Why I don't go in the ocean...ever. ;)

Kamakazie Sith · Post by **Kamakazie Sith** » 2004-12-16 07:03pm

Shark Attack

Hopefully nobody here was this persons friend. Sad...

Post by **weemadando** » 2004-12-16 07:15pm

Eh. Though its sad there is a simple fact that you should know.

EVERY SINGLE TIME you have even put a foot in the shallows at the ocean a shark has sensed you. And EVERY SINGLE TIME it has ignored you.

From the sounds of things this guy was playing the "I look just like a seal..." (which happens to be the Great White's food of choice) game.

Also note: the VAST majority of shark attacks involve a single bite - a "taste test" if you will - that will USUALLY lead the shark saying: "that tastes like shit, I'm outta here...". When the shark bites however (especially when its a Great White at 5-6m) a single bite WILL FUCK YOU UP.

The coolest thing to come out of this? Great Whites hunting in numbers. Thats cool. It was previously assumed that they were 100% solitary creatures.

Another thing to note is that the death of the guy on the reef last week was a result of his own stupidity by the sounds of things. Spearfishing and NOT putting your catch on the boat the moment you have it? That's just asking to be 2nd course for anything that likes the smell of your catch.

Post by **weemadando** » 2004-12-16 07:17pm

A contributing factor may also be the fact that there have been VERY low fisheries catches over the past few months. Which may mean that sharks are actually hungry (due to lack of "natural" food) and FEEDING this year.

That thought worries me... But hey, its of our own making (like most things that kill us).

Kamakazie Sith · Post by **Kamakazie Sith** » 2004-12-16 07:20pm

weemadando wrote:Eh. Though its sad there is a simple fact that you should know.

EVERY SINGLE TIME you have even put a foot in the shallows at the ocean a shark has sensed you. And EVERY SINGLE TIME it has ignored you.

From the sounds of things this guy was playing the "I look just like a seal..." (which happens to be the Great White's food of choice) game.

Also note: the VAST majority of shark attacks involve a single bite - a "taste test" if you will - that will USUALLY lead the shark saying: "that tastes like shit, I'm outta here...". When the shark bites however (especially when its a Great White at 5-6m) a single bite WILL FUCK YOU UP.

The coolest thing to come out of this? Great Whites hunting in numbers. Thats cool. It was previously assumed that they were 100% solitary creatures.

Another thing to note is that the death of the guy on the reef last week was a result of his own stupidity by the sounds of things. Spearfishing and NOT putting your catch on the boat the moment you have it? That's just asking to be 2nd course for anything that likes the smell of your catch.

LOL yeah I know. Sharks are some of the most interesting animals to me. I've studied them ever since watching JAWS for the first time. I know they have an undeserved reputation.

However, JAWS did scare the shit out of me so I just don't feel comfortable in open bodies of water were large predators could be swimming around. I'd feel the same about living in the deserts of Africa.

As for them hunting in a pack. Yes, that is cool! I've recently learned that they do travel in small packs of just two members. Kind of like best friends, if you will.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-16 07:24pm

weemadando wrote:Eh. Though its sad there is a simple fact that you should know.

EVERY SINGLE TIME you have even put a foot in the shallows at the ocean a shark has sensed you. And EVERY SINGLE TIME it has ignored you.

Peter Benchley had a character in White Shark]/i] declare that if people who were shark-phobic took a balloon ride around the beach and saw just how many dark shapes darted around the shallows all day long as people were cavorting about, they'd never go in the water again.

weemadando wrote:From the sounds of things this guy was playing the "I look just like a seal..." (which happens to be the Great White's food of choice) game.

Very true. From underneath, the resemblance between a surfer and a seal is uncanny.

weemadando wrote:Also note: the VAST majority of shark attacks involve a single bite - a "taste test" if you will - that will USUALLY lead the shark saying: "that tastes like shit, I'm outta here...". When the shark bites however (especially when its a Great White at 5-6m) a single bite WILL FUCK YOU UP.

I read a study a few years back that indicated that the majority of shark attacks couldn't even be properly classified as bites, but more as rakes, as in they sort of rake the victim with their teeth, then get disgusted and swim off.

The hypothesis was that sharks have an incredible ability to determine whether or not a prospective meal will be worth the energy expended in consuming it.

weemadando wrote:The coolest thing to come out of this? Great Whites hunting in numbers. Thats cool. It was previously assumed that they were 100% solitary creatures.

Cold as it is, that is fascinating. Of course, one instance does not a trend indicate.

weemadando wrote:Another thing to note is that the death of the guy on the reef last week was a result of his own stupidity by the sounds of things. Spearfishing and NOT putting your catch on the boat the moment you have it? That's just asking to be 2nd course for anything that likes the smell of your catch.

Jesus christ, that's like the first gospel of spearfishing. Definitely a Darwin candidate there.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-12-16 07:37pm

Two sharks making an attack on the same target does not mean they were working together. Great whites congregate off of South Africa all the time to feed, but they aren't cooperating in the hunt.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-12-16 07:48pm

I can think of a million and one organisms I'd sooner be scared of that exist in my own nation on land to be honest that come before sharks. Sharks rock.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » 2004-12-16 07:55pm

Two sharks making an attack on the same target does not mean they were working together. Great whites congregate off of South Africa all the time to feed, but they aren't cooperating in the hunt.

Might be like a bunch of 6 year olds all assualting the same cake, you mean?
Yes, before you ask assualt is the right word to use when speaking of 6 year olds and cake.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-12-16 07:57pm

frigidmagi wrote: Might be like a bunch of 6 year olds all assualting the same cake, you mean?
Yes, before you ask assualt is the right word to use when speaking of 6 year olds and cake.

That's certainly a good analogy and also a good description of how my brother went at my birthday cake last week (and he's 18 ).

Post by **weemadando** » 2004-12-16 10:26pm

Petrosjko wrote:
Peter Benchley had a character in White Shark]/i] declare that if people who were shark-phobic took a balloon ride around the beach and saw just how many dark shapes darted around the shallows all day long as people were cavorting about, they'd never go in the water again.

I remember flying in a light plane over some beaches near where I spend summers quite often - at one there were sharks packed like fucking sardines in a can basking in the shallows (this is along about a 1km stretch of beach) - quite something to see.

There are sharks out there. Hell I fucking scuba dive in one of the worlds top places for seeing sharks, especially Great Whites (we got lots of 'em and we got big ones to boot) but the only time I've been "attacked" by a shark is when I was messing with a Gummy Sharks head and it tried to gnaw my gloved finger off. Unsuccessfully.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-16 10:41pm

weemadando wrote:I remember flying in a light plane over some beaches near where I spend summers quite often - at one there were sharks packed like fucking sardines in a can basking in the shallows (this is along about a 1km stretch of beach) - quite something to see.

There are sharks out there. Hell I fucking scuba dive in one of the worlds top places for seeing sharks, especially Great Whites (we got lots of 'em and we got big ones to boot) but the only time I've been "attacked" by a shark is when I was messing with a Gummy Sharks head and it tried to gnaw my gloved finger off. Unsuccessfully.

If you've got some nice shark pics from your expeditions, I'd love to see 'em. I'm righteously fond of the cute little beasts. Or not so little, occasionally.

Oh, and I must heartily recommend Peter Benchley's Shark Trouble. It's a nonfiction where he discusses the ocean, sharks, and stories of his adventures in scuba diving. A lot of excellent sea stories and a couple of really damn scary incidents.

He definitely seems to regret his part in the demonization of great whites that came in the wake of the commercial success of Jaws, from what I've seen.

Post by **weemadando** » 2004-12-16 11:02pm

Sharks that I've encountered while diving:

White Tip - playful things (though at one point I thought one was making a run at me, but it went about 30cm beside my head and into a school of fish above me).

Black Tip - not as playful, but still fun to be around.

Wobbegongs - they look good, but be damned if I'm going near one, I just find them, well, creepy.

Port Jacksons - ugly, kind of sluggish and generally curious.

Tiger Shark - thankfully I didn't actually see this one (I likely would have packed my wetsuit full of nastiness), but there was one cut out of a fishing boats net not more than 20m from where we were snorkelling. Thankfully it wasn't interested in us.

I've also seen a Thresher and I think a Mako (though it could have been a blue shark) from boats. And I'm not sure what kind of shark they were that I saw basking...

I would love to see a Great White one day but worry about my digestive tract venting itself.

Post by **weemadando** » 2004-12-16 11:06pm

Can a mod replace the second "wobbegong" image with this one:

http://www.austmus.gov.au/fishes/studen ... aheter.jpg

and delete this?

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-12-16 11:08pm

Petrosjko wrote:He definitely seems to regret his part in the demonization of great whites that came in the wake of the commercial success of Jaws, from what I've seen.

He does. He did a piece on great whites for National Geographic not so long ago. Really good work.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2004-12-16 11:09pm

weemadando wrote:Eh. Though its sad there is a simple fact that you should know.

EVERY SINGLE TIME you have even put a foot in the shallows at the ocean a shark has sensed you. And EVERY SINGLE TIME it has ignored you.

Not in cold water. There are no sharks here.[/quote]

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-12-16 11:12pm

Don't bet the ranch on that one.

Post by **weemadando** » 2004-12-16 11:25pm

Slartibartfast wrote:
weemadando wrote:Eh. Though its sad there is a simple fact that you should know.

EVERY SINGLE TIME you have even put a foot in the shallows at the ocean a shark has sensed you. And EVERY SINGLE TIME it has ignored you.
Not in cold water. There are no sharks here.

[/quote]

How cold is it?

Because I know in Tassie I've been diving in ~10 degree water and there has still been the wildlife out and about.

And I know that not only does the water get colder than that, but that a lot of animals ENJOY it when it gets colder than that. And thats just off the coast of Tassie.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-16 11:45pm

I'd never even seen a Port Jackson before, Weem. It's cute, in an ugly dog kind of fashion. And I like wobbegongs. (And it has to have been an Aussie that named that particular variety of shark...)

Slartibartfast- There isn't an oceanic environment that we know of that doesn't have some variety of sharks in it. There are sharks who can enter into cold waters, such as our old friend the great white.

Enjoy your swim

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-16 11:48pm

Furthermore, bull sharks (which are more aggressive than great whites) are highly freshwater tolerant and have been sighted as far as 180 miles (290km) up the Amazon River.

Kamakazie Sith · Post by **Kamakazie Sith** » 2004-12-17 12:24am

Update

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-12-17 12:44am

Admiral Valdemar wrote:I can think of a million and one organisms I'd sooner be scared of that exist in my own nation on land to be honest that come before sharks. Sharks rock.

Let me guess. Every single one of them has a size measured in microns, don't they?

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2004-12-17 12:48am

weemadando wrote:
Slartibartfast wrote:
weemadando wrote:Eh. Though its sad there is a simple fact that you should know.

EVERY SINGLE TIME you have even put a foot in the shallows at the ocean a shark has sensed you. And EVERY SINGLE TIME it has ignored you.
Not in cold water. There are no sharks here.

How cold is it?[/quote]

3-6º If i'm reading it right. In the summer, when air temp may reach 30ºC.

Because I know in Tassie I've been diving in ~10 degree water and there has still been the wildlife out and about.

There's wildlife, just not sharks.

And I know that not only does the water get colder than that, but that a lot of animals ENJOY it when it gets colder than that. And thats just off the coast of Tassie.

Read above.

Kamakazie Sith · Post by **Kamakazie Sith** » 2004-12-17 12:55am

I think it's stupid to kill an animal that has killed a human. I mean sure if it comes into the city limits or something of that nature then hunt it down but otherwise we all take certain risks in life.

Mr Flibble · Post by **Mr Flibble** » 2004-12-17 12:59am

Wow I never thought any local news from Adelaide would make it to SD.net. It happened at West Beach, I've been swimming there before , probably will again, its a nice beach. Chances are I know someone who knows the poor victim

. There have been a lot of Great white sightings near our beaches this year, which the media have had a feeding frenzy on (pun indtended) so I am not particularly surprised.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-17 01:05am

Kamakazie Sith wrote:I think it's stupid to kill an animal that has killed a human. I mean sure if it comes into the city limits or something of that nature then hunt it down but otherwise we all take certain risks in life.

Agreed to an extent. There are animals that can get a taste for people, such as bears, and if they're in a place where they can menace people, they have to go.

But with sharks, there's no point. As Weem will likely attest, the key is to avoid acting in fashions which will trip their 'prey in the water' sensors, such as hanging on to a kill after spearing it, swimming in murky water at twilight, or surfing.