bear exclaims 'on top' as opposed to 'several feet away' is preposterous. To also question the authenticity of solitude on the raft is also ridiculous, as the size alone is too small for more than one bear.

Support: There obviously was a least one cameraman on the raft with him during the “shark attack”. In one version of the video, Bear looks into the camera and says “shut the camera off”. By merely watching the video, it is indisputable that the scene was filmed by someone on the raft other than Bear. The assertion that he was alone on the raft is absurd.

Oppose/Support: Even if a diver did precheck the water, don't you think that this constitutes a life or death situation in which the crew is allowed to help? Why should Bear risk his own life with a real diver when a stranded person might not have one?