Do Sharks Attack Us?

[Sup44]

Huh, my attitude in Baja was to not worry about em just because there was so much sea life down there - so I figured they were well fed.  Surprisingly though, I've never seen a shark in Baja. On the other hand, I haven't sup surfed Baja since I started sup surfing and it's amazing the stuff I see standing on a sup that I never see prone paddling a regular surfboard.

ive dipped my head in every nook and cranny i could get into, from the boarder to abre's.   there really isnt that much sea life in any of that area.  especially sharks. 

I'm with the school of thought there isn't much life in northern Baja. At least north of Ensenada. I've never seen more than maybe 1 seal down there

[PonoBill]

I think I saw Ron's new friend today at the Cove. I was playing in the baby waves. Ron was there for a while. I was about to go in when I saw some heavy swirls in the water outside. Paddled out to see. I didn't get close enough to say for sure, but it was sumpin' big. Too long for a Manta.

[magentawave]

But how does that explain the fact that fishing tends to be much better south of the border and why there is a riot of sea birds feasting close to shore everyday?

Huh, my attitude in Baja was to not worry about em just because there was so much sea life down there - so I figured they were well fed.  Surprisingly though, I've never seen a shark in Baja. On the other hand, I haven't sup surfed Baja since I started sup surfing and it's amazing the stuff I see standing on a sup that I never see prone paddling a regular surfboard.

ive dipped my head in every nook and cranny i could get into, from the boarder to abre's.   there really isnt that much sea life in any of that area.  especially sharks. 

I'm with the school of thought there isn't much life in northern Baja. At least north of Ensenada. I've never seen more than maybe 1 seal down there

[goodfornothin]

you may be in need of directions.  its not really mex till you get past the gates just south of ensenada

its to polluted and crowded for much of anything to live.  the oceans are in terminal decline, and it is showing big time here in so cal and northern baja.  Puerto nuevo used to actually have good food, not so much anymore.  theres nothing left out there. 

but, things are still ok down towards mag bay

[magentawave]

Fair enough. Mex isn't Mex until you get south of Ensenada has been my attitude since the 70's. And now that I think about it, when I mentioned the great fishing and abundant sea life in Baja, I was thinking back to when we used to camp and surf a couple hours south of Ensenada and later in the early 90's when we drove 8-9 hours below the border to windsurf San Carlos. So I get ya.

you may be in need of directions.  its not really mex till you get past the gates just south of ensenada

its to polluted and crowded for much of anything to live.  the oceans are in terminal decline, and it is showing big time here in so cal and northern baja.  Puerto nuevo used to actually have good food, not so much anymore.  theres nothing left out there. 

but, things are still ok down towards mag bay

[goodfornothin]

ahhhhh, now youre talkin,,Carlos...sup heaven at the point.  big long rights into chili bowel.  thats where we should be havin these board meetings, screw trails, CArlos CArlos Carlos...hahaha

never heard of much going on down there with sharks either,,im sure kevin T has some good stories though.  ate some insane black seabass down there though. yum yum

abrejos is probably the best spot i know of for standup. and that place is very sharky.  i think we should have a meeting there in late spring on a big south.  my favorite place in the world.  but im keepin my toes dry

[stoneaxe]

big long rights into chili bowel.

Is that what you get after eating some particularly hot chili?

[eastbound]

some call that the "goodbye kiss".

[Sup44]

I think I saw Ron's new friend today at the Cove. I was playing in the baby waves. Ron was there for a while. I was about to go in when I saw some heavy swirls in the water outside. Paddled out to see. I didn't get close enough to say for sure, but it was sumpin' big. Too long for a Manta.

Hey Pono..what's the sharkiest HI island and why? Species?

[magentawave]

I can't speak for Pono, but I never saw sharks when I lived on Kauai (although I know they were there) but I had three close encounters while living on Maui.

I think I saw Ron's new friend today at the Cove. I was playing in the baby waves. Ron was there for a while. I was about to go in when I saw some heavy swirls in the water outside. Paddled out to see. I didn't get close enough to say for sure, but it was sumpin' big. Too long for a Manta.

Hey Pono..what's the sharkiest HI island and why? Species?

[Sup44]

I can't speak for Pono, but I never saw sharks when I lived on Kauai (although I know they were there) but I had three close encounters while living on Maui.

I think I saw Ron's new friend today at the Cove. I was playing in the baby waves. Ron was there for a while. I was about to go in when I saw some heavy swirls in the water outside. Paddled out to see. I didn't get close enough to say for sure, but it was sumpin' big. Too long for a Manta.

Hey Pono..what's the sharkiest HI island and why? Species?

Tigers?

[covesurfer]

Pono is off downwinding, it looks epic and I can't go because I sprained my foot. I went yesterday, knowing I was injured, and aggravated it enough that I ended up at the doc's this morning, barely able to walk. So, I'll take a bite at the question...Pono can correct my answer after he's done paddling.

I think there may be more Tigers around Maui than the other islands. For in-shore waters (not deep, open ocean environments where pelagic species like Makos and Oceanic Whitetips are found), the Tiger is the most common shark to pay attention to in Hawaii. There are also a lot of hammerheads here but I'm not sure they are as bad as Tigers when it comes to not being very particular about what they bite. I've also heard of people reporting GW's on occasion but the most common large shark that is a potential threat here is the Tiger.

University of HI just did a study of Tigers that included tagging and tracking, you can probably google it. The south and west sides of the island are teeming with Tigers. I've seen them swim under my board several times, so clearly that there was no mistaking size or species. As for the 'why', I'm not sure anyone has definitively answered that question. Seems like the most logical answer is, favorable conditions - everything from temperatures, salinity, availability of food sources, etc. The UH study may have attempted to answer the 'why'.

I've seen other sharks from more of a distance. The Tigers I spotted were on the north shore, near Maliko Gulch 1x and off Kanaha 1x and near the harbor entrance 1x. I've also seen some black tip reef sharks on the Maliko run in several locations. One of them swam about 2 feet from my one man outrigger.

I've seen other sharks from further away, it was not possible to tell the color or markings but the dorsal and tail fins were clearly visible. Just last week, my wife and I saw what looked like a small (4') shark right in the shore break while walking on a northshore beach. Couldn't tell the species but I'd just gotten out of the water after a little body surfing about 200 yards down the beach.

Ok, PB, have at it!

[Beasho]

Here was a 7 foot Lemon shark.  It was implied they are pretty mellow.

The water was a bit murky but you can see the fish and board relative to the fish.  They were a bit spooky because the water was only 3 or 4 feet deep and they did not like it when I would approach from the top.

They didn't appear to want to attack.  However it would have been interesting with the inflatable 

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

Beasho, that shark was clearly more afraid of you than you of it!

[Weasels wake]

I can't speak for Pono, but I never saw sharks when I lived on Kauai (although I know they were there) but I had three close encounters while living on Maui.

I think I saw Ron's new friend today at the Cove. I was playing in the baby waves. Ron was there for a while. I was about to go in when I saw some heavy swirls in the water outside. Paddled out to see. I didn't get close enough to say for sure, but it was sumpin' big. Too long for a Manta.

Hey Pono..what's the sharkiest HI island and why? Species?

I live in Kauai, and the water is perfectly safe here. (apologies to Beth)