Sharks?

[Toby]

just read in another topic about sharks.
How many attacks did happened to kiteboarders?
I guess we don't look like seals, only if we have to swim in on our board.
But does it attrack sharks, when we try to get our board back when we don't use a leash?

Toby

[jever98]

I talked to a diver the other day, and he told me shark attacks don't have anything to do with surfers looking like seals, sine sharks don't see very well and don't really hunt by vision.

[Toby]

ah, good to know.
So I shouldn't shower anymore when I get on the water so they will stay away from me?
Or does it attrack them...

I don't think a surfer smells so the shark can smell it so it would attack him. It must see it, doesn't it?

[Louis Cypher]

In especial you have to avoid black boards around 144 long with a cross on it which means attack him ? -> X (Yes)

Nice greetzzzzz from the south to the X- Connexion *g*

[MissionMan]

I think the general indication is shape and also the paddling sound made by surfers which make them particularly prone to attacks,

Divers are almost never taken as the sharks feed in the top 5 metres of the water. This is the reason bathers and surfers tend to get taken. They float in the water and paddle once in a while giving a similarity to a seal or one in distress. Given the amount of surfers and the period of time they have been surfing for, and the amount of attacks on them, I would think kitesurfers would have very little to worry about at all. A large number of surfers and kitesurfers went out in a more recent sardine run, where masses of sardines are found in the water and feeding frenzies are the norm for weeks. This is when sharks are most likely to take anyone as the shark nets are removed, and bathing is banned due to the large number of sharks found. Still, the surfers and kitesurfers maintained their sporting prowess with little regard for these creatures and with no incidents. A night kitesurfing expression session was even scheduled (night is the dangerous time as the light/flood-lights bring sharks to the surface) during this time, but didn't happen due to lack of wind.

We have had one such attack in an area almost never kitesurfed, in a downwind sprint competition, and one without shark nets. The individual emerged unscathed albeit a bite mark on his board. He managed to scare the shark away. This particular shark is one of the more aggressive ones, and not resident to our country (the Mako). It was subsequently caught in the nets later and the teeth were matched to his board. Although the great white is one of the most dangerous, they are not well known for attacking in our country and the only incidents reported have been in areas where seals are commonly found. i.e. seal island.

Most attacks I have seen are on spearfishermen who have bloody fish in the water after spearing them, which obviously attracts sharks (you would expect these spear fishermen to know this, but the oxygen starvation deprives them of some very useful brain cells). There is the odd attack on a human, but often this is as a result of swimming close to a river mouth in very murky water. The last stats I saw showed you had more chance of dying in a car accident while travelling to the beach than being taken by a shark.

Hope that puts to rest some of the fears about the creatures.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: MissionMan on 2002-08-20 11:05 ]</font>

[jever98]

He told me that movement is the main way of hunting (apparently, the shockwaves that movement sends out). Also, the can smell stuff like blood in extremely low dilution, so I wouldn't be surprised if they notice smelly surfers

[Louis Cypher]

So keep smoking

[Toby]

MissionMan, thx for the detailed report.
Very interesting.

makes sense that they go by shape, smell and sound.

Greez
Toby

[Guest]

Ever swim down and look a shark in the eye? Try it sometime and then please report back to us here saying that they don't see very well. I beg to differ. I may be wrong, it may be because of the respect and a little fear I have for them, but they sure as hell do seem like they can see very well to me.

We are fortunate(or is it unfortunate?) enough to get to ride with sharks pretty frequently around this area,(more than I like here lately) and while the incidents have been few and far between, the fact of the matter is that they do happen and exist. To not respect this or to maybe not even fear it just a little is plain crazy and stupid in my opinion.

Tell Paul Menta that he has a better chance of dieing in a car than being bit by a shark....this poor guy has been bit not ONCE, but TWICE!

I am aware that I can die en route to the beach on the highway, and because of that, I highly respect that highway and I approach it with great caution. The same applies when I am in shark filled waters too.

I'm not saying that everyone should be totally afraid of or terrified of sharks, but knowing they are there, and respecting that fact isn't abnormal behavior and should be practiced by anyone who cares about their life and limbs.

Kitesurfer friend of mine here was kitesurfing in the Gulf of Mexico. Hammerhead shark comes up behind him and starts following he. Shark follows for about 45 seconds and decides to move on. Friend was very careful not to fall during that 45 seconds....obviously. WHAT was this shark pursuing? Sound? Smell? Or Sight? I dont think his board was that stinky, so I personally ruled out smell. I know we make some noise as we travel across the top of the water, but not alot and it certainly isn't a flopping around sound that paddling swimmers and surfers use to attract shark, so I kind of ruled out sound in this case too....though it may have had a little to do with helping the shark to spot him in the first place...but I dont think we make a luring type of sound. It SEEMED though as if the shark found him and was moving in for a closer LOOK. I agreed with him, the rider who experienced this, that this shark was in fact looking at him.

If you are going to go out in the salt water where sharks DO live, then keep in mind that you are in their domain while you are out there and you should be well aware of this and do your best NOT to become or to look like shark bait! They are after all, wild animals with mouth's and big sharp teeth. They can do whatever they want.

Johnny

[Toby]

hey Johnny, do you have sharks in Tampa Bay or around? I think you have many dolphins, so they won't be there, wouldn't they?