My GWS Encounter @ Capitola 7/7/12 - updated 7/13

Everyone!  Let's do what we can to keep the Media off of Mel and his family. Many of us have known Mel  for a while and have personal info that the Media doesn't need. This is a public forum. Online or off let's be careful.

Agreed.  A well known Bay Area news reporter called our Fremont shop and asked us if we could help him get him in touch with Mel.  We told him that we could not help him with that request.  We then notified Mel of the inquiry.

One more thing, imagine how much more water you would have taken in if you had the T13 with it's thin plastic instead of the Revo.

Jedmo

As far the comment about the "thin plastic of the Trident 13" Well, I was there the day Dan's red Hobie was hit and it had hole(s) in it and it was full of water when he hit the shore. So please don't get the false impression that Hobies are better kayaks for shark attacks.

Actually it looked like Adams OK fared better than the others I saw in pictures. Maybe the flex is a good thing. Where the rigidity fractures instead of bending. The yellow theory is bunk.

Why not talk to the press? Are we sposed to be keeping this on the down low?

Question. I bought a hunter green Hobie Outback and I heard that dark green is a color that Sharks can mistaken for seals, is this true? I really wanna get out to Capitola, Santa Cruz Area but not sure if color is a determining factor or maybe if that GWS was just protecting its territory?

I have both the T13 and the Revo of which I love equally. Both have pros and cons that is why I bought them both. I just noticed that each modification I made, I find that the T13 was much thinner when my drill bits would make a hole. Perhaps it is the Manufactures design for the flexibility. That is all I am saying and not that the Hobies are better kayaks in terms for shark attacks. If I have offended you Joel and Craig for my comments, I'm sorry.

Jedmo

Question. I bought a hunter green Hobie Outback and I heard that dark green is a color that Sharks can mistaken for seals, is this true? I really wanna get out to Capitola, Santa Cruz Area but not sure if color is a determining factor or maybe if that GWS was just protecting its territory?

Don't worry about the color or type of your Kayak. Get out and go fishing. I also have a green kayak. Been there for two attacks. I don't think the color helped. I Think that they will hit what ever the hell they want to hit. So be it yellow, green, red, blue. It doesn't really matter. When it comes time to collect rent the landlord is like the honey badger.(just dont give a sh!t)    Stay close to your group

Why not talk to the press? Are we sposed to be keeping this on the down low?

when they followed me home from work that following monday, i was suprized and gave them what they wanted. The camera guy was a surfer (so i felt they were worthy) but if they had followed me on tues. they would have gotten NOTHING at all. I was becoming angry at the regular world and did not want to see people enjoying my near death experience, smilling, laughing after the televised report. If it were a Fishing, Kayaking or Surf related news cast, i would have shared it all with them, but not the common news....."that stupid guy should have known better!" is not what i needed or wanted to hear.
That is just how i felt and still do.

or maybe if that GWS was just protecting its territory?

this is what i think they are doing.....hey, this is my place to feed, not yours!, take that! 

GWS don't see "color" as much as they see contrast. Their vision is the weakest of their 5 senses. I doubt color makes a huge difference to them--they can't even see the difference between a yellow kayak and a brown seal...so...why even bother freaking out about it. I will continue to paddle kayaks that are brightly colored (like my red T140) because it is easier to see. I'm never buying a blue kayak again. Heck, even those camo colored yaks are hard to see OTW. Throw in some fog...and you better have a bright pfd, flag, or something.

Crap I posted in the wrong thread about color, my bad.

Why not talk to the press? Are we sposed to be keeping this on the down low?

Cause the man is our friend! Providing info that will have the press at his doorstep will make it hard for his family to lead a normal life, It will worry them needlessly, and potentially lower his WAF etc to zero for the next decade

Why not talk to the press? Are we sposed to be keeping this on the down low?

Cause the man is our friend! Providing info that will have the press at his doorstep will make it hard for his family to lead a normal life, It will worry them needlessly, and potentially lower his WAF etc to zero for the next decade

Nice, PC way of putting it. 

or maybe if that GWS was just protecting its territory?

this is what i think they are doing.....hey, this is my place to feed, not yours!, take that! 

I wasn't witness to any of the attacks, but by the way you described yours, Adam, I feel that it was a territorial thing as well. I've heard all but Mel's attacks from the victims and your shark definitely seemed more "pissed off" than the others.

or maybe if that GWS was just protecting its territory?

this is what i think they are doing.....hey, this is my place to feed, not yours!, take that! 

I wasn't witness to any of the attacks, but by the way you described yours, Adam, I feel that it was a territorial thing as well. I've heard all but Mel's attacks from the victims and your shark definitely seemed more "pissed off" than the others.

I think, like other animals (think a big dog) that are not normally subject to fear, sharks can get startled by a different experience (like biting a plastic boat and then not know what it is other than it isn't a seal) and get scared that they they might be harmed. So they split. Unless, like some animals, the startled reaction is "WTF, I'M the badass here", then you get the pissed off bus with a grill of sharpness.

Be nice to hear some opinions from the diving guys as their perspective is probably closer to what a fishy sees under water versus kayakers who spend their time above water.  On some casual swimming under a hobie kayak, I can see why the paddles flopping around under there looks very animalistic.  Same with the shape and color of a kayak.  Filtering through water makes a big difference especially when murky, depth, or the skies brightness, etc.  I would think a big kayak outline from underneath might resemble another shark just as much as a seal or sea lion. 

Be cool to see what a guy looking up from 30-50ft depth at a kayak.  Perhaps a go-pro moment.

Holy crap man, I am glad you ok.  It is crazy to think about how often sharks probably come up and look and we never know it.