Sharks and other scary stuff

[tuffr2]

It is in our genes as a survival mechanism to be cautious around danger. We don't see a Tiger and say here kitty kitty or a shark and say here fishy fishy.
That gene is there for a reason. So we don't win a Darwin award.


Sent from my SM-G360V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Cheechako]

Speaking of Hammerheads, was cleaning a bunch of Conch in Georgetown, Bahamas , not that far from the Chat N Chill one afternoon, of course all the debris was thrown into the water. Not long after, the biggest Hammerhead I've ever seen circled the boat for about half an hour, comparing him with the dingy when he cruised close to the surface we judged him to be 8 ft.

[Blue Crab]

In counterpoint, here's the way it usually is. https://vimeo.com/142081360.

These animals are sand tigers, big but not aggressive. This 3 min video was shot by Bob Cardini, of New Bern, NC.

[Pelagic]

In the 80's I was dive master and relief captain of the world's largest live aboard dive ship, working with great photographers and shark promoters like Carl Roessler and the Taylors

http://divexprt.com/photogal/gws/gws.html

We spent a lot of time discovering very Sharkey Atolls in the Marshalls and Micronesia....

What they taught me was to recognize the body language of sharks, respecting their vertical territorial zones and sensing the general behavior of the fish around them.

When setting up for underwater feeding shots, there were times we would dump in the water and immediately know that something dramatic had just happened in the area and abort because the sharks were too excited to stimulate them more.

Most of the time it was controlled....but when the sharks backs humped and the pectorals lowered, we just went shallower and backed off a bit with the photographers.

Never had to use the bang stick.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

When setting up for underwater feeding shots, there were times we would dump in the water and immediately know that something dramatic had just happened in the area.

I guess the brown plume was the tell-tale that something dramatic had happened

[Barra]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

The nose thing doesn't hurt them and is very temporary, the gutting thing was a supposedly dead shark, that came back to life once thrown into the water, and no I didn't make a habit of that then or now, only did it that once. Now if I catch a shark if it's a small one I bring it on board and remove the hook and throw it back, a large one I cut the leader and I have seen a few sharks swimming with hooks and lines in their mouth without apparent damage.
I do not bring big ones aboard anymore after bringing a decent sized sand shark aboard that was "dead" and came back to life once on the little boat, a 17' bow rider. My friend and I spent all day in the bow of that little boat, shark even dried up and wrinkled would come to life and start thrashing around and biting if we went to try to get a drink out of the cooler or anything.

I used to be an avid hunter as a kid, but just don't anymore, the interest isn't what it was. I went on a dove hunt with my brother and my now boss years ago in Mexico, there were thousands of birds, it was slaughter and no intent to hunt for food or anything, just killing. I had nightmares of shooting Babies that night, and while I have nothing at all against hunting, that wasn't hunting.
When you hunt, you eat what you kill, that was taught to me as a small child, and this wasn't for food.
Since then I have become very much against this "thrill hunting" you know the pay thousands to travel to Africa to shoot a lion which is really pretty tame, all while a professional hunter stands besides you to make sure you don't get hurt.
Understand now, that is not the kind of hunting I grew up with and is not what it done around here, what is done by the Rednecks around here is if you can't find the deer you shot ,you spend hours looking, to not recover it is a waste, and a sin.


Now one day I want to catch a sail fish, a big one, take pictures and turn him loose. I've wanted to do that for years


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Just so ya know the pros here (if they are honest) reckon easily over half the sailfish released are still taken by sharks while they recover. Thats in the north west of australia - might be less where there arent so many big sharks. But dont kid yourself many that are released dont make it.

[Barra]

Originally Posted by duker52004

It would seems to me that being towed behind a boat would just accomplish a sailor's budget enema... As a diver, I do prefer being UNDER the water as opposed to surface sports. As for shark attacks, statistically I believe more people are hurt and killed as pedestrians than from attacks.

But my big question would be: if it CAN possibly invite a life-threatening danger, why do it? Have to agree with Ann T, and say there comes a point when darwinism will take over...

Umm thats just cos there are more pedestrians out there than people regularly entering shark filled waters. ...

Here in western australia we get that kind of stat rubish from the greenies all the time but if you actually look at the stats of attacks vs regular water users (12 attacks in 3 years vs 20000 regular water users (surfers, spearfishers etc in the south west) the odds are just plain scary these days!

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Barra

Just so ya know the pros here (if they are honest) reckon easily over half the sailfish released are still taken by sharks while they recover. Thats in the north west of australia - might be less where there arent so many big sharks. But dont kid yourself many that are released dont make it.

Not sure about the "easily over half" but it is common to see hammerheads taking large tarpon once the tarpon is exhausted from fighting at the end of a hook and line. Doing a search for tarpon hammerhead on youtube will get multiple hits. Also have to note when I read about 8 foot hammerheads I wonder where the juveniles are. I can't recall seeing a hammerhead less than ten feet and more often 15 feet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFC16xwln2k

[Muckle Flugga]

Originally Posted by Barra

Just so ya know the pros here (if they are honest) reckon easily over half the sailfish released are still taken by sharks while they recover. Thats in the north west of australia - might be less where there arent so many big sharks. But dont kid yourself many that are released dont make it.

Another great reason NOT to fish for sailfish, marlin or any such thing! Please stop harassing and killing the most beautiful top predators in the Ocean for short lived kicks and ego stroking.

[Muckle Flugga]

Originally Posted by Barra

Umm thats just cos there are more pedestrians out there than people regularly entering shark filled waters. ...

Here in western australia we get that kind of stat rubish from the greenies all the time but if you actually look at the stats of attacks vs regular water users (12 attacks in 3 years vs 20000 regular water users (surfers, spearfishers etc in the south west) the odds are just plain scary these days!

This is a more sensible take on statistics. Yes. Statistics which (as some above) reference the likelihood of shark attack in the general population are rather absurd, given that the preponderance from, say, Indiana, close to never enter the salt water at all. If accurate, then over a 30 year career in the water (as in active water use per year over 30 years) this would represent a one in 167 chance of having such an experience.

[Blue Crab]

Ya gotta love those stats citing the bazillion to one chance:

10 shark attacks along Carolina coast leading into holiday weekend | Local News - WYFF Home

One point mentioned was that with all the cellphones and cameras we're now hearing about more attacks; not that things are necessarily getting worse.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Here is an interesting slide show about shark attacks in the USA and indicates the states and the county with the most attacks. Most attacks occurred in Florida and California.

"Each year, about 100 shark attacks are reported worldwide. In 2011, 17 shark attack fatalities were recorded, out of 118 attacks. To put it in perspective, about 240,000 people are injured by lightning worldwide each year, and an estimated 24,000 people are killed lightning strikes.

Volusia county in Florida has the most attacks, with more than double the number for any other Florida county."

Where in US do most shark attacks happen? | Local News - Home

[Travis McGee]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

My brother sent me a YouTube video of a deep sea fisherman that caught a large marlin. The fisherman is battling the big fish with waves banging off the back of the fishing boat as the captain has it in reverse. As the battle continues and the big fish gets closed to the boat all of the sudden there is additional splashing and low and behold the fisherman reels in just the head.

Then I see YouTube videos of people in the water hanging into a rope being dragged thru the water behind the boat. One guy makes his own water foil so he can control up and down.

So...I have to ask. Is it a good idea to troll with people? Seems there is a small risk as you become part of the good chain everytime you get into the water.

How big of an issue are sharks?

Sent from my SM-G360V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

You might mean me, with my plywood dive planes. Most of the ocean is a desert, and sharks are about as rare as wolves in random areas of the USA. I don't worry about them. You will miss too much fun if you are afraid of sharks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXwNLaeNOXQ

[hodgmo]

This is an interesting and recent story:

"Shark Attack off Santa Cruz Island - Spearfisherman fought off hammerhead

The hammerhead struck from the deep blue, jaws agape, blindsiding the spearfisherman across his left hip and forearm...."

Shark Attack off Santa Cruz Island

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

a YouTube video of a deep sea fisherman

see YouTube videos of people in the water

You have effectively answered your own query.

You can (but possibly you should NOT) build your vision of the world based on YouTube videos.

Go out, live some. You will find there are very many far more immediate dangers than sharks.

Etc.

BTW In all our years of cruising we have only once heard of a boat accident involving a shark.

Cheers,
b.