Official GWS Thread

There were five unprovoked shark attacks

How many provoked attacks were there?

I found this on kayakAngler online. The attacks are trending up.   [/i][/i]

More people in the water more often.

I grew up diving at Greyhound Rock, New Years Island and Halfmoon Bay because as a kid with little money, I had to stay close to home. I mean, back then Woolco gas cost 25 cents a gallon !
My brother and I dove these spots dozens of time, speared many rockfish [ especially big grass rocks] lings and cabezon and never had a shark experience at all.

I think that since then, the ever increasing biomass of pinnipeds in the water [ thanks Marine Mammal Protection Act] and of course the ever increasing biomass of hominids in the water are ever so steadiliy ratcheting up the threat matrix.

I grew up unafraid of the possibiliy of my own shark story in the Bay Area...and yet as I grow older and wiser, I am starting to consider them as a greater issue.

I am rational to fault and yet I thank the odds are slowly shifting.
 If he ever read this post, I am sure that the diving communities best spokesman, Randy Fry [ RIP] would argue against me.

When a GWS took him and I suddenly felt a lot less invincible.
 Steve

Several friends on the Big Island have been followed recently by big tiger sharks.  No attacks just follows as far as I know.

I have to remember to never read this thread before bedtime.

Steve's post was the last thing I read last night...  not my best night's sleep.

Sorry for my darker musings of late....,
 I love kayaking!
Driving to the beach site is still the most dangerous thing about kayaking far and away!
60,000 car accident deaths on the road last year and 2 or 3 for the sharks.
 Steve

Well the good news is when i woke up I vowed to never pack an egg crate on the ocean....  if and when... The fewer obstacles the better.

I see a lot of kayaks rigged so it would be tough to climb back on... at least for me.

bluekayak:

I think you are correct, more GWS in this area, and I think it's due to the resurgance of pinnipeds over the past 30 yrs or so.

I can find those figures if you want them.

I still believe generally, the increase in iteractions is due to more of us in the water, then it is to more of them in the water.....(I just hate research..)

Sorry for my darker musings of late....,
 I love kayaking!
Driving to the beach site is still the most dangerous thing about kayaking far and away!
60,000 car accident deaths on the road last year and 2 or 3 for the sharks.
 Steve

not all of those car deaths occured while in transit to the beach only a small percent. And of those cars only a minor percentage carried dedicated yakkers/divers/surfers.
Ive said this on this thread before. Out of my group of friends stretching back to junior school days of water people, cars vs sharks (debilitation or death), the cars take it by about 2/3. If you add drowings in, its about  50/50, with the ocean taking more lives and cars and cars debilitating more.Thats just me.

True about statistics...  I hear people use the "well you have a better chance of getting struck by lightning.." example and I wonder well what if you are on a lake in a thunderstorm?  Kinda skews the whole thing, doesn't it?

Has anyone seen great white shark surfer? Google great white shark surfer and a youtube video should come up.I havent read the whole thread on this topic(31 pages or so) so Im not sure if this has already been brought up. Also Im new to posting so Im not sure how to post a link. Will learn though, anyways all should check this guy out.

With the red wetsuit the guy reminds me of one of the incredibles

Shark attacks worldwide dropped in 2008


http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090219/NEWS/902190976/1350?Title=Report-Shark-attacks-drop-in-08

$.25/gallon gas.. ...
Bajareefer ..... must be older than the hills.

I remember $.32/gallon gas and cigarette-vending-machines that took a quarter.

Judd

North America's Top Shark-Attack Beaches - Forbes Traveler

Click Launch Slideshow for a run through their list:
http://www.forbestraveler.com/islands-beaches/americas-shark-beaches-2009-story.html