Official GWS Thread

Thanks Bill.

....let's just be thankful that GW's are not pack hunters (correct me if I'm wrong here)

There's only been one account on video that I know of. Here's the link: http://www.surfermag.com/av/shrkatt/
This guy is so lucky to walk away from this one! Not just one but two pissed GW's.

Z

I've heard conflicting stories that these are bull sharks or zambezi sharks, not GWS.

Don't like humans as food eh? Well, all I can say then is they are trying pretty hard to develop an acquired taste for it

I think they're more along the lines of kicking ass than eating. If they wanted to eat us they easily could. They're constantly givin' that one haymaker and then splittin' from the scene.    think the title of the landlord says it all.. 

Z

the attack and spit is considered a way to kill and not stick around to be bitten by the dying seal.

they usually come back to feed.

J

Well, looks like it's official, Bill takes me and Mooch out to Lunch:

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=9174.0

Shark attack on kayak at Bean Hollow.

Bill since Onos is gone, where you taking us? Mooch, how does Thresher steaks sound?  .

I could go for sushi tho... 

John.

felt very sharky, 


Sushi Monster in Belmont or Aya Sushi in San Carlos 

other option: Fish Market in Palo Alto 

I had a free lunch @ the fish market recently. some lawyers (land-sharks) bought it for me...

got a trend going here!

Sushi sounds good, but I'd prefer something more south bay. But if mooch is there,
I'd hate to have Bill missing his next two mortgage payments...  . maybe we better
do in-n-out, 

Bill, I'll let it all settle down a bit and call you soon!  .

How about a slice or two of allen's salmon shark?

John

And what about moving this thread out of the basement of Fish Talk? It's one step above the political forum...  .

Thanks John!  Get over it, you're talking about a fish.  Just be thankful you get your "sticky" and that the thread is right at the top of Fish Talk.

Seriously, I'm I the only one that views "all unread posts" in which case which forum something is in doesn't really matter.

Enjoy your lunch!

 

Fish talk is my second favorite forum. right after the political one. That's a sure sign it'll never be mainstream!

J

Don't be shy John I will pay up.

We could always do L&L Hawaiian but really it is up to you guys.

I was watching the first episode of Shark Week last night and saw some video footage of a GWS that was stalking a seal (that was swimming on the surface) from the deep...and all of a sudden it just takes off from the bottom and knocks the seal out of the water. This attack happened only in a matter of seconds, so I'm wondering if the Shark Shield would actually stop a full bore charge like this???

Just have a knife tape to your body.  The shark will hit the Yak first.  You will be in the water...away from the yak.  I think anything that you do not have with you....does not matter.   Yes, I was a boy scout....Be Prepare!!!
 
And, I don't care it indangered or not.  I won't be it next meal without a fight.

Ken kickfish

Amen!! I'm with kickfish

....let's just be thankful that GW's are not pack hunters (correct me if I'm wrong here)

There's only been one account on video that I know of. Here's the link: http://www.surfermag.com/av/shrkatt/
This guy is so lucky to walk away from this one! Not just one but two pissed GW's.

Z

I've heard conflicting stories that these are bull sharks or zambezi sharks, not GWS.

Like I said earlier the Zambezie, or Bull sharks, just don't grow to be that big. From what we can see in that video they look to be in the 12'+ range I'd think. Sound right? Bull sharks run about 8' maxing out at 11' for the largest females (http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=83). Also if you look at the coloring of the shark I think you'll see some big differences. While the bull is grey on top with a long gradiation of color change to their white bellies the GWS has a very distinct immediate color change from the grey on it's back to white of it's belly. I think if you look closely at the video this really pops out.


Especially I'd look at the size of the fins. GWS fins are very stocky and wide while a bull's are much more tapered.

Again, I'm not claiming to be an expert but that's how I see it.

Z


 

Don't like humans as food eh? Well, all I can say then is they are trying pretty hard to develop an acquired taste for it

I think they're more along the lines of kicking ass than eating. If they wanted to eat us they easily could. They're constantly givin' that one haymaker and then splittin' from the scene.    think the title of the landlord says it all.. 

Z

the attack and spit is considered a way to kill and not stick around to be bitten by the dying seal.

they usually come back to feed.

J

Yeah, that is a good point and maybe they are waiting for the animal they just hit to die. They also could be really confused because they most likely thought they hit a big seal and are waiting for the gushes of blood. After they hit something and there's just a teeny bit of blood if any they must be down there wondering WTF just happened?

But then again why would it be so strange to be territorial about a beach that they'll frequent for a few summer months that holds some of the best food stores on the California coast? Wouldn't it be normal for the more dominant ones to knock any intruders out?

Z

Don't like humans as food eh? Well, all I can say then is they are trying pretty hard to develop an acquired taste for it

I think they're more along the lines of kicking ass than eating. If they wanted to eat us they easily could. They're constantly givin' that one haymaker and then splittin' from the scene.    think the title of the landlord says it all.. 

Z

the attack and spit is considered a way to kill and not stick around to be bitten by the dying seal.

they usually come back to feed.

J

Yeah, that is a good point and maybe they are waiting for the animal they just hit to die. They also could be really confused because they most likely thought they hit a big seal and are waiting for the gushes of blood. After they hit something and there's just a teeny bit of blood if any they must be down there wondering WTF just happened?

But then again why would it be so strange to be territorial about a beach that they'll frequent for a few summer months that holds some of the best food stores on the California coast? Wouldn't it be normal for the more dominant ones to knock any intruders out?

Z

It might be 'normal' for many animals to be territoral or have the whole dominance ladder thing but I think GWS travel too much to be very territorial and they would certainly have a bunch of displays first to see if fighting was even necessary.

animals don't go around cold-cocking each other in general. they do a lot of chest-bumping etc to see who should back down rather than just whupping up on each other. marmot posted some content that showed what GWS generally do, swim side by side etc. They can figure out who is bigger without having to go to territorial fighting right off.

They have tens to hundreds of GWS at the farrallons at one time, and they don't seem to fight with each other that we know.

It is all speculation, but I don't think territory had much to do with it unless the shark is actually feeding. then it's more about defending the carcass, not the geographic location.

It was either a curiosity-inspired taste-test or it was a real prey-attack, imo.

The key we need from Dan is whether he just kind of fell out while the shark was taste-testing or whether it knocked him out in a solid collision.

J

Don't like humans as food eh? Well, all I can say then is they are trying pretty hard to develop an acquired taste for it

I think they're more along the lines of kicking ass than eating. If they wanted to eat us they easily could. They're constantly givin' that one haymaker and then splittin' from the scene.    think the title of the landlord says it all.. 

Z

the attack and spit is considered a way to kill and not stick around to be bitten by the dying seal.

they usually come back to feed.

J

Yeah, that is a good point and maybe they are waiting for the animal they just hit to die. They also could be really confused because they most likely thought they hit a big seal and are waiting for the gushes of blood. After they hit something and there's just a teeny bit of blood if any they must be down there wondering WTF just happened?

But then again why would it be so strange to be territorial about a beach that they'll frequent for a few summer months that holds some of the best food stores on the California coast? Wouldn't it be normal for the more dominant ones to knock any intruders out?

Z

It might be 'normal' for many animals to be territoral or have the whole dominance ladder thing but I think GWS travel too much to be very territorial and they would certainly have a bunch of displays first to see if fighting was even necessary.

animals don't go around cold-cocking each other in general. they do a lot of chest-bumping etc to see who should back down rather than just whupping up on each other. marmot posted some content that showed what GWS generally do, swim side by side etc. They can figure out who is bigger without having to go to territorial fighting right off.

They have tens to hundreds of GWS at the farrallons at one time, and they don't seem to fight with each other that we know.

It is all speculation, but I don't think territory had much to do with it unless the shark is actually feeding. then it's more about defending the carcass, not the geographic location.

It was either a curiosity-inspired taste-test or it was a real prey-attack, imo.

The key we need from Dan is whether he just kind of fell out while the shark was taste-testing or whether it knocked him out in a solid collision.

J

It was a hard hit, I was thrown out of the yak out the back, port side. My first thought was a large boat hit me, but I didn't see or here anything coming. It also dislodged my seat, two fairly tight pegs. I don't know if it was an attack or taste test when I got back to the yak and started to climb back on I saw him still attached to the other side. Dan

It might be 'normal' for many animals to be territoral or have the whole dominance ladder thing but I think GWS travel too much to be very territorial and they would certainly have a bunch of displays first to see if fighting was even necessary.

animals don't go around cold-cocking each other in general. they do a lot of chest-bumping etc to see who should back down rather than just whupping up on each other. marmot posted some content that showed what GWS generally do, swim side by side etc. They can figure out who is bigger without having to go to territorial fighting right off.

They have tens to hundreds of GWS at the farrallons at one time, and they don't seem to fight with each other that we know.

It is all speculation, but I don't think territory had much to do with it unless the shark is actually feeding. then it's more about defending the carcass, not the geographic location.

It was either a curiosity-inspired taste-test or it was a real prey-attack, imo.

The key we need from Dan is whether he just kind of fell out while the shark was taste-testing or whether it knocked him out in a solid collision.

J

There's a lot of reports of sharks biting animals and not consuming. There's otters, penguins, and even seals that have been left.

"It may be a case of mistaken identity or it may be investigatory or territorial behavior," said DFG's shark expert Dr. Robert Lea. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/whiteshark.html

"Consider the example of White Sharks biting but not swallowing Sea Otters"
Consider the example of White Sharks biting but not swallowing Sea Otters

You are right, they do size each other up and understand what another GWS and there's a full on hierarchy but I'm saying anything else that's not a GWS that is on it's turf is in danger. Wouldn't it be feasible that's why a shark would kill/wound and not eat?

Z

It was a hard hit, I was thrown out of the yak out the back, port side. My first thought was a large boat hit me, but I didn't see or here anything coming. It also dislodged my seat, two fairly tight pegs. I don't know if it was an attack or taste test when I got back to the yak and started to climb back on I saw him still attached to the other side. Dan

Thanks for the first hand account Dan! That impact must have been unbelievable.

Z