So I am 400m out the back of Brighton Beach today in 14knts of wind having a fabulous time when my mind starts to wander to past event and conversations about the big bad fish.
It makes me think if a shark hits me now as i am planing along and completely knocks me off my board (as happened to ezza in Close Encounter Thread) and i landed in the water still in one piece with no blood oozing yet what do i do.
My board is only 15 feet upwind of me -
- do i take the time to body drag back upwind and hence doing so staying in the vicinity of the toothy predator ?
- or do i high tail it out of there, lopoing my kite furiusly down wind to try to make it back to the shore as soon as possible but maybe acting like a fast moving lure ?
What would give me the better chance of survival I thought to myself.
body drag back to board as quick as humanly possible whilst emitting high pitched prolonged squeal ... Promise yourself, god & whoever else you can think of (Ganesh, Buddha, Mother Nature) that if only they let you get back to shore in one piece you promise to be good & start going to bed earlier and drinking less beer... Avoid the 400m high speed lure situation at all costs I reckon, unless it's blowing it's knackers off and you can get higher than ruben lenten...
sharks can catch seals doing mach 10 in the water. What makes you think you could body drag faster than that. The shark wouldn't even raise a sweat chasing you down. I think your best chance would be to get back to your board asap.
I had that very same thought after reading Ezza's post. "What would I do?" My first thought as I was reading the post was: "Why on earth would he go back for the board?," but then I thought about the speeding lure situation, and I think he made the right choice. I'd go back for my board, then I'd high tail it outta there, count my blessings, and my toes, and through back a few cold ones on dry land(kinda like Ezza did)...
Yes - it would be a brave move to body drag back to the board,
but if you manage to get the first power stroke in without being chomped in half you probarly would make it.
Either way you would be a very happy individual when finally making it back to the beach.
I personally love the edge of excitement this whole factor brings to the sport. I think our world is sometimes to controlled and sanitised and i kind of like the felling of not being totally in control.
I would rather be taken out by a shark than a truck !
look if it happens it happens simple as, there are much more sharky places to kite than brighton, biiiig deep channels, drop offs, reefs etc and im not worried man up
... what are the chances of being knocked off your board when your going along, by a shark? Its rare enough to see them let alone actually hit one with enough force to knock you off. It would be a chance encounter.
So with that logic, would a shark come after you while your body dragging for your board? Would they, or rather, do they, take the opportunity for food availability and have a go at you? I think they would have a think about it before having a go at you and by then your hightailing it back to land, on your board doing mach 9, praying to the wind Gods!!
Maybe all kiteboarders that are terrified of the big boogey man sharks should take the time to go snorkelling/diving around the place.
Just see all the tiny edible critters just cruising around in the water without a care in the world. If you are lucky you may spot a reef shark and realise that they could not really give a rats about you or are scared off by you.
Makes it seem a bit silly that a big grown human is freaking out about shark attack while skimming along the surface on a board, with the occasional dunk and drag every now and then.
Enjoy the ocean, treat it nicely but dont be scared people! :)
1). If you get back to your board start kiting away the shark could easily push you off again 2). You can't out body drag a shark. Sharks also like thrashing water.
If you came across a aggressive dog would you run or stay calm. Also heard a story in hedland where a guy did a massive body drag back to his board and as he put it on his feet something smashed his board.( he was suprised how hard a GT could run in to something) Stay calm and hopefully the shark won't call your bluff
1). If you get back to your board start kiting away the shark could easily push you off again 2). You can't out body drag a shark. Sharks also like thrashing water.
So you're really at the mercy of the shark.
Good advice here from an actual shark attack victim!
Imagine the shark bites onto you as you power your kite up to get away and you tear yourself in half..as you fly away you think you got away till U look down and Jaws has your legs and is using em as toothpicks...So next question do you go back for legs or body drag in knowing you will never kite again..or do the Can Can.
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