MERGED - Shark attack on yak 3/18- Monterey Bay

SS may not stop a polaris attack, but Ill bet it will prevent the followup attack; and the followup attack is when you will get hurt.  Im happy to have mine. Worth it.

The value of a SS is when the shark is it still determining if you are suitable prey and worth its time.  A taste of an electrical charge will make it leave you alone.

Mel, you have a pass...lightning's not going to strike you twice

According to the boaters who pulled me out of the water, I got stalked from behind before getting attacked.
It came from behind then showed its dorsal and then made its move.  It first bumped the stern making me go up a few feet --  then bit the front underside.

Just like this video.  If I had a SS at that time I am pretty sure it would have backed off. 

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/07/great-white-shark-research-population-behavior/?utm_source=NatGeocom&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=inside_20160616&utm_campaign=Content&utm_rd=1800002484

From behind you, I saw a wave like bulge of water on your right side. Then you tilted sideways and splash in , but I didn't see anything stalking you. It sure made a big splash on the other side. An arcing splash almost the size of your yak

We have data of kayaks without the shield being attacked, but in this family of fishing /diving how many attacks with a shield on board?

How many attacks are on blonde hair blue eyed people?
Maybe if we all dyed our hair (or used a blonde wig) and wore blue contact lenses we'd be fine too.

Correlation does not infer causality.

But We're playing it safe!

Bushy

http://www.foxnews.com/great-outdoors/2017/03/20/great-white-shark-circles-maui-fisherman-for-over-hour.html

I'm sure the shark shield would work in this situation where the shark is just hanging around and not being aggressive.

We have data of kayaks without the shield being attacked, but in this family of fishing /diving how many attacks with a shield on board?

How many attacks are on blonde hair blue eyed people?
Maybe if we all dyed our hair (or used a blonde wig) and wore blue contact lenses we'd be fine too.

Correlation does not infer causality.

But We're playing it safe!

Bushy

Was going to have a SS by summers end, but pulled the trigger 2 day if not for me my kayak!
I'll look for a blond wig and blue contacts for Tote!


4est

I hope it is effective!

A Polaris charge may be unaffected as others have stated, but despite that, I've considered a purchase, too.

Good luck!

I guess all the seal pups in the area right now doesn't help as well.

some of my personal thoughts maybe a bit mundane. if I was going to go out I'd rather go out doing something I love to do. Weather it be fishing , hunting, diving or what have you rather than a hospital bed.
 don't get me wrong I don't want to be crippled buy a landlord attack.
 likelihood of getting killed by a falling coconut or struck by lightning ect are much more likely. Im sure it's going to be Popcorn Time

I guess all the seal pups in the area right now doesn't help as well.

When is the end of seal pup season...

I guess all the seal pups in the area right now doesn't help as well.

When is the end of seal pup season...

Not sure when? Im pretty sure 4est posted up a graph though that outlines when and what area GWS congregate at times of the year.

As far as I know, the only serious, independent study of shark shield is here:

http://pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/232235/Risk_Assessment_of_the_Shark_Shield_Report_-_FINAL_19_06_2012.pdf

IMHO, this is the key result for kayakers:

"Experiments in South Africa showed that all 16 breaches observed during the 190 tows undertaken occurred when the deterrent was turned off."

In other words, the polaris type of attack never happened when the shark shield was on, while they happened 16 times with the shark shield turned off.  In addition, "surface interactions" (investigative bites) occurred 27 times, with only 2 of those happening with the shark shield on. According to the authors, the probability of getting either of these results by chance is less that 0.001. (See Table 8 and the discussion in the first full paragraph on p. 52). Another way to say this is that these impressive results were due to the shark shield with a probability of 0.999, which is as close to certainty as you are ever likely to get.

It is also true that for many other types of attacks/interactions, the shark shield had little or no effect. But, again, for the type of attacks that are most relevant to kayakers, it certainly does have a positive effect. In fact, it appears to be highly effective.

As far as I know, the only serious, independent study of shark shield is here:

http://pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/232235/Risk_Assessment_of_the_Shark_Shield_Report_-_FINAL_19_06_2012.pdf

IMHO, this is the key result for kayakers:

"Experiments in South Africa showed that all 16 breaches observed during the 190 tows undertaken occurred when the deterrent was turned off."

According to that paper, the decoys were towed between 8-10 kph. How fast are you moving when you target rgc, salmon, or halibut? Do you even get close to sustaining that speed? I would argue that the static bait test is more relevant to our "kayak bait" presentation.

According to that paper, the decoys were towed between 8-10 kph. How fast are you moving when you target rgc, salmon, or halibut? Do you even get close to sustaining that speed? I would argue that the static bait test is more relevant to our "kayak bait" presentation.

The static experiments were designed to simulate a diver wearing the shark shield on his ankle and included chumming the water and bait. The towed decoys imitated seals, and I suspect the speed was chosen so as to entice as many strikes as possible, which to my mind makes the results for the shark shield in that case even more impressive. Also, as I read it, there were no breaches in the static experiments, which means no polaris type of attacks. It seems to me that the attacks we see on kayaks fit what the researchers were seeing when towing the decoys a lot closer than the static case.

I always felt I was in more danger driving to the coast than I was on the water.

I am curious if anyone had any type of eerie feeling before they were attacked or seen a shark ? I have kayaked on the ocean for a few years now and only once did I have a sense that there was a shark nearby.