Dangling feet in great white areas

powerboaters are probably the most dangerous!  

beer in one hand, VHF in the other, full throttle, 1/4 mile vis....

I had a whale come up and look me over in muir cove this winter- in the channel between the rock and the cove!  close enough to tell that his eye was checking me out...i saw the thing moving under me on the finder!  all i could think was "what the f&*^!!! is that??" i tried to stay calm and paddle towards the shallows a bit faster....

I was snorkeling near a kelp bed in Laguna when I saw a large brown something streak by underwater.

It startled me, especially because this was a fairly desolate area.

I surfaced to tread water and ask my buddy if he had seen anything.

Instead of my friend, I was greeted by the large whiskered face of a sea lion who popped his head out of the water about 20 feet away from me to check me out.

Don't ask me why, but it scared the snot out of me. I can't honestly say that I saw his teeth, but all I could think of was a wild, swimming doberman.

Any of you guys carry a stainless pump 12 gauge to deal with rabid giant squid and/or pirates?

I will stick with fresh water, myself. Duckling-eating bass...I can deal with THEM.



 

I've never seen the Landlord while diving N. Cal. waters and I would rather not.

My daughter and I dove with white tip reef sharks in a lava tube/cave off Maui.  They didn't seem to care much about sharing their cave with us.
We also saw larger ones while diving Molokini. I thought it was cool to watch their silhouette glide along the reef above us.

i saw the thing moving under me on the finder!  all i could think was "what the f&*^!!! is that??"

OMG, that is too funny!  What'd the mark look like or did the screen just flash "RUN!!"

I always feel safer after I "mark my territory"...  and something about having wet feet makes me mark my territory pretty often out there.

Been surfing in Santa Cruz since I was a kid and never seen a GW although one was spotted on a day I was out at the lane. I seriously wouldn't even worry about it unless I was fishing Ano Nuevo with a blood trail dripping out of my scuppers.


Watch out for them pesky seals though. I was surfing at the lane once and was chatting it up with this lady on a 10+ foot longboard when a seal decided the back of her board looked like a good place to take a rest. He jumped right on the the back of her board but quickly realized that this particular spot was taken.  I think they heard her scream in Watsonville 

Maybe he just wanted a big kiss 

FF

I live on the NorCal Coast,

Ten or so years ago a surfer literally lost his head to a great white about ten miles North of Fort Bragg.   Sorry to be so gruesome, and it's not funny at all, but personally I would not dangle my feet in the water up here on the open ocean.

sincerely,
-HobieSport

Just 2-3 years ago a Abalone diver had his head bitten off and spit out. I have dove in a cage at the Faralons with the whites and they are absolutely amazing. I do dangle my feet in the water and go with the odds topic. No trouble yet. I do agree that the sea lions pose a greater risk though.

Scubamike1974

 I must admit, I was afraid to dangle @ Mill Creek
...barely dangled at the Bean
...often dangled in off Pescadero/Stillwater Cove,
...commonly dangled in Del Monte
and  am absolutely fearless at my computer desk
Steve
PS
Now ya'll know the effect a little enhancement may have on a lure....that extra little side action of dangling finlet like appendages  may turn a non response to an active one .
 Its not just visual...but the doppler signal as well from playin footsie in the water.
.

After seeing those photos on the shark attack link above, I'm scared to even get near my aquarium....gnarly!  Almost lost my lunch on that site!  I'm liking the freshwater more and more.

Nov, 05 I was out of Stillwater north by myself, I've been ab diving the area for 23 years now with no problems, kayak fishing the last few, that day was absolutely beautiful, no seas or wind, water had that oily look.  Any how there were a couple of other kayaks and a boat or 2 within my site but not allot of people nearby,

I always wear 1/4 booties and my feet were hot so I had them in the water pretty often that day. I heard allot of commotion on the surface about 50 ft away, by the time I looked in that direction all that was left were some LARGE swirls on the surface, I kept scanning the area expecting to see a sea lion or harbor seal surface nearby but after several minutes, nothing.....  and it probably was a seal, but I kept my feet in the yak for the rest of the day, being alone and not knowing just felt creepy....

When I was in the Navy in the mid 60’s, I tried surfing in Hawaii (those were the days of the 12’ boards) but was lousy at it so I paddled out beyond the breakers and just basked on the board with my arms and lags dangling over the side.  I saw a huge shadow pass under me that was longer than the board.  I pulled my arms and legs up and tried to lay perfectly still.  The shark swam around me, back and forth under my board for about a half hour.  When he left, I waited another half hour before I turned my board towards shore and paddled like he!! until I got to shore.  I tore all the muscles in my shoulders and arms and had sun burn blisters the size of quarters on my back and legs.  When we sailed out of Pearl Harbor, a 14’ shark rolled next to the ship showing his huge gapping maw. I know that it was looking straight at me!  I took it as an omen.  Now, the only thing I have to do with salt water is gargle with it when I have a sore throat. 

Grizz,

I have shivers now and not of a good kind.   Call me Fishmeal but I will still venture on salty waters.

  Yikes!!!  Danglin's Feet!!!!

  Are my Feet more preferred by Great Whites then others? .........


 Sorry, I always have to do a double take when i see this thread come up... .... Danglin