GWS at Fort Ross

I wish I could tell you the shark siting was just SQWAFISH but this time it was for real.  I was diving yesterday with Clark Hale and Roy Irwin at Reef Campground.  It was a beautiful sunny day, minimal swell and real nice vis for Fort Ross, better than 10 ft.  We started the day in shallow water and worked our way out to some pinnacles in about 45 ft. of water, maybe 300 yards off shore.  The day was perfect and we were finding some nice fish.  We were on boogey boards and we were staying pretty close together.  I never saw the shark, but Clark and Roy both got a good look at it.  Clark was on the bottom under me and the shark cruised by him just after he shot a fish.  He was under me and I heard his gun go off.  I swam off to the right a little dove.  When I came back up Clark was up on the washrock and was yelling, "Get out of the water , Come on, come on , get out, get out, grab Roy"  I turned and started to swim for the rock and at about that time Roy got cruised while he was on the surface.  All three of us piled up on this washrock and stayed there for about 40 min. until we hooked arms and swam in together trying to stay together and as big as possible.  We never saw the shark again.  Thank god.  Just a heads up for you guys who may have been thinking about Fort Ross this weekend.
It's good to be whole.
Dave

WOW! Is this your first shark encounter / sighting?

Wouldn't it be safer to paddle out with your yaks instead of boogey boards?

Glad everybody made it back safe!

That sucks, wish you'd gotten to see it too.

I hope my sightings have been gotten out of the way at the monterey bay aquarium...  Fort ross is known for sightings, but no attacks that I know of.  Stillwater cove had one attack on a scuba diver, and presumably some sightings as well.  With the crappy vis there, I bet there are a lot of drivebys that go un-noticed.

Generally if abalone isn't open I go south instead of north, after better visibility.  But come april I'll be diving fort ross for sure.

Just glad to hear the mascot passed on eating any of you guys.  I have still never seen the taxman...even from a boat...looking to keep it that way!!!

Note they where on boogie boards not kayaks 

Glad you guys made it out safe but bummer you didn't get to at least sneak a peak.

I feel fortunate to have all my parts.  I don't even want to imagine how many times I have been cruised and never had any idea.  If this thing had wanted us it would have been over in seconds.  I'm glad it either knew we weren't seals or just wasn't hungry.  Either way it worked out.  The whole three in a row side by side thing was just a plan to get in the middle, except it didn't work out that way.  Roy ended up between Clark and I so he was really the guy with the best odds.  Bill you are absolutely right about kayak vs. boogey boards.  I will be on my kayak without fail from here on out.  I also won't be wearing my dead bleeding fish hula skirt much anymore.  Interestingly enough I had, for some unknown reason, strung all my fish on my boogey board that day.  That is very unusual for me.  But I am glad I did it.  I think dead fish straight away to the kayak is my new motto.
Dave
aka: sharkbait

Make sure to put them in a bucket/cooler or plug your scupper holes when you put the fish in the kayak too.  Don't want blood and gore drooling out the scupper holes while you're paddling and diving nearby.

Did the 4' diameter size estimate include the 30% bigger that everything looks underwater? 

I cringe every time I hear of a shark attack. I am right there with you when you said you have no idea how many times in the past the tax man may have cruised by you. I try to think never and keep my fingers crossed.
I am VERY glad you guys made it out of there safely.
I can only imagine the discomfort of swimming back to shore.
Congrats on keeping level heads. How fast were you guys kicking back anyway? Slow to minimalize water motion, or fast as hell to get outta there?
In my opinion, sharing your experience could be very helpful to anyone else in a similar situation. Thanks.

file a report @ www.sharkresearchcommittee.com.

That sucks, wish you'd gotten to see it too.

You're an idiot!

I hope my sightings have been gotten out of the way at the monterey bay aquarium...  Fort ross is known for sightings, but no attacks that I know of.  Stillwater cove had one attack on a scuba diver, and presumably some sightings as well.  With the crappy vis there, I bet there are a lot of drivebys that go un-noticed.

just because there isn't any attacks doesn't mean anything.   All it takes is one.

hey jerky, take it easy on us man! we are not all idiots. ok well maybe i am.....

from what i have heard, people who have seen GWSs dont stop going to the ocean and doing what the love but change the way they do it and have a greater appreciation for it.

its rare to see a shark in person and statistically speaking and even more rare to be attacked by one.

sure all it takes is one encounter to get chomped but look at it this way, you are safer swimming in the ocean than you are when driving down the local freeway or road to your favorite dive spot.

shark sightings are pretty rare and they make the news because its not a usual occurrence. for example, in parts of south africa and australia shark sightings are frequent and dont usually make the news. there are places where sharks routinely share the lineup with surfers.

im not saying i would wear a wetsuit marinated in blood or float myself on a boogie board the shape of a fat seal but with a little common sense most folks will be fine.

call me an idiot but i still dive fort ross cove even though each year someone somewhere in there sees a GWS.

if i happen to see one and change my mine i'll make a post and call you all IDIOTS!! 

call me an idiot but i still dive fort ross cove even though each year someone somewhere in there sees a GWS.

I was calling bohemeth_punk an idiot for wishing a sighting on someone else.  Just because everyone was safe, doesn't mean it was a safe condition. 

if i happen to see one and change my mine i'll make a post and call you all IDIOTS!! 

But maybe you are an idiot.  It's MIND, not mine.

Jerky, enough with the idiot calling.

I think he needs a hug

No doubt, Jerky.

In three posts one was a smart-ass remark, and in the other two you called people idiots.

Not a good first impression.

Must be how you got your name?