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Stand Up Paddle => SUP General => Topic started by: bushido8000 on July 19, 2014, 07:59:15 PM

Title: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: bushido8000 on July 19, 2014, 07:59:15 PM
So I am extremely new to SUPs.  I can't help but notice that I can't find a single article on the internet about sharks attacking anyone on a SUP.  There's even an article about a shark grabbing onto a guy's board, which lead to the guy punching the shark's nose to let his board go, but no sharks attacking SUP riders.

My question (it might be a stupid one, idk) is this, has a shark EVER attacked a SUP rider while they were on their board?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: dabigkahuna on July 19, 2014, 08:20:55 PM
I don't know the answer to your question, but I have a story that may give you some insight into the mind of the average shark:

My wife and I were sailing our boat from Catalina Island to San Diego one day.  There was barely a wisp of wind and the ocean was as flat as glass.  Way off in the distance we could see what looked like a tree trunk floating in the ocean, except every once in a while it moved.  I changed the boat's course so we could get up close and see what was happening.  When we got up close, sure enough it was a tree trunk, maybe 2 feet in diameter, and what was moving it, and this is the interesting part, were two big sharks who where taking turns trying to rip this tree trunk in half.  Needless to say, they weren't getting much nutrition from this hunk of wood, but it didn't keep them from continuously trying to take a bite out of it.  They were still at it an hour later when we lost sight of them.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Zooport on July 19, 2014, 09:52:51 PM
I have never heard of a SUP getting attacked.  I was told that sharks go mostly after seals and unfortunately for them, traditional surfers often seem like seals to sharks who typically have poor eyesight.  It is my understanding that someone paddling a SUP does not look or act like shark food, so the chances are pretty low.  No guaranteed, but low.  The people who are in more danger are the offshore swimmers.  I know a distance swimmer got bit and killed swimming off of Solana Beach a number of years ago. 
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Zooport on July 19, 2014, 09:58:19 PM
By the way, that's not a stupid question at all.  My elderly father unfortunately heard of the swimmer being bit recently off of Manhattan Beach and he is now worried sick about me.  Constantly trying to talk me out of going in the ocean because I might get eaten by a shark.  I try to tell him that I'm in more danger on the freeway than I am in the ocean, but he is very old and doesn't easily modify his thinking. 
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: 808sup on July 19, 2014, 10:30:42 PM
There was this one here on maui...
Posted by: maui wave warrior
« on: October 18, 2012, 04:46:21 PM » Insert Quote
We were out early this morning on a nice chest to head high day at Kanaha with surf on the rise. Around 8:30am lifeguards advise us we all have to clear the water due to a shark attack. Turns out one of our local SUP shapers Dave Peterson had a shark bite his board and knock him off. He needed to use his paddle to get the shark to release the board and then proceeded to fend off the 6 to 8ft shark until he could get back on his board. Article is in the Maui News today. This took place out in front of Kite Beach which is about 200yrds from Kanaha Beach Park. Glad he was not injured. Those smaller SUP's are looking more like turtles I guess so beware!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: DavidJohn on July 19, 2014, 10:58:45 PM
I don't think they attack us.. Try not to even think about it.

Remember more people die each year from being hit on the head by a falling coconut.. So watch out when near a coconut tree.

How come those deaths don't make the world news..  ;D
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: SUPcheat on July 19, 2014, 11:19:29 PM
Looking at the shark attack map for California (you can google it) and the amount of time the data was accumulated and the actual conditions under which fatalities occurred and the hordes of people in the water over the years, the conclusion is that there are so many other dangers, that shark attack is completely trivial by comparison. 

There was a kayak bitten by a white shark a year or two ago in Santa Cruz, no injuries. i saw a youtube video of a guy paddle boarding probably somewhere in the south, where he glided over a alligator and it started thrashing and knocked him off.  He didn't even look scared, just stood there in the water while this beast was thrashing the water. I would be a lot more afraid of that if that was where I paddled.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: dabigkahuna on July 20, 2014, 07:31:42 AM
I seem to remember hearing about a paddleboard being "bit" by a shark at Catalina Island a few years back...  Found a news article on it here:
http://www.kcet.org/living/travel/socal_wanderer/safety/catalina-island-shark-encounter-leaves-15-year-olds-paddleboard-bitten.html
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: surfcowboy on July 20, 2014, 08:47:04 AM
Eva Beach, 2 or 3 years ago too.  But stop thinking about it and worry more about texting on the road what you're eating. (That's what will kill far more paddle boarders and other people too.)
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Califoilia on July 20, 2014, 09:23:57 AM
Remember more people die each year from being hit on the head by a falling coconut.. So watch out when near a coconut tree.
Exactly, and why I never SUP under or even near coconut trees.....you can never be to cautious. :P

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Zooport on July 20, 2014, 09:47:51 AM
Remember more people die each year from being hit on the head by a falling coconut.. So watch out when near a coconut tree.
Exactly, and why I never SUP under or even near coconut trees.....you can never be to cautious. :P


LOL!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: 808sup on July 20, 2014, 11:21:31 AM
Remember more people die each year from being hit on the head by a falling coconut.. So watch out when near a coconut tree.
Exactly, and why I never SUP under or even near coconut trees.....you can never be to cautious. :P X2. Great :o now I'm scared NOT to go in the water!


LOL!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: johnnyo on August 03, 2014, 11:20:25 AM
watch out of the Sharknados!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: OUTSIDEWAVE on August 03, 2014, 09:01:59 PM
Taste test!!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Ichabod Spoonbill on August 04, 2014, 06:42:17 AM
That sharknado just tore a bite out if the Big Apple. Dear God, where will this maelstrom of carnivorous catastrophe hit next?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on August 04, 2014, 07:24:48 AM
There was this one here on maui...
Posted by: maui wave warrior
« on: October 18, 2012, 04:46:21 PM » Insert Quote
We were out early this morning on a nice chest to head high day at Kanaha with surf on the rise. Around 8:30am lifeguards advise us we all have to clear the water due to a shark attack. Turns out one of our local SUP shapers Dave Peterson had a shark bite his board and knock him off. He needed to use his paddle to get the shark to release the board and then proceeded to fend off the 6 to 8ft shark until he could get back on his board. Article is in the Maui News today. This took place out in front of Kite Beach which is about 200yrds from Kanaha Beach Park. Glad he was not injured. Those smaller SUP's are looking more like turtles I guess so beware!

Actually Dave was injured--he pulled his shoulder banging on the shark with the paddle. The board with the sharkbite is so VERY cool. It should be hanging in Ponohouse instead of being stuffed in his board rack getting dusty.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: peterp on August 04, 2014, 07:52:13 AM
We had an attack on a surfer this Friday past at a beach where I SUP about once every week or two......the guys is luckily ok but he got launched 3m into the air by the impact from an estimated Great White.

There were quite a few SUP's in the line-up and they are getting pretty good press for their efforts: http://www.wavescape.co.za/surf-news/breaking-news/shark-concerns.html

Ironically I was out at Seal Island which is in the middle of False Bay (about 6miles from attack) on Wednesday towing dummy seals to try and get them attack and breach - 3hours and we never even saw a shark.......

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: spirit4earth on March 11, 2015, 02:59:43 PM
Sorry this is an old thread, but I wonder if anyone has ever had their inflatable sup punctured by a shark?  That would be bad news....
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: spookini on March 11, 2015, 03:19:16 PM
I don't really want to be the first to try it, but... I'd think the "whoosh" of air out of punc'd iSUP would scare any nearby critters away for good.  Alot of air comes rushing out of the typical iSUP.  And I think what's left would probably still float you a bit.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: sterbo on March 11, 2015, 05:13:07 PM
My question (it might be a stupid one, idk) is this, has a shark EVER attacked a SUP rider while they were on their board?
Well, that's answered by a simple search string.

Sharks are about as straight forward as it gets. Live, eat, screw, eat, live. To that end their primal receptors are a thing of beauty, efficiency wise.
Yes, of course they attack us, though it's not about us; not personal. SUPers are less likely to engage their radar than others on and in the water because we don't typically sit with our legs down, dangling and so very inviting. That's why those of us who surf without paddles in shark zones are absolute shark bait - our resemblance to seals, sea lions, penguins, etc. when we assume the position is like Ma ringing the cowbell at dinner time...
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: OUTSIDEWAVE on March 11, 2015, 05:51:30 PM
yes and no  Whites no they  just taste   us  bulls tigers probably if we looked interesting.   but on sups  not to likely
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: surf4food on March 11, 2015, 06:49:32 PM
Sorry this is an old thread, but I wonder if anyone has ever had their inflatable sup punctured by a shark?  That would be bad news....

There's an AMAZING spray-on shark repellent you can get specifically for inflatables.  REI carries them and at 9.99 a can they are a pretty decent price.  Simply give the can a good shake and then spray over the entire board immediately after full inflation.  Just make sure you don't get the spray that's for hard epoxy.  A good buddy of mine who is no longer with us made that very mistake.  RIP Chick E. McNugnug. 
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup44 on March 11, 2015, 11:12:35 PM
The  answer is mostly no. 99% of attacks from whites on humans happen by accident. A mistake for a seal. And most times when they realize your not a seal,, they let you go. That said a SUP is typically much bigger than a seal. So attacks are even more rare than on a surfboard (which are extremely rare). Sometimes, 1% of the time whites get territorial. There have been a very few cases where race sup'ers are harassed by whites for no apparent reason.

Bull sharks will eat humans just Cuz there pissed off..but SUP's 99.9% of the time are just too big.

I can't speak to behavior or patterns of tigers..
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: eastbound on March 12, 2015, 08:59:27 AM
my impression is that tigers are considered among the most dangerous to humans of all sharks

some attribute the increase in "drowning disappearances" of the last several years in hawaii to tigers--ive read that it's a bit controversial, with some making case that it aint about the sharks, it's about the huge increase in humans playing in the water==>more people playing leads to more drowning--the disappearance part is what make it seem tigers could be complicit--people who simply drown tend to bloat, float and be found--they become "floaters"

i'm sure some living there can comment
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: SeaMe on March 12, 2015, 02:00:29 PM
I'd think the "whoosh" of air out of punc'd iSUP would scare any nearby critters away for good.  Alot of air comes rushing out of the typical iSUP.

It's going to take more than bubbles to deter Bruce.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCUc3U8WVMo
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 12, 2015, 02:47:58 PM
Of course it's the far greater number of people in the water, and the difference between a efficient swimmer/spearfisherman/surfer and a splashy goofball may play a part as well. One of those two sounds a lot more like dinner.

No matter what, the number of shark attacks is absurdly low. Double it, triple it, and you still have far too little data to say anything conclusive except "shark attacks have tripled". Because ten times nuttin' is nuttin'.  But the number of people in the water in Maui has increased substantially. It's still NOTHING like the east coast, where people arrives before sunrise to stake out their ten by ten plot of beach. With all those people in the water, and plenty of sharks of every flavor, including a massive increase in the seal population and a resultant increase in local apex sharks, the number of shark attacks on the east coast is down somewhere in the statistical noise, way below the people killed by tipping over soft drink machines.

The question isn't do sharks attack us. It's why are we so afraid of something that poses no real threat. The answer is--we're nuts. More precisely, you're nuts. I try to confine my fears to things that are real threats. I can't walk by a coke machine without feeling a little frisson of fear.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Bulky on March 12, 2015, 03:26:56 PM
I can't walk by a coke machine without feeling a little frisson of fear.

Crap, Bill.  And it was just getting to be that time in the afternoon where I was thinking about grabbing a soda.  Too scared now.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: sterbo on March 12, 2015, 04:50:15 PM
Huh?
Why are we afraid of something that 'poses no real threat?"

Let's be clear. Of course there's a real threat and of course the likelihood of such a threat has everything to do with where one lives.
By way of example. I currently live, sail, surf, sup, swim etc. on the north coast of California - the infamous "Bloody Triangle". It didn't get that name for no damn reason.
The infestation of Great Whites is something we think about constantly when entering the water. Anyone who considers an average of maybe 2 serious attacks per year to be nothing to be concerned about occupies a reality I can't begin to fathom. While fatalities are rare, the trauma - both physical and mental -  resulting from being attacked and/or maimed is nothing short of horrific.
All of us who spend a lot of time in the water have stories to tell. Sometimes it's someone close to us; sometimes a friend of a friend, and so on. Any laughter upon the telling isn't because it's funny; it's our nervous freaked out coping mechanism.

So, someone close? When I was in my mid 20's one of my best friends who was 17 and born in Hawaii had a brutal scar from back of hip down across his hamstring. He had been attacked by a Tiger shark two years before he moved to Malibu where we both lived at the time. I always admired the hell out of him every time we paddled out. Even though we had no real reason to be concerned on the beaches we surfed I'd always see that scar and marvel that he'd still go at it the way he did. That said, when we were just hanging out, drinking, getting stoned, just doing what friends do, there was a sobering part to him that always saddened me. He made no bones about it but sometimes he couldn't help it and just let it go. His emotion was so powerful, so tragic that we'd both cry.
Sorry, but this subject is way personal.

"nuttin' is nuttin"?
Not...

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: standuped on March 12, 2015, 05:19:52 PM
Clint Eastwood survived a plane crash in a Douglas Sky Raider near Point Reyes when he was 21 years old.  He and the pilot swam 3 miles to shore.   That must have been a long 3 miles..............  Later He would go on to do "Quite well for himself "  as my dear old dad would say.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 12, 2015, 05:49:08 PM
Since 1900 there have been 108 documented shark attacks producing injuries or fatalities on the west coast, including the excitingly-named bloody triangle. Compare that to the 2000 people who die every year from choking to death in restaurants, never mind the 33,000 people who died in traffic accidents and or the 2.2 million people who were injured EVERY YEAR--millions of them of them far more horrifically than any shark incident.

There's no doubt in my mind that fear of sharks is phobic. The fact that your Aunt Sadie died in a plane crash does not alter the reality that by any measure flying on commercial aircraft is much safer than driving to the store. But who really believes that in their guts? Who doesn't brace a bit when the plane comes off the runway?

Names like "the bloody triangle" are proof all by themselves that it's unreasoned. Carnage on every road that passes by that coast, and the focus and fear is on something that's a lesser threat than eating at McDonald's.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: breakbad on March 12, 2015, 07:15:10 PM
I agree with Pono. But that doesn't mean you can just ignore sharks. You can still manufacture the conditions that will get your ass bit. Like my favorite past time: fishing with a pocket full of live bait in waist deep water, in the failing light, wearing bright flashy colors, and kicking and splashing in the water. Or even worse, having a picnic under a coconut tree.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: covesurfer on March 12, 2015, 07:19:35 PM
I think it's actually called 'the red triangle'.

Statistically, you make a case that we don't have a rational fear that is in proportion to the actual 'threat' (at least on the west coast of the US). Ok, I get that.

But, if you're Bethany Hamilton, or the woman that was literally bitten in half off of Oluwalu (where the MPH race is this weekend), or if you regularly surf in South Africa or Western OZ or even Florida, with its Bull Sharks, it's a bit more apparent that there is an actual threat, even though the odds are stacked in your favor.

Guys have been bitten at S Turns (fatality) and off of Halama Street (injury), at Ulua Beach (injury) and at Makena (fatality); a guy was just bumped off his SUS in the harbor a month and a half ago. The logo on my DP Maui board includes the shark, which, as you know, was inspired by Mr. P's own encounter with an overly friendly tiger off Boneyards. A spear fisherman was mugged for his catch off of Waiehu and on and on. There are plenty of documented stories. Some years many, some years none. But, it happens. And, for many obvious reasons, it's a lot scarier than contemplating a vending machine tipping over on us.

My point is, there is a threat and there is certainly evidence to support that conclusion. But, if you look at the sheer numbers of people in the water vs actual unprovoked encounters with the man in the grey suit, yeah, statistically the threat recedes to what would appear to be insignificant. I'm just arguing that when we go in the water, we don't know the outcome. We, the people that use the water a LOT, know we'll probably not have a shark encounter/investigation or even attack. But, you always kind of hope, somewhere in your primordial brain stem, that if we do have that encounter today, we will prevail and be ok somehow. At least that is deep down in my brain...I think.

PB, you and I and our pals are all in the water a tremendous amount of time. I've paddled next to and over small and large sharks in the past couple of years and am happy to say, that's the extent of my encounters. I LIKE to see them. I have fear and respect for them. And, after a few years doing lots of ocean time, I no longer worry (like I used to) that 'today might be the day' when I go paddle. But, I also know that it isn't impossible. And, unlike the Coke machine, which might be capable of smooshing you, we are dealing with an intelligent, apex predator that is fully capable (if mostly uninterested) in tearing you apart, piece by piece, chomping on that visceral fat with a big, toothy, shark grin. ;D
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: SUPcheat on March 12, 2015, 08:27:03 PM
Guess it isn't just the sharks you have to worry about:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2992508/Tragic-moment-husband-Canadian-tourist-killed-breached-WHALE-hit-boat-forced-look-workers-tried-save-life.html

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: stoneaxe on March 13, 2015, 05:41:25 AM
I've had a pretty good life and I'm lucky to have lived this long, when the day comes it comes...I don't fear it regardless of the form it takes and I'll take two minutes of primal fear and pain over 6 months of cancer eating me anyday.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Off-Shore on March 13, 2015, 08:25:48 AM
I've had a pretty good life and I'm lucky to have lived this long, when the day comes it comes...I don't fear it regardless of the form it takes and I'll take two minutes of primal fear and pain over 6 months of cancer eating me anyday.

+1 Stoneaxe. You got it spot on man.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: eastbound on March 13, 2015, 09:53:43 AM
i have never seen a shark in the northeast in all my years in the water (40+).

never been to any hawaiian islands ever

in florida i have seen many, and people get bitten frequently down there. few deaths but plenty of damaging bites.

what's funny is that, back when i proned exclusively, i would get a little queasy at times, but generally relax and forget after dangling my legs in the water for a while. now that i sup exclusively, when i fall in the murky waters of the NE, i climb out quickly, and do wonder if that "shadow" might be....
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup44 on March 13, 2015, 10:04:32 AM
I'm with Sterbo. The odds may be small but they happen and when they do the it's too  traumatic to have no healthy fear.

On a side note...I did see one at Jalama two weeks ago...  :-\
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 13, 2015, 10:37:49 AM
There's nothing wrong with phobic fears individually, as long as you understand what they are. Unfortunately as a society, our phobic fears have consequences. We don't care that millions of sharks are finned every year--serves them right. We don't mind building coal plants, destroying the mountains of Appalachia and dumping vast amounts of carbon dioxide and pollutants into the air, because we have a phobic fear of developing nuclear power. Unfortunately nothing really changes those phobias, they are part of our psyche. And it's almost impossible the change society's mind about anything important.

So it goes.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: eastbound on March 13, 2015, 02:26:49 PM
PB--my resistance to nuclear isnt about whether it can be better or cleaner--it's about whether greedy humans can be trusted to take expensive, proper care with such a potentially catclysmically dangerous technology

with proper care nuclear is the best energy alternative we have, at the moment--whether run by gov't, or by for-profit (regulated heavily), i just dont trust that expensive proper care would be taken--i have a house 2 mi upwind (usually) from a nuke on the CT coast--it was shut for several years recently for funny business with improper storage with spent fuel rods--fukishima, without the storm, luckily--i was shocked when it was reopened, given they'd done all the usual wrong--villified the whistleblower, stalled, pr'ed, aggrandized the nrc, etc--finally the plant was shut and the fuel rod issue remedied--but i dont trust the corporate technocrats for a minute, and their behavior in the case of millstone makes it clear they can't be trusted with something so important.

the plant sits on the LI sound where sharks are extremely rare, if not non-existant--that's the thread tie in!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: OUTSIDEWAVE on March 13, 2015, 04:26:31 PM
my impression is that tigers are considered among the most dangerous to humans of all sharks

some attribute the increase in "drowning disappearances" of the last several years in hawaii to tigers--ive read that it's a bit controversial, with some making case that it aint about the sharks, it's about the huge increase in humans playing in the water==>more people playing leads to more drowning--the disappearance part is what make it seem tigers could be complicit--people who simply drown tend to bloat, float and be found--they become "floaters"

i'm sure some living there can comment

I have heard the exact same thing about   the east coast  of florida  That a number of "drownings"  where no body was found were  attributed to shark attacks.
 As a side  note one of my ex's nephews had done a kayak trip down some river  that empties into the gulf  . He had gone out for a swim and was walking   back up the beach  when a 12  foot saltwater crocodile  was walking down the beach from the swampy area around the  river walked right by him 50 yards away like he wasn't there. The croc didn't even act like it noticed him  by my nephew sure noticed that crock...
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: ron.c on March 13, 2015, 04:44:49 PM
How may of you have had a close encounter with a shark?

I did in late October on my windsurfer at beach where no one would have expected it.  How close? If I had a go pro, it would have made the national news! 

It splashed me as it jumped out of the water right next to me.  Close enough for me to jump on its back for a ride.  Its thrashing tail splashed me.

Like traction control, my brain went into stutter-step mode.  0.25 seconds to 1.5 seconds OMF'nG, 2sec to 3 I'm still on board and know how to sail, 4sec to 6, pump baby pump, 75 seconds out OMG, has my life on the water changed forever?

Trust me, several months later, and I still get the chills. 

If you guys are still talk'n about this next fall, Ill give you an update.

RC

ps - all those so-call "shark" products -vacuum cleaners, car washes, cereals and cheap SUPs; they're all marketed by someone who's never met one!!!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: sterbo on March 13, 2015, 04:48:15 PM
Since 1900 there have been 108 documented shark attacks producing injuries or fatalities on the west coast, including the excitingly-named bloody triangle. Compare that to the 2000 people who die every year from choking to death in restaurants, never mind the 33,000 people who died in traffic accidents and or the 2.2 million people who were injured EVERY YEAR--millions of them of them far more horrifically than any shark incident.
There's no doubt in my mind that fear of sharks is phobic. The fact that your Aunt Sadie died in a plane crash does not alter the reality that by any measure flying on commercial aircraft is much safer than driving to the store. But who really believes that in their guts? Who doesn't brace a bit when the plane comes off the runway?
I'm not clear as to how this has anything to do with the topic of  "Do sharks attack us"
I'm not equating the fact that sharks do attack us with digressing off into the comparison of statistical data relative to the number of shark attack incidents vs plane crashes, traffic accidents, pit bull attacks, black widow spider bites, tripping while wearing high heels and breaking an ankle, psychiatric visits resulting from phobic reactions to a first viewing of the movie Jaws, etc., ad nauseum.

Quote
Names like "the bloody triangle" are proof all by themselves that it's unreasoned. Carnage on every road that passes by that coast, and the focus and fear is on something that's a lesser threat than eating at McDonald's.
Clearly you don't understand the reason for the name "Bloody triangle" (and yes, it's also referred to as "The Red Triangle")
It's not called that just because the the triangulation between Ana Nuevo, The Farallon Islands and Bodega Bay are uncommonly dangerous shark wise to humans. It's because it's a feeding frenzy zone with our great number of sea lions, harbor seals and harbor porpoise constantly frequently the area. Not to forget my other spirit friends, the gulls and pelicans who occasionally get caught up in the mix
For what it's worth I paddle every day with the seals and sea lions (and sea birds). They hang out and breed not 40 feet away from the boat that I live on. The house that I'm currently building looks out on the approach to the Golden Gate Bridge and it's common to  look down and see school after school of Harbor Porpoise breaching the surf zone around Dead Mans and China Beach below.
Yea, blood upon the water. Whether you want to believe it or not, it's as real as it gets. And note - this isn't about fear - undue or otherwise. It's about basic common sense.
:Sigh: We're the local watermen and aren't remotely 'phobic': we're well reasoned and smart.
You may be a non believer, overly skeptic (and, I think, missing the point) but still, if you ever venture this way, give me a heads up and our crew will do what we do daily with each other - watch your back.
Not that you need it of course
lol...


Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: pdxmike on March 13, 2015, 06:05:20 PM
Since 1900 there have been 108 documented shark attacks producing injuries or fatalities on the west coast, including the excitingly-named bloody triangle. Compare that to the 2000 people who die every year from choking to death in restaurants, never mind the 33,000 people who died in traffic accidents and or the 2.2 million people who were injured EVERY YEAR--millions of them of them far more horrifically than any shark incident.
There's no doubt in my mind that fear of sharks is phobic. The fact that your Aunt Sadie died in a plane crash does not alter the reality that by any measure flying on commercial aircraft is much safer than driving to the store. But who really believes that in their guts? Who doesn't brace a bit when the plane comes off the runway?
I'm not clear as to how this has anything to do with the topic of  "Do sharks attack us"
I'm not equating the fact that sharks do attack us with digressing off into the comparison of statistical data relative to the number of shark attack incidents vs plane crashes, traffic accidents, pit bull attacks, black widow spider bites, tripping while wearing high heels and breaking an ankle, psychiatric visits resulting from phobic reactions to a first viewing of the movie Jaws, etc., ad nauseum.

The original question, which asked whether anyone on a SUP has ever been attacked, got answered last July with a yes.  Everything after that has been discussion, and showing statistics that put the answer into perspective is absolutely relevant. 

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 13, 2015, 08:30:55 PM
I'm not clear as to how this has anything to do with the topic of  "Do sharks attack us"
I'm not equating the fact that sharks do attack us with digressing off into the comparison of statistical data relative to the number of shark attack incidents vs plane crashes, traffic accidents, pit bull attacks, black widow spider bites, tripping while wearing high heels and breaking an ankle, psychiatric visits resulting from phobic reactions to a first viewing of the movie Jaws, etc., ad nauseum.

:Sigh: We're the local watermen and aren't remotely 'phobic': we're well reasoned and smart.
You may be a non believer, overly skeptic (and, I think, missing the point) but still, if you ever venture this way, give me a heads up and our crew will do what we do daily with each other - watch your back.
Not that you need it of course
lol...

The point is not that other things are more dangerous, it's that 108 attacks in 114 years is an incredibly small number compared to even the most trivial accident. With the vast number of people in the water of the west coast throughout that 114 years, the answer to the question "Do Sharks Attack Us" is "not really".

Sterbo, thanks for the invitation, I might take you up on it when I make my way back up the coast after my usual Battle Of The Paddle trip. I've never lived where you live--other than six months on Treasure Island in the Navy, and a few months working as a motorcycle mechanic in San Francisco, but I've played in the water there a lot. Lots of sea life, yes. I've done perhaps 30 dives in the vicinity of the Farallons. Saw a few big sharks, lots of sea lions, and the biggest ling cod I've seen or heard of. Wall dives being what they are, I got swept out to sea in the current almost every time. Good thing I had knowledgeable diving buddies running the boat. Sailed a lot in the Bay and up and down the coast with a great friend who is sadly no longer with us. Windsurfed all over there, surfed in the cold, cranky water. Ate a lot of oysters in Bodega Bay. Great place to be a waterman. I suspect our differences would not exist if they were shared over a beer. At the very least, like all my other friends, they wouldn't matter once you knew how full of shit I am.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: mrbig on March 14, 2015, 12:06:53 PM
Yes they do!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: sterbo on March 14, 2015, 01:14:34 PM
:Sigh: We're the local watermen and aren't remotely 'phobic': we're well reasoned and smart.
You may be a non believer, overly skeptic (and, I think, missing the point) but still, if you ever venture this way, give me a heads up and our crew will do what we do daily with each other - watch your back.
Not that you need it of course
lol...

The point is not that other things are more dangerous, it's that 108 attacks in 114 years is an incredibly small number compared to even the most trivial accident. With the vast number of people in the water of the west coast throughout that 114 years, the answer to the question "Do Sharks Attack Us" is "not really".

Lol, Ok, I give up. Sharks don't really attack us because, depending on the geographic location, the times that they do (I mean don't) are arguably common enough to be of concern - even though those persons who have been severely wounded and/or died - weren't, and didn't really.
My bad. You win

Sterbo, thanks for the invitation, I might take you up on it when I make my way back up the coast after my usual Battle Of The Paddle trip..............
 I suspect our differences would not exist if they were shared over a beer. At the very least, like all my other friends, they wouldn't matter once you knew how full of shit I am.

Pono, I couldn't agree more. Well, except for the 'full of shit' part :)
You're one of the main reasons I joined this forum. Lot's of cool and intelligent folks here but a couple of months ago after browsing here for quite a while and learning a lot, I read yet another of your rather prolific postings and thought to myself - 'This guy is smart, writes well, embodies a lot of my core beliefs and has a good sense of humor: we would likely become good friends if we were hanging out.

Here's to ya brother...

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: spirit4earth on March 14, 2015, 01:16:55 PM
There's nothing wrong with phobic fears individually, as long as you understand what they are. Unfortunately as a society, our phobic fears have consequences. We don't care that millions of sharks are finned every year--serves them right. We don't mind building coal plants, destroying the mountains of Appalachia and dumping vast amounts of carbon dioxide and pollutants into the air, because we have a phobic fear of developing nuclear power. Unfortunately nothing really changes those phobias, they are part of our psyche. And it's almost impossible the change society's mind about anything important.

So it goes.

Right on.  This extends to xenophobia as well.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: eastbound on March 14, 2015, 02:41:08 PM
gat a room!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: dpmaui on March 14, 2015, 03:17:44 PM
ummm, yeah, I think they do.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 14, 2015, 05:01:28 PM
Your opinion doesn't count--too biased by reality.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: dpmaui on March 14, 2015, 05:16:47 PM
I think that's what I want on my tombstone, "Biased by Reality"
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: pdxmike on March 14, 2015, 05:24:13 PM
That's probably better than "I told you it wasn't a dolphin".
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: SUPcheat on March 14, 2015, 05:29:41 PM
I am deluded, therefore, I am.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: pdxmike on March 14, 2015, 05:39:12 PM
I am deluded, therefore, I am.
You just think you're deluded.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Weasels wake on March 14, 2015, 05:53:59 PM
Why do shark threads like this last so looooooooooooooooooooooooooong?
I just hope to get to the beach and back w/o getting in a fu(king car accident!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: SUPcheat on March 14, 2015, 06:14:39 PM
I am deluded, therefore, I am.
You just think you're deluded.

I am probably deluded about thinking I am deluded, because I am an equal opportunity delusionary.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: OUTSIDEWAVE on March 14, 2015, 07:28:47 PM
if you think of all the unfound missing swimmers  " due to currents"  I think the  rate is substantially higher  but still probably less likely  than getting  attacked by bear in yellowstone or Montana in general.  but more likely than seeing a big foot in Washington.   
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: BigSlaveDave on March 14, 2015, 07:31:40 PM
I didn't read this whole thread, but here's my deal:

I'm a surfer, free-dive spearfisher, kayak fisher, sea kayaker, and now SUP surfer-- all in NorCal. In my thirty-five years of doing this stuff on this coast, I've been chased by whitey twice, and have 2 or 3 "drive-by's".  Two of my kayak fishing friends (on the Norcal Kayak Anglers Forum) have had their boats (like 15' boats) attacked by the "Landlord" so hard they were ejected from their boats and narrowly escaped with their lives.  You can read about it on that forum.

And about 6 years ago, not far from my town (Fort Bragg, CA) an abalone diver had his head bit off--to be found three weeks later (the head) by a beachcomber.  I was surfing 1/4 mile away when that happened.

Do I hate sharks? No.  Am I scared shitless of them?  You fucking bet I am.

Maybe it has to do with where you live.  You don't have to be a PhD statistician to think that I might have a higher probability of getting hit by a GWS than an Iowa corn farmer.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: stoneaxe on March 14, 2015, 09:24:19 PM
I just think my bro is a bit numb to sharks....though I have to admit he did scramble back up onto his board like a 13 year old upon hearing a tiger was headed for his ass..... ;)
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: robon on March 14, 2015, 10:44:04 PM
I agree the chances of shark attack being extremely low, but it would be interesting to know what the percentage of "missing" swimmers around the worlds oceans were shark attacks or not? Third world countries with ocean coast lines don't have any accurate means of recording shark attacks as far as I know, and how many people in these areas get bit or go missing every year? I have no idea of how many people go missing in coastal environments per year, or how many unrecorded shark attacks there are, but I'm willing to bet it would substantially increase the yearly totals for both fatalities and bites if we knew more about third world country shark encounters, and missing swimmers around the world in general.

One thing that gets pretty interesting in these conversations and always gets brought up is the exploratory bite behaviour of sharks, which is true, but if you get bit, then you are still getting f*cked up. An attack is an attack and while we usually aren't meant to be on the menu, an exploratory bite by even a small shark can cause massive damage or death. I'm not meaning to sound like I'm anti-shark, or trying to perpetuate fear of sharks, but just food for thought ;)
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 14, 2015, 11:07:42 PM
For the most part, we are simply not on the menu. Almost all predators have preferred prey. It's how they get so very efficient and successful. It's also why the predator/prey cycles exist. There is always opportunistic or accidental predation, but it's just that. When the rodent population dips, the owls get scarce. Yeah, they might grab a kitten or a duck, but they aren't good at it, and they can't count on it, so they aren't really hunting them. They don't represent a replacement for scare prey, so the number of predators decreases.

There ARE sharks that are happy hunting humans. Oceanic Whitetips think we are very tasty. They don't have a settled prey relationship because they are mostly pelagic--deep water. They encounter their prey, they don't go where they expect to find it. So a few hundred humans struggling in the water after a battleship or a ferry sinks looks like a buffet. They don't taste and reject, they eat. I've seen one oceanic whitetip out of the many hundreds of sharks I've seen. And yes, he/she was quite interested in me. I've seen dozens of tigers, perhaps ten whites, and a few bull sharks, none of whom had an interest other than avoiding me.

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: SUP Leave on March 16, 2015, 02:51:44 PM
Great thread. I just read the whole thing and enjoyed it.

As a resident of the PacNW I only worry about bigfoots when I am walking out of the woods an hour after dark with a dead flashlight, and I only worry about sharks when I fall off my board in cloudy water with a lot of seals around.

Statistically my chance of being attacked by either is the same.

However, my chance of getting fat, sick and old is a lot higher if I quit my ocean activities. That danger is real.

I just watched Blackfish and those trainers got chomped and ate by Orcas (actually more than sharks have bit SUPs) so they attack us too.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: stoneaxe on March 16, 2015, 05:58:18 PM
As a resident of the PacNW I only worry about bigfoots when I am walking out of the woods an hour after dark with a dead flashlight, and I only worry about sharks when I fall off my board in cloudy water with a lot of seals around.

As someone who is being called bigfoote lately I resent that implication...... :)

The only times I've really been worried about sharks is the same.....if I fall off in the murk with seals around I don't hang in the water very long.....that and when all the seals suddenly disappear. THAT had me decide to take a break and eat my lunch.

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup44 on March 16, 2015, 11:52:06 PM
I didn't read this whole thread, but here's my deal:

I'm a surfer, free-dive spearfisher, kayak fisher, sea kayaker, and now SUP surfer-- all in NorCal. In my thirty-five years of doing this stuff on this coast, I've been chased by whitey twice, and have 2 or 3 "drive-by's".  Two of my kayak fishing friends (on the Norcal Kayak Anglers Forum) have had their boats (like 15' boats) attacked by the "Landlord" so hard they were ejected from their boats and narrowly escaped with their lives.  You can read about it on that forum.

And about 6 years ago, not far from my town (Fort Bragg, CA) an abalone diver had his head bit off--to be found three weeks later (the head) by a beachcomber.  I was surfing 1/4 mile away when that happened.

Do I hate sharks? No.  Am I scared shitless of them?  You fucking bet I am.

Maybe it has to do with where you live.  You don't have to be a PhD statistician to think that I might have a higher probability of getting hit by a GWS than an Iowa corn farmer.

So here's where my confusion lies. I've been studying shark attacks and incidents for years. The common theme is always "exploratory bite" or "mistake for a seal." But what about the ejection out of a 15 foot kayak? That kayak does not look like a seal from underwater. Thoughts?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 17, 2015, 12:53:46 AM
Animals, not robots. They do what they want to do. They don't have a lot of rules.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: sterbo on March 17, 2015, 05:23:32 AM
So here's where my confusion lies. I've been studying shark attacks and incidents for years. The common theme is always "exploratory bite" or "mistake for a seal." But what about the ejection out of a 15 foot kayak? That kayak does not look like a seal from underwater. Thoughts?
Often times these kinds of things require context in order to understand the whys and wherefores.

Maybe the shark was particularly hungry and just went for in case it panned out. Maybe it felt threatened, which as the human population increases, is more and more common. Maybe it was protected it's young. Maybe it's key receptors were impaired due to some kind of birth defect or, again more and more common, all too common interface with all the pollutants we dump in their backyard.
Etc...
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: pdxmike on March 17, 2015, 10:09:55 AM
Shark equivalent of Ted Bundy?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: covesurfer on March 17, 2015, 11:06:27 AM


 I've seen one oceanic whitetip out of the many hundreds of sharks I've seen. And yes, he/she was quite interested in me. I've seen dozens of tigers, perhaps ten whites, and a few bull sharks, none of whom had an interest other than avoiding me.

Clearly, the whitetip didn't get a look at your feet; the other sharks did.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: lucabrasi on March 17, 2015, 11:23:28 AM
So here's where my confusion lies. I've been studying shark attacks and incidents for years. The common theme is always "exploratory bite" or "mistake for a seal." But what about the ejection out of a 15 foot kayak? That kayak does not look like a seal from underwater. Thoughts?
Fishing with bait or chumming. Perhaps they had been catching fish and the fighting fish sending out signals of some sort,
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: robon on March 17, 2015, 11:47:19 AM
So here's where my confusion lies. I've been studying shark attacks and incidents for years. The common theme is always "exploratory bite" or "mistake for a seal." But what about the ejection out of a 15 foot kayak? That kayak does not look like a seal from underwater. Thoughts?
Fishing with bait or chumming. Perhaps they had been catching fish and the fighting fish sending out signals of some sort,

There has been multiple documented shark attacks on kayaks where no fishing was involved. Two women last September were Kayaking and dumped out during an attack by Whitey. The bottom line is that it happens regardless of what activity the person in their personal water craft is involved in. As PB states, they are animals and there are no rules. If you are in the water, you're fair game and large sharks such as Great Whites take out 500 pound seal lions and will attack even larger prey items. This generalization of Sharks not attacking SUPs and Kayaks because they don't resemble seals or are too big is bollocks. It happens, but just not very often. The point is SUPs have been bitten, bumped, and multiple accounts of Kayaks being attacked exist around the world. We can argue about biology, physiology, shark behaviour and statistics until we are blue in the face, but there are two simple points in the conversation. One is that Sharks do attack people in the water, and attacks do and will occur regardless of what type and what size of personal water craft you are using. Kayaks, SUPS, OC1s, Canoes, surf skis...whatever.

You can do the research and find documented attacks on all manner of human powered water craft. The other point is that for all the human activity in the water, attacks aren't numerous. There just exists a lot of grey area between these two points and a bunch of generalizations exist that aren't necessarily true about shark behaviour. The best proof comes from people who see it for themselves, whether it be sharks going to town on a tree in the middle of the ocean or the female Kayakers who were attacked last September, or someone who literally swims inches from a large Great White and nothing happens at all.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2743082/Two-female-kayakers-lucky-escape-attack-great-white-shark-threw-water.html
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: stoneaxe on March 17, 2015, 12:12:41 PM


 I've seen one oceanic whitetip out of the many hundreds of sharks I've seen. And yes, he/she was quite interested in me. I've seen dozens of tigers, perhaps ten whites, and a few bull sharks, none of whom had an interest other than avoiding me.

Clearly, the whitetip didn't get a look at your feet; the other sharks did.

White tips must also have a poor sense of smell.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: spookini on March 17, 2015, 12:23:38 PM
Two women last September were Kayaking and dumped out during an attack by Whitey.

FWIW, those two women witnessed a GW/seal feeding from the shore, and decided to paddle out and take pictures.

Whitey was just trying to cull the herd.   ???
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 17, 2015, 12:41:28 PM


 I've seen one oceanic whitetip out of the many hundreds of sharks I've seen. And yes, he/she was quite interested in me. I've seen dozens of tigers, perhaps ten whites, and a few bull sharks, none of whom had an interest other than avoiding me.

Clearly, the whitetip didn't get a look at your feet; the other sharks did.

White tips must also have a poor sense of smell.

Sad to see that kind of jealousy. I may have a future as a foot model, though Diane claims my feet look like they should have a toe tag on them.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: robon on March 17, 2015, 12:44:58 PM
Two women last September were Kayaking and dumped out during an attack by Whitey.

FWIW, those two women witnessed a GW/seal feeding from the shore, and decided to paddle out and take pictures.

Whitey was just trying to cull the herd.   ???

Interesting how variable the stories are. The account from the articles I have read was "a woman" (singular) saw a shark feeding on a seal "earlier in the day" (not when these women were out),  and yes they were hoping to see seals, but I highly, highly  doubt the two females were like, "hey, look at that big Whitey taking out that seal". "lets go paddle into the carnage and take pics". "like, okay, lets go". People are that stupid, but it doesn't seem the case in this story, and the point remains that their kayaks don't resemble seals, they weren't fishing, and still got hit. Paddling in seal territory is likely to produce encounters though.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: SUP Leave on March 17, 2015, 12:48:56 PM
I fish a lot and sometimes I get asked: Why does the steelhead bite that (bait, fly, whatever) and the standard answer is: "because they don't have hands".

You have to figure sharks is going to shark. Call it an "attack" or "exploratory bite" or whatever they are animals reacting to their world the way they want.

Is knowing why they do it going to keep you out of the water? If so it is better to not know.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup44 on March 17, 2015, 01:58:26 PM
Pono,

You mentioned you've seen 10 whites along with numerous other sharks. How have you had so much contact? Are you a sailor as well?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: spookini on March 17, 2015, 02:24:59 PM
Interesting how variable the stories are.

A few of us on the 'Zone live in the Plymouth area where that incident occurred.  I know ppl who know the two girls, and said yeah, they paddled out to have a look-see.  Don't know if it's true or not.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: robon on March 17, 2015, 03:01:55 PM
Interesting how variable the stories are.

A few of us on the 'Zone live in the Plymouth area where that incident occurred.  I know ppl who know the two girls, and said yeah, they paddled out to have a look-see.  Don't know if it's true or not.

Wow, maybe my ditzy narrative of those two not being "that stupid" is wrong? Especially if they knew a big shark had been feeding earlier, which didn't seem like the case. That would put the likelihood of getting attacked up a lot higher obviously.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: stoneaxe on March 17, 2015, 05:40:14 PM
I didn't hear that they had witnessed it, only that they had heard it happened. If there was still blood in the water they were foolish....otherwise...not so much.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: TallDude on March 17, 2015, 06:31:39 PM
My cousin who lived with us growing up, was bit by a shark surfing in Mexico in the 70's. My mom had to re-dress the wound every other night. It looked like foam filling in a big piece of missing muscle.  It took a good part of the flesh off his hand. He has nerve damage and partial mobility now, but it kind of grew back. This was right around the time JAWS came out.
I play the old 'what are the chances' game in my head. My cousin lived with us, like another older brother. Two people from the same household, getting bit by a shark? I mean come on....

I got no worries  ::)
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup44 on March 18, 2015, 10:37:16 AM
My cousin who lived with us growing up, was bit by a shark surfing in Mexico in the 70's. My mom had to re-dress the wound every other night. It looked like foam filling in a big piece of missing muscle.  It took a good part of the flesh off his hand. He has nerve damage and partial mobility now, but it kind of grew back. This was right around the time JAWS came out.
I play the old 'what are the chances' game in my head. My cousin lived with us, like another older brother. Two people from the same household, getting bit by a shark? I mean come on....

I got no worries  ::)

What part of mexico? What kind of shark?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 18, 2015, 10:51:06 AM
Pono,

You mentioned you've seen 10 whites along with numerous other sharks. How have you had so much contact? Are you a sailor as well?

I'm a Rescue Diver, with a lifelong interest in sharks. I don't dive much anymore, but I'd guess I have more than a thousand dives, logged and unlogged. Most of them in places where you might find sharks, some in places where you're gonna see sharks, and a few in places that you're absolutely certain to see sharks--like Molokini Crater, at night, after illegal chumming was done.

Most of the Tigers I've seen were from above, on a SUP. All of the whites were during dives. I also saw about 40 Hammerheads. All at one time, on a deep wall dive on the backside of Molokini. They cruised in over us, hanging out at about 40 feet while we were at 100. Good opportunity to practice conserving air. I wasn't in a hurry to go up through them.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: blueplanetsurf on March 18, 2015, 11:19:26 AM
As others have mentioned, the odds of getting killed by a shark are very low. 
From: https://www.visitsealife.com/london/explore-our-creatures/sharkfactsandfigures/

Wasps kill more people than sharks causing 100 deaths every year, versus less than 20 fatalities from shark attacks. Falling coconuts are even more deadly, claiming 150 lives annually.

Toasters, chairs and domestic dogs all kill far more people every year than sharks. (Toasters and chairs each kill around 600 – 700 people a year. Dogs – kill approx 50 people a year in the US alone.)

You are 1,000 more likely to drown at sea than to be bitten by a shark.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: TallDude on March 18, 2015, 11:26:47 AM
My cousin who lived with us growing up, was bit by a shark surfing in Mexico in the 70's. My mom had to re-dress the wound every other night. It looked like foam filling in a big piece of missing muscle.  It took a good part of the flesh off his hand. He has nerve damage and partial mobility now, but it kind of grew back. This was right around the time JAWS came out.
I play the old 'what are the chances' game in my head. My cousin lived with us, like another older brother. Two people from the same household, getting bit by a shark? I mean come on....

I got no worries  ::)


What part of mexico? What kind of shark?
My brother and cousin were renting a house in San Blas. They took a ferry to the Isla Maria Madre and it happened when they were surfing there. My cousin didn't know exactly what kind of shark it was, but the locals said that Tiger sharks are the most common and aggressive in those waters. The water there was near 90 deg. 
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: eastbound on March 18, 2015, 11:34:31 AM
great for sound bites, but these stats mean little.

the sum of hours per year humans spend in waters where shark attacks can happen is nil compared to the number of annual human exposure hours to wasps, chairs, cars, toasters etc.

and i am not shark-obsessed or even particularly concerned, but comparison of nominal death by chairs vs sharks is not apples/apples.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: eastbound on March 18, 2015, 11:45:08 AM
seen sharks diving too--plenty of nurses, but also many black tip reef sharks--once got very frightened when a number got close to us on a night dive

gained respect for the danger of tigers from a dive guide at glover's reef, belize, who in his prior 30 year incarnation had been a free dive fisherman, literally a part of the carib eco system--he described tigers as extremely dangerous, said he'd lost several friends to tigers, and said he gets out of the water immediately if he sees a tiger. and he was oblivious to 8 foot black tips, huge morays and other known-to-be-dangerous critters we saw lots of

glovers reef atoll is surrounded by walls which descend 1000's of feet--eery to be poking around on the wall at 80-90 feet and look out into the dark blue to see several big sharks pull into view and scope you-
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: TallDude on March 18, 2015, 11:50:01 AM
I'm more worried about getting on the freeway than anything else.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup44 on March 18, 2015, 12:25:58 PM
Pono,

You mentioned you've seen 10 whites along with numerous other sharks. How have you had so much contact? Are you a sailor as well?

I'm a Rescue Diver, with a lifelong interest in sharks. I don't dive much anymore, but I'd guess I have more than a thousand dives, logged and unlogged. Most of them in places where you might find sharks, some in places where you're gonna see sharks, and a few in places that you're absolutely certain to see sharks--like Molokini Crater, at night, after illegal chumming was done.

Most of the Tigers I've seen were from above, on a SUP. All of the whites were during dives. I also saw about 40 Hammerheads. All at one time, on a deep wall dive on the backside of Molokini. They cruised in over us, hanging out at about 40 feet while we were at 100. Good opportunity to practice conserving air. I wasn't in a hurry to go up through them.

Care to share the story about the Molokini Crater? Sounds exciting...
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 18, 2015, 01:35:24 PM
Not all that exciting except I used up my good will with one of the dive companies. They had more moderately-experienced divers than they felt comfortable escorting with two divemasters so they offered me a free trip in return for shepherding three divers. We'd reached depth about ten minutes in when the Hammerheads showed up. They were just hanging around above us. I've never heard of schools of hammerheads, but that's what it was. Big and mid-sized, I'd guess six to twelve feet. Looked a lot like this, from the same general viewpoint:

(http://www.scilogs.com/reefsrising/files/shutterstock_43956502-300x199.jpg)

I collected my charges, got them to calm down, and focus on relaxing. I didn't want them sucking their tanks dry. The two divemasters were hanging out together, barely watching their folks, pointing out the bigger hammerheads to each other. One of their divers looked like a bubble machine. He was staring up at the sharks and blowing air everywhere. The divemasters finally went around checking air gauges and found this guy at 400 pounds at 90 feet with sharks overhead. Not good. My folks were about 1500, I was over 2K. They gestured me over, pointed at the guys gauge, pointed at me and pointed up. They wanted me to take the guy up through the sharks. I refused and went back to my charges. One of them took the guy up, he continued to blow air like crazy and the divemaster had to give him his spare regulator at the safety stop. The sharks moved off as they were ascending. I think the bubble machine scared them off.

Needless to say they were very unhappy with me. My last dive with them.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Ichabod Spoonbill on March 18, 2015, 01:58:28 PM
Pretty amazing story. I'd love to see those hammerheads sometime.

I'm not terribly scared of sharks. I actually think it's cool to see one, although that's only happened a couple of times on my standup board. Of course that comes with a lot of respect. Any carnivore deserves respect.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: spookini on March 18, 2015, 02:18:17 PM
great for sound bites, but these stats mean little.
Agreed, stats can be used to misrepresent anything.
I'm unlikely to die from 1 wasp sting.  But I am likely to be in bad shape from a shark's "exploratory" bite.
I can run from a wasp.  I can't run (or outswim) a shark.

"You're more likely to die in a car accident than a plane crash".  Which of course isn't true.  Car accidents kill more ppl, but you stand a good chance of walking away from a car accident.  You're not going to walk away from many plane crashes.

A big part of our fear is we can't see the damn thing coming.  At least I know to look up if I'm sitting under a coconut  tree.  ::)

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 18, 2015, 09:00:40 PM
At least one of the Maui dive companies used to chum Molokini for night dives. I dropped into the crater one night with them and there were at least 100-200 sharks in sight all the time, like an aquarium for sharks. Scads of Blackips, but also lots of Galapagos, Greys, white tips and sandbar sharks. The Galapagos sharks are considered to be nearly as dangerous as Tigers, but they don't seem it, they seem almost as much a Golden Retriever as Blacktips. If I am ever bitten it will be by a blacktip, because I treat them like poodles, and they aren't. Grey Reef sharks look very menacing, but there are no recorded incidents with them. They look like they have a razor in their boot and a .44 tucked away somewhere. I sat on the bottom and watched sharks until I had to blow and go. Pissed everyone off because they were in the boat eating pineapple and drinking warm POG while I just sat there. Of course the swell came up, and I had a hell of a time getting up the ladder, which isn't all that much fun when you have curious fish with teeth hanging around your testicles. It's only 40 feet, but they wanted us to do a ten minute safety stop at 15. Goofy. No one else in the water, and I can't hold my breath that long, so that made folks happy too.

Making friends everywhere I go. Actually several of the divemasters became dive buddies because they have a similar philosophy about diving: Take care of yourself. If you can help someone else, do it, but don't rely on anyone.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: eastbound on March 19, 2015, 04:57:25 AM
true all that PB--the heavy marketing of dive gear and the ownership of naui and padi (i date myself) by the gear manufacturers makes for a bad situation. i dove as a teen with a great teacher back in the 70's and never got certified, but got taught very well. fast fwd 15 years to a trip where it was required i be certified. took a class in nyc and was appalled at the incompetence of many who received certification! like if any of these "certified" folks had something as innocuous as bumping their mask off in 40 ft of water, they would be at serious risk of panic and drowning. there were several who "passed" who could not doff/don their mask in a pool! incredible. a few years later i went on a dive with club med in st lucia, and it was a complete shit show swarm of like 75 people--most of whom were "certified" to the extent (nil) of those i'd seen in nyc. i hunkered down and kept to myself, ascended with the mob.

turned out the WS at this club med "family" resort was shit too, and the room was awful, so we left for the much nicer jalousie resort the next day---funny was when club med insisted i engage an "early departure debriefing"--my response: "you must be kidding--get me a cab". when i asked if there was a room which had been recently renovated and how they could provide rooms in such derelict condition, they said "at club med youre not supposed to be in your room"--i said "really my three month old and three year old shd be out drinking all night and out of the room--here at club med "family""
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: TallDude on March 19, 2015, 08:06:23 AM
I'm not a diver. Snorkel and spearfished but never wore a tank. On a recent trip to Catalina Island with my son, we happened upon the weekend dive scene at the Casino. At first, it looked like a swap meet for dive equipment. Then I realized it was more of a 'look what I own show'. Everyone lays out there equipment on a blue 12'x 12' tarp on the pavement that surrounds the casino, near the stairs that lead directly in to the ocean. There is a coffee house right there. They all stroll around with their wetsuits rolled down to their waist, and a Latte in hand. I overheard one of the guys say he was a doctor an lived in Beverly Hills. We hung out by the stairs to watch them enter the water. No one did for the 45 minutes that we were their. The water was glassy clear. There must have been over a 100 divers and a mountain of equipment to be talked about. I don't quite get it. Cool I guess? My son asked why they weren't diving? I didn't have an answer for that. Do you dive for 15 min. and that's it for the day?

Or maybe they found out that 'sharks do attack us'.  ;)
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: BigSlaveDave on March 19, 2015, 09:05:01 AM
I once saw a GWS take out a 500 lb sea lion while I was checking out one of our local breaks from a bluff.  Luckily there was no one out, but it was just outside the lineup.  The shark just tossed that sea lion around like a cat plays with a mouse.  Then it went away for a while and let the thing bleed out.  The water turned red in a 1/4 square mile area.  Then the shark came back to feed.  After watching that, I made myself a serious checklist of what to do in case of a shark attack--and i review it regularly.

If you surf, dive, or kayak regularly off the Northern California Coast, and you don't have a plan in case of shark attack, IMO your'e a bit foolish.  They're there, they bite, and they're the size of my pickup truck.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 19, 2015, 09:43:41 AM
Yeah, talldude, that's the "I'm a diver" swagger, a lot like the "I'm a surfer" swagger. Got to have the right knife, the right dive computer, the latest BC, blah, blah. Substituting gear for skill or experience. I do it with stand up boards, so I can't feel too superior. It's like the "Starbucks Angels" that drive their Harley to Starbucks and meet up with the rest of their Harley friends, all with a couple of thousand miles on their bikes (if that) and leather everything. They never ride. Too busy adding bling to their bikes.

The biggest problem with diving is that it's so gear intensive. Haul all that crap to a dive location, two tanks of air, fiddle around with transport of some kind unless you want to dive where ten thousand people have screwed up the reef by touching everything. Spend an hour on the bottom, some of which will be boring. Wait for some interval to get your N2 right, dive for another hour, haul everything back.

Ive been fortunate enough to have two good diving buddies that knew what they were doing and were excited about the experiences, not the opportunity to stand out from the crowd of non-divers. That makes it worthwhile. But one has passed and the other stopped diving. I still have gear, but it hasn't been wet in two years. With all the facets of SUP and good friends to do it with I don't miss diving at all.

I do miss seeing sharks up close and personal. Might have to dust the stuff off.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: SUPcheat on March 19, 2015, 10:59:02 AM
A sport that's all about swanning, preening, runway twirling and molesting/displaying expensive equipment.  I like it, it's kind of like being an audiophile.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: eastbound on March 19, 2015, 01:34:09 PM
aint no fitness in diving, that's for sure--and, yeah, the gear is extensive--finally threw out all my old us divers stuff--including my conshelf se2 which was the best regulator of its time (appx 1990)

sidebar: when i learned, occasionally had to use a twin-hose valve mounted regulator. barbaric. new gear thes days looks nice, but havent been diving in years to try.

sadly most hyped dive destinations are basically dead these days--fished and picked clean to 100 feet by locals, coral all bleached and weak.  very sad.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Bean on March 19, 2015, 01:54:35 PM
I made myself a serious checklist of what to do in case of a shark attack

Ok I'll bite, what's on your checklist BSD?  On my list I have denial, bargaining, anger and acceptance.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: ron.c on March 19, 2015, 04:23:58 PM
Boy, this thread has got some miles on it.  I've yet to read about anyone who's had a real first hand experience like me, hopefully not worse.

I used to think that maybe carrying a knife on my leg would be handy.  If the shark is motivated -- Not a chance, if it's your day, there's probably not much you're gonna do to fend off that initial attack.

RC
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: sterbo on March 19, 2015, 05:13:33 PM
Boy, this thread has got some miles on it.  I've yet to read about anyone who's had a real first hand experience like me, hopefully not worse.

I used to think that maybe carrying a knife on my leg would be handy.  If the shark is motivated -- Not a chance, if it's your day, there's probably not much you're gonna do to fend off that initial attack.

RC
You know, it seems here it's a bit like climate change - naysayers abound.
Regardless of the endless digression into debatable statistics of when, how many, cars, boats, and planes compare to the numbers of sharks that end us, emotionally and physically, the fact remains that for all of us whose blood runs with salt water, sharks are a threat and sharks do attack us. For the aforementioned it may not seem significant but for those who've suffered the 'grin' it's one of the most horrible of life's moments.
But hey, we suffer that endless dispassionate academic debate until someone close to them gets taken - then watch the turnaround..
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: TallDude on March 19, 2015, 06:20:42 PM
Not likely to be one of us as long as we do Stand-Up.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: stoneaxe on March 19, 2015, 08:15:52 PM
I guess we're all supposed to conform to one opinion? That would make forums pretty boring.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 19, 2015, 08:28:51 PM
Actually Dave P (DPMaui) chimed in and I told him his opinion doesn't count--too biased by reality. Dave got his board bit by a big tiger at Kanaha. When the shark bit his board Dave fell ONTO the shark, and then pounded away on him with his paddle until it swam away. Dave was injured--he pulled his shoulder beating on the shark.

I still think that board should be on my wall instead of getting dusty at Dave's shop.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: lucabrasi on March 19, 2015, 08:31:36 PM
I guess we're all supposed to conform to one opinion? That would make forums pretty boring.
wrong thread.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup44 on March 20, 2015, 08:39:47 AM
I made myself a serious checklist of what to do in case of a shark attack

Ok I'll bite, what's on your checklist BSD?  On my list I have denial, bargaining, anger and acceptance.

Hahahaha touché'

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup44 on March 20, 2015, 08:59:43 AM
Here's a question for you zoners...

Anyone have an idea of how sharky Baja California is? Specifically Ensenada and north area? My buddies and I have been debating this for years.

All my research points to Orange County being attack proof (not shark proof cuz Chuck Patterson proved we have them)...but you never hear about real attacks here. I guess they don't like the taste of the rich blood...

Santa Barbara and up your bummed...and then San Diego seems to get slightly higher activity than OC. 

But what about Baja? You would think it would be high considering how close Guadalupe Island is...But I can only find 4 recorded shark attacks in Baja in the last 60 years (and two were at Guadalupe). I once talked to a local who said the locals go to great lengths to keep attacks/sightings on the low to keep tourism flowing but I don't know how much I believe that. I suppose you could argue theres far less people in the water. But if it was as busy as San Fransisco you'd still hear about a lot more sightings.

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Ichabod Spoonbill on March 20, 2015, 07:37:50 PM
Sharkey comes to eat our toes,
Bites us everywhere we goes.
Nibble on the calloused heel,
Chew it like an orange peel.
Maybe chomp a little hand
Fingers lying in the sand.

Chompy chompy here and there,
Chompy chompy everywhere.
Everywhere a dude can be.
Sharkey wants to bite on me.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: goodfornothin on March 20, 2015, 09:00:24 PM
i spent three summers down in the abrejos area. saw lots and lots of sharks. especially kiting.  it was a daily deal to see munched seals on the north beach areas.  but there are a lot of fish in that area.  we would surf the estuary down near renes, so frickin sharky we would tow it just so we wouldnt have to sit and wait.

i lived near baja malibu for two years, never saw one shark

ive put some time out at todos proper, ive never scene anything there, surprisingly.

but there is a slabby right over by thors hammer, and i saw one big one there, towed right over it and had to bunny hop it, hahah

i have not heard of anybody getting tickled or munched. 

my two cents, and thats worth about, well not 2 cents these days


i did jump in the water with a whale once, that was the stupidest fucking thing ive ever done, seriously.  we where headed out of the bay down in san quentin.  we got the bay so good that day, holy cow. coming off the points and the main grinder out in the middle of the bay,, holy crap that was a good day.  but anyways, we where putting out on the ski and a whale was chilling. i just wanted to get in the water with it. i didnt get close at all, about 50 feet.  (i think its against the law, so double stupid).  i only lasted about .5 seconds.  just the current coming off that giant mammal made me rethink my position in this world.  so i cant imagine getting hunted down by a big shark.  i think i would poop myself

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: BigSlaveDave on March 20, 2015, 09:39:54 PM
I made myself a serious checklist of what to do in case of a shark attack

Ok I'll bite, what's on your checklist BSD?  On my list I have denial, bargaining, anger and acceptance.

Hahahaha touché'

I just saw this.  I don't get on the board too often.

There are specific things you can do for whatever specific activity you do, but here's the general list:

1.  This is a big one:  Don't paddle out with seals and sealions.  They are the specific prey item for GWS in Norcal.  Juvenile sealions  often "raftup" in huge gangs.  Stay away from these.  If they start doing this behavior around you, get out of the water.  This is a shark deli.

2. Stay with the pack.  Sharks like to prey on strays from the pack.  It's also important in case you do get hit to have assistance from others, as bleeding out is the real problem with GWS attacks.  That's their method: surprise attack and then wait for the prey to bleed out.  It's less work.  Many guys have had their lives saved by having buddies there with cell phones to call an evac helicopter.  Time is critical.

3. Fight like hell.  The shark's weak points are their eyes and nose, which contains the ampullae of lorenzini, a sensitive gel filled sensing organ.  GWS do not like being hit on the nose.  There are a few videos on youtube showing GWS being repeatedly rebuffed by folks hitting them in the nose.  If you're an abalone diver, use your iron to whack it on the nose and eyes.  My friend and neighbor was a commercial abalone diver off the Farrallone Islands (off San Francisco) in the 70s, when he got hit on a hooka assisted dive.  The shark grabbed him around the waist and John was able to get free by repeatedly striking the animal on the nose and eyes.  It just let go.  John has a fucking scar like you would not believe.

4. Don't be a silhouette.  GWS are sight predators that are programmed to scan for sea-liony looking silhouettes.  When possible stay in the kelp.  The kelp bed is your friend. Sharks have a harder time locating you with all the other shadows around.  Also, shark gill physiology requires that they keep moving to pass water through their gills, so they avoid it more than open water.  This silhouette thing is the reason prey fish like anchovies and mackerel are "counter-shaded", with black on top and silver on the bottom.  Predators looking up have a harder time seeing silver against the bright surface and predators looking down can'st see the black too well.  Contrary to popular belief about sharks, with GWS you have less chance of getting hit in really murky water, than in high vis water.

5.  Don't go out at river mouths where it's obvious that birds, fish and sealions are feeding.

6.  This one's obvious, but put speared fish in your kayak hold......and actually, believe it or not, peeing might be a problem, as they scent on mammal urine.

7.  Get to your buddies craft.  GWS get fixated on things, so keeping reasonably close together can help if you can get away from your board or boat and onto someone else's.  From what I've seen the sharks just keep gnawing these things for a while.

8.  For tank diving, don't go to the top if you have a driveby.  The surface is the GWS's arena.  If you've got enough air try to hide and slowly make your way out of there on the bottom.

There's more specific stuff for free-diving, tank-diving, and kayaking, but I'm tired of typing.  I think the most import thing is to stay away from sea lions and have folks nearby.  I almost never surf alone up here anymore.   i gave in to the fear.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: goodfornothin on March 20, 2015, 09:54:47 PM
great info. thanks. 

i  chuckled at 7.    Bro scoot over man, i guess i dont have any good friends,  they would kick me off as soon as i got there,, ahhaha
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup44 on March 20, 2015, 10:03:18 PM
i spent three summers down in the abrejos area. saw lots and lots of sharks. especially kiting.  it was a daily deal to see munched seals on the north beach areas.  but there are a lot of fish in that area.  we would surf the estuary down near renes, so frickin sharky we would tow it just so we wouldnt have to sit and wait.

i lived near baja malibu for two years, never saw one shark

ive put some time out at todos proper, ive never scene anything there, surprisingly.

but there is a slabby right over by thors hammer, and i saw one big one there, towed right over it and had to bunny hop it, hahah

i have not heard of anybody getting tickled or munched. 

my two cents, and thats worth about, well not 2 cents these days


i did jump in the water with a whale once, that was the stupidest fucking thing ive ever done, seriously.  we where headed out of the bay down in san quentin.  we got the bay so good that day, holy cow. coming off the points and the main grinder out in the middle of the bay,, holy crap that was a good day.  but anyways, we where putting out on the ski and a whale was chilling. i just wanted to get in the water with it. i didnt get close at all, about 50 feet.  (i think its against the law, so double stupid).  i only lasted about .5 seconds.  just the current coming off that giant mammal made me rethink my position in this world.  so i cant imagine getting hunted down by a big shark.  i think i would poop myself

Interesting. Did you surf other spots than baja malibu? Ever here of any activity?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: covesurfer on March 20, 2015, 10:40:23 PM
These were shot 2 days ago (Wednesday) at the Cove in Kihei (Maui). This is an extremely popular break, no matter what size. Usually it is small and attracts tons of people, many of whom are not very experienced in the water. There are several surf schools operating here that typically have 30 or more people in the water, many of them kids, and this day was no exception. This Tiger Shark was estimated at 12 to 14 feet based on the size of the board it was swimming under and around. The photographer surfs here every day and basically escorted the shark out of the area, warning people in the water as he went. No one was bitten or harassed.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: goodfornothin on March 20, 2015, 10:41:08 PM
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.  3m's and down that way towards ensenada is where they seem to hang out.  but ive surfed that whole bay and i really have never been spooked. 

i was looking at surfermag.com and they have a thread with random surf photos, a bunch of them include a shark. so maybe im just clueless when im out there. probably better that way.

i have a buddy named troy, ralphie and gotwavz are friends with him as well.  holy cow, when we are towing. he makes me whip him in a circle so he can glide onto the rescue sled.  he is so scared its actually kinda funny.  his dad would stick him in an inner-tube and have him float in the kelp paddies as he dove for abalone.  he said he developed a fear that will never be broken, waaaaaay to deep,, hahhaha  poor guy
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 21, 2015, 12:52:55 AM
Nice shots. That's a big 'un. that ought to fire up Mr. Boyum.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: covesurfer on March 21, 2015, 01:27:58 AM
Ron took those pictures. Going to be talked about for a while I'd bet.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: supthecreek on March 21, 2015, 04:56:51 AM
Great pictures.... and very cool that he stayed with it until it left the area.

BSD.... oops... I (we all) break almost every rule you laid out, every day. We sort of have to, if we want to surf.  :-\
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: RATbeachrider on March 21, 2015, 07:01:26 AM
Fluffy swum in front of me on Friday the 13th at Trail 1.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on March 23, 2015, 10:48:40 AM
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. 
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: BigSlaveDave on March 24, 2015, 11:21:26 AM
great info. thanks. 

i  chuckled at 7.    Bro scoot over man, i guess i dont have any good friends,  they would kick me off as soon as i got there,, ahhaha

All my friends tell me I don't have any friends.  :o
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup44 on March 24, 2015, 07:56:04 PM
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
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 24, 2015, 08:01:47 PM
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.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on March 25, 2015, 02:00:08 PM
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
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: goodfornothin on March 25, 2015, 04:10:47 PM
you may be in need of directions.  its not really mex till you get past the gates just south of ensenada ;D ;D

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
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on March 25, 2015, 08:18:34 PM
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 ;D ;D

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
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: goodfornothin on March 25, 2015, 08:34:26 PM
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 ;D
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: stoneaxe on March 26, 2015, 05:44:12 AM
big long rights into chili bowel.

Is that what you get after eating some particularly hot chili?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: eastbound on March 26, 2015, 07:57:13 AM
some call that the "goodbye kiss".
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup44 on March 26, 2015, 09:03:10 AM
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?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on March 26, 2015, 12:03:55 PM
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?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup44 on March 26, 2015, 12:19:41 PM
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?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: covesurfer on March 26, 2015, 02:28:00 PM
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!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Beasho on March 26, 2015, 04:52:02 PM
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  :o

https://vimeo.com/123361807
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Ichabod Spoonbill on March 26, 2015, 04:55:08 PM
Beasho, that shark was clearly more afraid of you than you of it!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Weasels wake on March 26, 2015, 05:36:59 PM
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)
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: johnysmoke on March 26, 2015, 08:39:13 PM
Living in the northeast with the explosion in the seal population, and now the great whites showing up all along the Massachusetts coast, has me wondering how long before I cross paths with one. I kayak and sup in places where I am usually seeing seals, hopefully I'll keep my cool if I see a shark, but I haven't thought about how to react other than trying to not freak out. I've seen Orcas while kayaking in Alaska, and while knowing they largely ignore humans, was still somewhat spooked by the speed and intensity of getting passed by a few out on the water. Wouldn't want to be in the water with those big dogs, let alone something that is an ambush predator and has to take an exploratory bite to figure out I'm not supposed to be on the menu. So it's interesting to get the perspective of folks who have been around the great whites regularly,and learn more about dealing with them, which hopefully I won't have to up close (knock on wood.) Would be cool to see one, just from a larger boat. I guess I'll start asking permission before getting in the water.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Weasels wake on March 26, 2015, 10:01:21 PM
Okay seriously, what's the purpose of this thread?  (And the many other like ones that have come before this)
Is there anything here that we don't already know?
Are we going to say "don't go out there, they are everywhere"?  We already know they are everywhere.
Are we going to share shark stories just to freak everyone out?  I don't get it, what's the point?
Some of us have been around sharks as long as we've been in the ocean.  Okay, I'm one of those, but still.
Some of us have never been the ocean, but they might need to know, know what?  That sharks don't prefer SUP'ers?  Sorry, we all taste the same, proners may be a little tougher, but basically the taste is the same, fish are better though, a shark told me that one time.
Like I alluded to several pages ago, just be glad you made it to the beach w/o getting into a car accident, and for heaven's sake, just know you are sharing the ocean with a lot of scary marine animals, as well as cute ones, sharks may get all the glory, but we get all the waves, the odds are in our favor.
It goes with the package.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 26, 2015, 10:04:49 PM
Personally I'm scared of Va'na, and that's about it. Okay, sometimes whales.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on March 26, 2015, 10:07:40 PM

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

She sure is a cute little bugger.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Weasels wake on March 26, 2015, 10:18:26 PM
She's preggers now, looks quite a bit different.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: southwesterly on March 26, 2015, 10:25:24 PM
I've stayed away from this thread because of the obvious answer to the question in the title.
10 pages later the answer is still obvious...
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: pdxmike on March 26, 2015, 10:56:10 PM
Too bad this wasn't set up as a poll.


Soooo....
http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,26807.msg277539.html#msg277539


People can come back here for commenting.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: SUP Leave on March 27, 2015, 09:53:13 AM
Personally I'm scared of Va'na, and that's about it. Okay, sometimes whales.

Me too. First time I ever surfed at L'poko, everyone told me: "Fall flat, don't put your feet down, don't put your hands down, don't stand up on the bottom, swim for your board".

Went out fell in and immediately stuffed my foot into a hole full of Va'na. Rolled over on my belly on board, prone paddled outside with a foot that looked like a porcupine and spent 20 minutes getting most of them out.

The fear is real.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on March 27, 2015, 02:40:03 PM
Hah, hah, yeah and where the tiger took her arm was one of my favorite spots on Kauai - Tunnels. Surprisingly, I never saw sharks there but you don't see on a surfboard unless they surface. It's obvious that Tunnels shallow reef waaaaay offshore dropping into super deep water is a prime spot for them so I wasn't too surprised when I heard about Beth Hamilton. My other favorite spot was Pakala's but I never saw sharks there cuz the water was too murky. The owner of the land at Pakala's used to throw the blood and guts of the cows he butchered into the river to attract sharks because he hated us surfers for crossing his land to get to the beach.  :-\

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)
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on March 27, 2015, 02:42:54 PM
YES, because you'll die if you go out there! (And then there will be more waves for the rest of us.)

Okay seriously, what's the purpose of this thread?  (And the many other like ones that have come before this)
Is there anything here that we don't already know?
Are we going to say "don't go out there, they are everywhere"?  We already know they are everywhere.
Are we going to share shark stories just to freak everyone out?  I don't get it, what's the point?
Some of us have been around sharks as long as we've been in the ocean.  Okay, I'm one of those, but still.
Some of us have never been the ocean, but they might need to know, know what?  That sharks don't prefer SUP'ers?  Sorry, we all taste the same, proners may be a little tougher, but basically the taste is the same, fish are better though, a shark told me that one time.
Like I alluded to several pages ago, just be glad you made it to the beach w/o getting into a car accident, and for heaven's sake, just know you are sharing the ocean with a lot of scary marine animals, as well as cute ones, sharks may get all the glory, but we get all the waves, the odds are in our favor.
It goes with the package.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on March 27, 2015, 03:02:44 PM
The one tiger I actually saw was the one I windsurfed over at Kuau. I was heading out and it was heading in. I figured it was probably about 12 feet. I could see its stripes. I was powered up so wasn't concerned and nothing could have gotten me out of the water that day because it was an epic west swell with perfect mast high waves. Another shark was when I was surfing at Olowalu. (A woman was killed by a big tiger in that area a little after that.) I could see it in the next wave outside. It was too far away so I couldn't tell what kind of shark it was but since it was swimming directly straight towards me in the wave, I snagged the wave in front of it and went in. (Hey, I had already been surfing for a couple hours and was done anyway. :P) The other was a feeding frenzy of a dead turtle at Kaua in shallow water just west of the channel. I didn't see the frenzy myself so don't know if tigers were involved. I heard sharks had been seen before I got in the water but I didn't know until after I came in at dark that it was a frenzy. Good thing I didn't know there was a frenzy before I went out because it turned out to be a memorable winter session with only 4 of us windsurfing perfect head high waves in light side-offs. Ignorance is bliss. Another time was when I was surfing Paia Bay and a big tiger had been spotted. I didn't see it though.

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?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Philn on March 28, 2015, 12:13:16 PM
magentawave, did you windsurf on Kauai too, or just Maui?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: sterbo on March 28, 2015, 04:44:01 PM
Personally I'm scared of Va'na, and that's about it. Okay, sometimes whales.
Sadness reigns. Thing is, your pulse is loud and clear and your fear is misdirected. One day in the not so distant future, a whale is going to bless you with an experience, an extended moment such that (remember that coconut that once barely missed you) you'll cry with joy as that toothy smile sets you free...
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup-position on March 30, 2015, 06:02:15 AM
Might be worth a Bite...
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: sterbo on March 30, 2015, 06:52:17 AM
Lol, anytime my friend, anytime.
And all the while Bobby Darin's classic song shall course thru my head -

"One, two, three, four, two, two, three, four

Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear
And it shows them pearly white
Just a jackknife has old MacHeath, babe?
And he keeps it out of sight

You know when that shark bites with his teeth, babe
Scarlet billows start to spread
Fancy gloves, though wears old MacHeath, babe
So there's never, never a trace of red"...


Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on March 30, 2015, 11:52:19 AM
Just Maui. Windsurfing didn't exist when I lived on Kauai.

magentawave, did you windsurf on Kauai too, or just Maui?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: kayadogg on July 19, 2015, 07:13:41 AM
Crazy.

http://m.smh.com.au/sport/shark-attacks-australian-surfer-mick-fanning-during-live-competition-20150719-gifvux.html
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: daswusup on July 19, 2015, 08:02:43 AM
Krikeee!!!
They are saying there were two sharks.
Maybe Mick will go fulltime sup. Not sure how much competition he would have in our arena.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: ninja tuna on July 19, 2015, 08:42:50 AM
That was intense.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: supsurf-tw on July 19, 2015, 09:13:11 AM
I'd ask Mick Fanning....
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Tom on July 19, 2015, 09:23:12 AM
Does anyone know  what  kind  of  shark  it  was ?
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Weasels wake on July 19, 2015, 09:38:54 AM
From the broadcast~
http://youtu.be/xrt27dZ7DOA
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: supthecreek on July 19, 2015, 09:51:10 AM
Yowza!
Thanks for the links Kaya and Weasel.....

Pretty lucky to get past that moment without a nick.
The fin looked like it hit him pretty good on the cheekbone in the second vid

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Weasels wake on July 19, 2015, 09:53:00 AM
From now on he is Mick Finning.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on July 19, 2015, 10:32:57 AM
GNARLY!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: hbsteve on July 19, 2015, 11:12:44 AM
It was a big shark.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on July 19, 2015, 11:15:29 AM
Yup, that was a BIG dorsal fin!

It was a big shark.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: K-541` on July 19, 2015, 11:38:09 AM
When it's that close they all look big! Was out yesterday at a spot with a reputation six short boarders next to a big river mouth jetty my buddy and I about 75 yards down in some big beach break bombs between worring about being caught inside and the landlord , I had no problem staying warm. You kinda have to lay off of these spots during the start of salmon season.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: pdxmike on July 19, 2015, 11:57:00 AM
Yowza!
Pretty lucky to get past that moment without a nick.
Certainly better than without a Mick.


It was scary enough seeing him drop out of sight behind the wave, and that was watching a video, already knowing he ended up safe.  Can't imagine what that was like for the people there seeing it unfold--let alone Mick Fanning of course.





Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: supsurf-tw on July 19, 2015, 12:11:35 PM
Does anyone know  what  kind  of  shark  it  was ?
A big one with sharp teeth
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on July 19, 2015, 12:15:12 PM
Considering the location and the cold water there, and that BIG ass dorsal fin, I'm thinking Great White.

Does anyone know  what  kind  of  shark  it  was ?
A big one with sharp teeth
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup-position on July 19, 2015, 01:05:45 PM
Sharks are such Thugs

https://video-lax1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xfp1/v/t42.1790-2/10713524_767281433333894_1971490468_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjY3MSwicmxhIjo2NTR9&rl=671&vabr=373&oh=56e6be36ae42bf8d01d6a35d758a76a8&oe=55AC1562

If it happened to me...I would have shown the little girl
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: goodfornothin on July 19, 2015, 01:19:06 PM
CHOPPERS would be proud, mr fanning you have hardened the fuck up.
 This is why I hated playing the Australians when I played on the national team (water polo), I felt.like.the shark.after every game, hahaha

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: southwesterly on July 19, 2015, 03:31:53 PM
Aussies are a tough bunch. Mick clearly won the final.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: SUPcheat on July 19, 2015, 03:39:23 PM
No fair, adrenaline doping!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: spirit4earth on July 19, 2015, 05:02:54 PM
From the broadcast~
http://youtu.be/xrt27dZ7DOA

He is one lucky man!
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: pdxmike on July 19, 2015, 05:31:13 PM

He is one lucky man!
That's what I think, too, although at the same time it sounds odd to say that possibly the only person on earth who got attacked by a shark today is lucky. 
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: exiled on July 19, 2015, 05:41:24 PM
From the broadcast~
http://youtu.be/xrt27dZ7DOA

Is this the unedited livefeed? cause it looks like it took them less than 40 seconds from the start of the attack to get him out of the water and on a sled, which is pretty damn impressive.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: headmount on July 19, 2015, 06:03:13 PM
From the broadcast~
http://youtu.be/xrt27dZ7DOA

Is this the unedited livefeed? cause it looks like it took them less than 40 seconds from the start of the attack to get him out of the water and on a sled, which is pretty damn impressive.
Yes but those 40 are very long.  Einstein would have described the theory of relativity for Mick calling those seconds hours.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: headmount on July 19, 2015, 06:19:58 PM
Again I would ask all how their swim sprint training is going.  You may not ever use it. It might not even help if you were in that situation but how would it feel to be 'flat footed' in that instance and not be able to try?

PBill 50 meters that's all. 
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: goodfornothin on July 19, 2015, 08:32:57 PM
I swam a sub 45 100.free  ack in the day.  I can still swim sub 50 off.the wall for 100.  Watching him move through water, I would have been smoked by that kid,,,hahahaha

He should just quit pro.surfing, he wins,  he is a winner of life, suck.that Kelly.  Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahhahahaahhaa.

Pro.surfing is on the twilight side of its hay days, if this would have went differently, giant pool of blood on live tv, woohoo,,line ups would be empty.  Im.glad it didn't go.go.that way.  I have a Micktory truckers hat,,,I'm wearing that thing everyday for.the rest of my life...hahaha
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: RATbeachrider on July 19, 2015, 08:42:12 PM
Sister Pooh - Stay on the beach ... Mick!

https://youtu.be/njR716RgsLU
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Zooport on July 19, 2015, 09:12:13 PM
Oh man, that's hilarious. 
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on July 19, 2015, 09:35:12 PM
I LOVE that lady and I dig her doo!

Sister Pooh - Stay on the beach ... Mick!

https://youtu.be/njR716RgsLU
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: eastbound on July 20, 2015, 04:49:44 AM
ya--no jet skis--no boat circling churning props--might well be no mick fanning
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Sup-position on July 20, 2015, 06:52:05 AM
You in my House
You on My Plate...
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: SUPcheat on July 20, 2015, 07:13:27 AM
Had to get rid of some mice in Santa Cruz, but never once thought of putting them on the griddle.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: southwesterly on July 20, 2015, 11:22:38 AM
 Pro surfers vs soccer stars.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: surfafrica on July 20, 2015, 01:14:53 PM
That fin in the picture that was released to the media is not of the dorsal fin.  It was the caudal fin (tail fin). 

Not to downplay what went down--Mick is unbelievably lucky to come out of that without injury, and it must have been absolutely terrifying--but I don't think we were looking at a fully grown GW going in for a full-on attack (like many articles/reports are insinuating).  If we were, I'm guessing there would have been more damage (to Mick & his board) than a broken leg rope.  I think what we saw was a juvenile coming in to check things out.

I wonder what that will mean for future WSL contests at J-Bay.  I'm sure insurance will jump up big time and it was already running without an event sponsor.

All said, glad Mick came out of that like he did. Crazy scene. 
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on July 20, 2015, 02:01:58 PM
I was thinking about the insurance thing too. Are you saying that the J Bay contest wasn't being sponsored? If not, who paid for it?

...and it was already running without an event sponsor.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: RATbeachrider on July 20, 2015, 02:18:27 PM
I was thinking about the insurance thing too. Are you saying that the J Bay contest wasn't being sponsored? If not, who paid for it?

Billionaire Dirk Ziff, the owner of WSL.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on July 20, 2015, 02:31:38 PM
So no sponsors means no profit. Is this just a tax write off for him?

I was thinking about the insurance thing too. Are you saying that the J Bay contest wasn't being sponsored? If not, who paid for it?

Billionaire Dirk Ziff, the owner of WSL.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: capobeachboy on July 20, 2015, 04:36:41 PM
That fin in the picture that was released to the media is not of the dorsal fin.  It was the caudal fin (tail fin). 

Not to downplay what went down--Mick is unbelievably lucky to come out of that without injury, and it must have been absolutely terrifying--but I don't think we were looking at a fully grown GW going in for a full-on attack (like many articles/reports are insinuating).  If we were, I'm guessing there would have been more damage (to Mick & his board) than a broken leg rope.  I think what we saw was a juvenile coming in to check things out.

I wonder what that will mean for future WSL contests at J-Bay.  I'm sure insurance will jump up big time and it was already running without an event sponsor.

All said, glad Mick came out of that like he did. Crazy scene.

Exactly - if it was an attack by an adult GWS it would have come from below and there would have been a different outcome. This was a curious juvie that got caught on Mick's leash and started thrashing.  In a panicked state like that he could easily have suffered a bite (like the guy at Hermosa pier last year that swam by a juvenile GWS that was hooked by a fisherman). Good job by Mick fending off with his board and getting the hell out of there quickly, for Julian's quick thinking and attempt to intervene and all the water safety. But a shark attack? No. 
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on July 20, 2015, 04:43:31 PM
Well, juvenile or not, it was still BIG and those teeth are just as potentially lethal as an adult great white.


That fin in the picture that was released to the media is not of the dorsal fin.  It was the caudal fin (tail fin). 

Not to downplay what went down--Mick is unbelievably lucky to come out of that without injury, and it must have been absolutely terrifying--but I don't think we were looking at a fully grown GW going in for a full-on attack (like many articles/reports are insinuating).  If we were, I'm guessing there would have been more damage (to Mick & his board) than a broken leg rope.  I think what we saw was a juvenile coming in to check things out.

I wonder what that will mean for future WSL contests at J-Bay.  I'm sure insurance will jump up big time and it was already running without an event sponsor.

All said, glad Mick came out of that like he did. Crazy scene.

Exactly - if it was an attack by an adult GWS it would have come from below and there would have been a different outcome. This was a curious juvie that got caught on Mick's leash and started thrashing.  In a panicked state like that he could easily have suffered a bite (like the guy at Hermosa pier last year that swam by a juvenile GWS that was hooked by a fisherman). Good job by Mick fending off with his board and getting the hell out of there quickly, for Julian's quick thinking and attempt to intervene and all the water safety. But a shark attack? No.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: standuped on July 20, 2015, 05:14:04 PM
Since it was just a juvie.  I think Mick mishandled the situation.  I think it would have been more appropriate to respond like Tom and just immobilize  the youngster and simply  ask " Why would you do that?" 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DONrKwEFgbE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DONrKwEFgbE)
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: southwesterly on July 20, 2015, 07:08:27 PM
This just in:


Great White Shark Simon Williams has spoken of his relief at surviving a potentially life-threatening encounter with Australian surfer, Mick Fanning.

Williams was minding his own business at Jeffreys Bay off the coast of South Africa, when a chance encounter with professional surfer and full-time Aussie Mick Fanning, left him facing a series of potentially lethal blows.

Simon told us, "I was just swimming along thinking about stopping for something to eat when the next thing I know, I’m being sucker-punched by this Aussie, right in the small of my back."

"I was stunned, but thankfully after a couple of punches he left me alone and I could make my escape."

"Aussies are known to be ridiculously dangerous creatures, but the oceans are massive. The chances of bumping into one out here are tiny. It’s not like it should stop us from swimming near the coast.”

"I don’t really blame the Aussie himself, I mean it’s in their nature. I feel that he wasn’t necessarily being vindictive or needlessly lashing out, he just doesn’t know any better."

"I just consider myself one of the lucky ones who lived to tell the tale."

Williams went on to say the media interest in the incident has left him something of a celebrity in shark circles.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: OUTSIDEWAVE on July 21, 2015, 01:31:14 PM
makes you  wonder about all those juvenile whites at  san onofre and  playa.  besides what if they are figuring out what seal tastes like an you happen to be their first seaL? makes you think, they did not survive these  millions of years without  adaptability .  also why are there 2 distinctly different fins in the video?  2 sharks    adult and juvenile  out for  a little teaching/lunch lessons. 
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: RATbeachrider on July 21, 2015, 08:45:31 PM
I think the top picture is the dorsal fin and bottom is the tail fin ... of the same shark.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: eastbound on July 22, 2015, 09:04:43 AM
i heard GW's circle a few time before attacking. guy tastes better if he's had the shit scared out of him.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: Tom on July 22, 2015, 09:51:00 AM
I'm not sure if everyone noticed, but after he swims away and is facing outward, it looks like the shark tried to bite him in the face.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: standuped on July 22, 2015, 04:03:38 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04jACEVTltw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04jACEVTltw)
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: PonoBill on July 23, 2015, 05:44:23 AM
One set of fins--dorsal and Caudal. Hard to tell what kind of shark it was from the fin shape. Doesn't look definitively like a whiite, and if it was, it was a juvie.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on July 23, 2015, 09:48:17 AM
Commissioner interviewed about shark attack at J Bay. There is a funny comment in the Youtube comment section about how the locals are right back out there shredding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za9n0oQ5RgY
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: capobeachboy on July 23, 2015, 09:56:39 AM
Mick Fanning Wasn’t Really Attacked by That Shark

http://www.outsideonline.com/2001211/mick-fanning-wasnt-really-attacked-shark

And per outsidewave's comment about SanO that is something to think about.  Some species of shark display different characteristics in different environments.  I've heard of attacks by Leopard and Nurse sharks in different parts of the world but we swim & paddle with them all the time here. I was talking to a marine biologist at SanO a couple years ago about the GWS breaching and he said that's a characteristic of transitioning from eating fish to marine mammals. A few days later I saw a sea lion offshore swimming north and not long after Fluffy jumped just outside the surfline.   

Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: magentawave on July 23, 2015, 10:21:41 AM
True, just like some humans are gnarlier than others, so are some sharks. Same goes for bears too.

This is a longer video interviewing Mick Fanning and others after the event.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VQJ5_NyDDs


Mick Fanning Wasn’t Really Attacked by That Shark

http://www.outsideonline.com/2001211/mick-fanning-wasnt-really-attacked-shark

And per outsidewave's comment about SanO that is something to think about.  Some species of shark display different characteristics in different environments.  I've heard of attacks by Leopard and Nurse sharks in different parts of the world but we swim & paddle with them all the time here. I was talking to a marine biologist at SanO a couple years ago about the GWS breaching and he said that's a characteristic of transitioning from eating fish to marine mammals. A few days later I saw a sea lion offshore swimming north and not long after Fluffy jumped just outside the surfline.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: DavidJohn on July 25, 2015, 01:48:00 AM
Jbay today...

A beautiful summer’s morning that saw the JBay Surf Lifesaving Club doing training swims at Main Beach and surfers snorkelling or paddling along the coast, turned out to be fatal to one of the JBay open water swimmers who was attacked by a shark at Point earlier today.

Eye witnesses saw a commotion just beyond the take off spot at Point and eventually a shark was spotted attacking a body in the water.

One of the local surfers, Terry Olivier paddled out on a craft to see what was going on and found a 3-4 m shark taking bites from the swimmer.

Terry hit the shark with his paddle but it just kept on attacking the victim. The shark was much longer than his paddle craft.

The NSRI responded and the shark eventually moved away. The professional manner in which the NSRI went about their business is much appreciated by all of Jeffreys Bay.

The name of the swimmer has not yet been released.

The JBay ocean community is in shock over the incident as many of them swim along the coastline on a regular basis and Point is one of the most popular surf breaks in town.

Local swimmer Brenton Williams said that it is the first fatal shark attack to ever have occurred in Jeffreys Bay.

“The attack happened just off Point and there are a crew of swimmers who regularly swim this section of coastline, said Williams.

“We are all aware of the risks involved with ocean swimming and the danger of a shark attack is something we cannot control but we do minimise the risk by not swimming if there are birds and dolphins feeding or if sharks have been spotted in the area.”

“The swimmer who was attacked today was a highly experienced ocean swimmer and swam along the coast more than anybody else in Jeffreys Bay”, added Williams.

The Kouga Municipality took the precautionary measure of closing the beach.

Our deep condolences to the family and friends.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: ninja tuna on July 25, 2015, 06:55:02 AM
DJ, that report has been reported as false.  Not trying to discredit you in any way. I just went looking to see other reports on it and this is what I found.

http://www.9news.com.au/world/2015/07/25/18/05/south-african-police-deny-media-reports-of-fatal-shark-attack-at-jeffreys-bay

South African police have denied media reports that a swimmer has been killed by a shark at Jeffreys Bay today.

A report of a fatal shark attack was picked up by two surfing websites and was briefly posted on 9news.com.au this afternoon.

It has since been confirmed that the story was incorrect. 9news.com.au regrets the error.

Last week, Australian surfer Mick Fanning was attacked by what was believed to be a great white as he waited for his first wave during the final of the J-Bay Open.

After some thrashing and a moment when he punched the shark, which bit into and severed his leg rope, Fanning was rescued by a jet ski and taken to shore alongside competitor Julian Wilson.

Fanning returned to the water for a surf for the first time this morning.

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/world/2015/07/25/18/05/south-african-police-deny-media-reports-of-fatal-shark-attack-at-jeffreys-bay#MZCQQ22B4A4qwmkE.99
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: capobeachboy on July 25, 2015, 06:17:21 PM
Still it's a fact of life in SA.  Shaun Thompson's dad Ernie was attacked by a shark off South Beach while training for the South African Olympic swimming team way back in 1946. I guess you just learn to live with it.  I remember when I was living in Australia one of the lifeguards I worked with told me most of the sharks that get caught in the nets around the city beaches are usually going out not coming in.
Title: Re: Do Sharks Attack Us?
Post by: OUTSIDEWAVE on July 26, 2015, 02:27:24 PM
what about those electronic shark things that  send out an electronic pulse to keep sharks away  wonder if one of those would have worked?
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