Shark Stories?

[homeless]

Not sure why anyone would boast about killing sharks ? Same people who think it is cool to fly to Africa and pay to kill rhinos ?

When I was growing up I used to spear fish for food, so I have eaten my fair share of small reef sharks, but would never hunt the large ones for fun. The big sharks are beautiful, impressive animals, and getting rarer every year, so please, don't kill them.

I had a 4 meter tiger shark try to knock me off a surf ski, but a hard smack in the head with a paddle scared him off. I have had a 2 meter bronze whaler circle me while snorkelling (and bleeding from scratches), but made record time to the beach, leaving him thrashing in the shallows.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

In NE Australia shark sightings were common for me - usually just reef sharks, but the occasional Bronze Whaler as well. Each and every one of them would set my heart racing, particularly as I usually couldn't be bothered putting fins on when snorkelling and it made my toes feel oh so vulnerable each time I spotted one.

My best tale was out on the outer Barrier Reef, but does not involve severed limbs. We had anchored on a sandy patch not that far from where a pontoon was located where day tripper boats would come out from one of the islands in the Whitsundays a few times a week. Three blokes worked on the pontoon in 10 day stints. When they invited us for sundowners one night, they were adamant we forget about swimming over and said they would collect us, as "dusk is when we feed the sharks".

We thought that was just a bit of Aussie humour, but sure enough at sunset they started throwing out fish heads, and the water reddened as a frenzy of sharks zoomed in. They could track the path of the fish through the air and were already in place when it hit the water.

The water was just boiling! And this is where hours before a group of shark bait sightseers had been paddling around while on their day trip to the reef!!!! Mind boggling!

Swam with a couple of big Tigers in that area, Lassie.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Hey Smart Move: Yours was the wimpy story that started this.

Wimp!

This shark tracking is the coolest thing I've seen in many moons.

In self-defense, I've had to kill some sharks. I have several different dive knives but this Spyderco is my carry knife. I notch the blade each time I kill a large shark, say over 12'.

No photos, didn't happen. Easy to shoot a blade.

[captain58sailin]

I have snorkeled with (unintentionally) large great whites, tigers, hammerheads. Did not have to kill any to defend myself. I have found the white tip and black tip far more aggressive even though smaller. The Polynesians call them the " Tax Collector" Local folks far more concerned with the Barracudas in the water than sharks. I follow their lead, when they spotted a Barry, we got out of the water immediately. I can turn most sharks with my breath.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

I have snorkeled with (unintentionally) large great whites, tigers, hammerheads. Did not have to kill any to defend myself. I have found the white tip and black tip far more aggressive even though smaller. The Polynesians call them the " Tax Collector" Local folks far more concerned with the Barracudas in the water than sharks. I follow their lead, when they spotted a Barry, we got out of the water immediately. I can turn most sharks with my breath.

From reading all the dive texts we have a saying in Aus that barracudas only eat americans.

[captain58sailin]

Lucky for me, I'm from Alaska.

[virginia boy]

I saw the movie Jaws when I was 14, and a few weeks later the family left for our first ocean beach vacation. At first I went in waist deep, but became overwhelmed with shark anxiety and left the water completely. It's been 40 years since that day and I haven't considered diving into the sharks cereal bowl since.

I've heard all the arguments why it's safe to swim with sharks and I ain't buying it. Russian roulette is what it is, plain and simple.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by SmartMove

Just so I am clear, was it wimpy because the'ere were 4 or 5 sharks, or because they got close enough that we could punch them in the nose, or because the punch in the nose made them back off for a bit, or because I was terrified? Just curious.

Nah, it was a pretty good story actually. And you were smart enough to put another diver between you and shark. I'd have responded last night but I have an early bedtime.

Here's one with a happy ending. Wifey #2 and I were sailing my Wharram Hinemoa from Galveston to Miami, and ran out of beer near Navarre Beach, FL. We anchored maybe 50 yards from the beach in 4' of water and waded ashore. Had a few in local bars and eventually headed back to boat after dark.

We noted a lot of activity on the pier, and then we saw the sign announcing the night shark fishing tournament. I had the wife swim to the boat splashing wildly. Nothing happened, so I waited a bit and then stealthily shuffled out to the boat. She was so relieved and inebriated, some open deck love-making ensued with, as promised, a happy ending.

[mbianka]

Killing sharks with a knife? Pah! This is hard:

GoPro: A Blonde and a Great White Shark - YouTube

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by mbianka

Killing sharks with a knife? Pah! This is hard:

GoPro: A Blonde and a Great White Shark - YouTube

Top Comment:

• Michael Shevchenko 21 hours ago
  how many blonds were used for this video?)
  
  
  Reply · 16
  
  
  
  

[barnakiel]

We were in a small inflatable in Ashmore when a shark twice the length of our dink cropped up and started to circle us. That was not funny.

But elsewhere we only met few shy individuals. I think Indian Ocean is their last bastion.

b.

[Mark1977]

Here's a pic of a 25 ft. greenland shark. It was caught up in our fishing gear. To get an idea of the size that orange thing is a 55 gallon plastic drum.

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Nah, it was a pretty good story actually. And you were smart enough to put another diver between you and shark. I'd have responded last night but I have an early bedtime.

Here's one with a happy ending. Wifey #2 and I were sailing my Wharram Hinemoa from Galveston to Miami, and ran out of beer near Navarre Beach, FL. We anchored maybe 50 yards from the beach in 4' of water and waded ashore. Had a few in local bars and eventually headed back to boat after dark.

We noted a lot of activity on the pier, and then we saw the sign announcing the night shark fishing tournament. I had the wife swim to the boat splashing wildly. Nothing happened, so I waited a bit and then stealthily shuffled out to the boat. She was so relieved and inebriated, some open deck love-making ensued with, as promised, a happy ending.

I see we are on the same page! My partner on that dive was my ex-husband

[captain58sailin]

I don't mind snorkeling or scuba diving with the little darlings, however, I do not wish to swim in the ocean, ever, I want to see what is sneaking up on me. I have a cousin that liked to go night diving and the only thing I could think of is "here you are in the middle of this huge black expanse with the only light source around, think that might attract some attention?"

[ReMetau]

Originally Posted by Strait Shooter

Lost a friend off Anna Maria Island in Tampa bay. They found him the next day, well his torso anyway. His swim trunk draw string was tied around one of the stumps. His friend that left the party with him to swim to Egmont Key was never found.

I still snorkeled for sand dollars in the same area after that. That is up until 3 weeks later when I came face to snout with a 15' great white from 10 feet away. Never dove there again. Not much of a story I guess, scared the crap outta me.

You saw a great white in Tampa Bay?