Out of curiosity guys, is it normal to have these many shark sightings? have been either pulled out of the water or leaving just beforehand on average once a week over the past 3 weeks, including this morning (i recon would have probably been more if the choppers where flying earlier/later during the day).

Been learning to surf for a year now and don't quite know whether this is just the norm and I never knew about all the sightings because wasn't in the water or do you think this is to do with more patrols etc or is it just an odd year or something?

I mean I get the statistics and that and understand that you enter the water at your own risk etc and I have been there regardless, but this whole thing just been getting under my skin a little over the past couple of weeks. Planning on going south tomorrow for a few days and am a bit concerned at the moment...especially after hearing from a few people that i know, who surf / enjoy other water activities that they feel about the same at the moment...

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take care

Howdy,

I have been surfing locally for over 30yrs and have never known the amount of sightings and beach closures before...

Not sure if it's more sharks around, or just more being reported since the recent attacks and increased patrols...

I was riding along the coast this morning when they closed Trigg & Scarborough for the second time around 11:30am... as my Mrs is working the early tomorrow I will be up at 5:00am and was thinking of a sneaky surf before the (teenage) kids wake up... not sure if I will now. One shark is OK, but when 4-5 3m and bigger sharks are reported close in... Hmmm - makes you think twice (esp. when the surf is not that great).

Last time I went down south I didn't venture out... it was only a few days after the guy got taken at Bunkers and the dept of conservation had a shark warning out due to the whale carcass at Torpedo rocks...

Sorry - I probably haven't helped you any...

I was down at trigg at 11.30 when they closed the beach, a 3 m tigershark 500m from shore, heaps of bait fish around at the moment thats why the sharks are in close having a chew and probally chasing the schools of tailor around at this time of year. 3 x 2m hammer heads spotted at brieghton early today and a bigger 4m tiger down Cott way. Now I no shark expert but I think hammers and the smaller tigers are not a major threat 500m from the shore line?

I think its just due to the increased coverage from the coppers in the air and people been more aware and reporting sightings, I think they are out there all the time.. I notice its only on the sunny offshore days that they are seen by the coppers not on the seabrezzy mornings we have had the last couple of mornings... they are there they just cant be seen

It dosent stop me from kitesurfing in the arvos though I must admit I not enjoying the body drags in the deeper when I fall off me board...

Oh well we are off down the beach tomorrow for a body bash and surfmatt/bogger ride with the kids. Have a good xmas

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DSB said...

don't quite know whether this is just the norm...

You've got to remember that its the media reporting all of this. They can choose whether they want to publish the story or not for the sake of public attention. Public attention = profit. They could quite easily have chosen not to publicise many of the shark sighting stories this year and people would have been blissfully unaware. Many shark sighting do go unreported. what mac says is spot on. the likelihood is that after you've surfed many years is that you have been surfing near a shark that has chosen not to attack you at some stage.

Haha, seriously, don't be cautious about going down south this weekend - there are going to be so many other people out there that the chances of you being attacked are seriously slim. you should be more worried bout the drive down than a shark attack.

Thanks guys, well at least I think I'll stop the 4:30 am pre-work starts for a little now, just feels a bit suss, i don't know ... hardest part is - just beginning to have nice little controllable rides now and then (best feeling ever!) and some of the smaller days lately (sort of like this morning if it wasn't for the tide) just been making it perfect for me, especially if its early and not many people out, so am super keen to get out every chance i get.

Defiantly bringing all my fishing gear with me tomorrow though as a back up plan (plus a bottle of tequila and a few six packs made their way into the esky as well, just in case there s no fish ), but hopefully manage to get a few waves

Merry Christmas!

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sparki said...

DSB said...

don't quite know whether this is just the norm...

Haha, seriously, don't be cautious about going down south this weekend - there are going to be so many other people out there that the chances of you being attacked are seriously slim. you should be more worried bout the drive down than a shark attack.

I'll take the optimism on board! but heading for a spot I saw last year of the cape to cape track, pretty hard to get to as involves a lot of walking even with a 4x4, doubt there would be many people there, but then again live and learn from what I've seen on my two trips downsouth so far - a lot of people tend to go to the big name spots, but there are so many other places that work just as well (well, for me that is anyway) if you can endure a bit of a walk ... anyway, getting off topic...

More people around so more chance of sitings.

A incident of the beach yesterday in Mindarie had people saying a shark attach at the beach. Truth was it was a spinal injury and when i told someone it was a spinal they suggested maybe the shark had hit the persons spine

20 years ago i would have seen more sharks in the water personally but those just never got reported.

A Lot of the time we didn't even get out

Young and foolish

Please lets not hate on the sharks just doing there thing.

Merry christmas.

at Scarbourgh on that day one guy was out surfing the knee high grubs while about 3000 peope watched.

Whale Shark spotted at Port Beach today, very very unusual

Wouldn't be the first time a BIG Tiger has been mistaken for a Whale Shark

Assuming the footage shown on the news isn't archival, then it's def a whale shark.

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subasurf said...

Assuming the footage shown on the news isn't archival, then it's def a whale shark.

How was Indo?

Never went ;)
Trip has been pushed back. Friend bought a place in Lombok and Mentawais so going later in the year.

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subasurf said...

Never went ;)
Trip has been pushed back. Friend bought a place in Lombok and Mentawais so going later in the year.

Oh mate you will love Mentawais, you wont know what to do with yourself

Tell me about it. We'll be sailing there :)

But yeah...been staying at our place down in Margs. Spoiled rotten with some unbelievable waves. Jet ski and tow rope got a work out too...not by me though, that's my friend's cup of tea, not mine.

The Point at Margs was barreling and holding well over double head. Lot of crew out though. Thank God for heavy locals pulling rank Also had a surf alongside Taj back up in Yallingup for the comp which had me giddy as a school girl. Some of the nicest summer waves I've seen in a VERY long time. Redgate was absolutely firing.

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subasurf said...

Tell me about it. We'll be sailing there :)

But yeah...been staying at our place down in Margs. Spoiled rotten with some unbelievable waves. Jet ski and tow rope got a work out too...not by me though, that's my friend's cup of tea, not mine.

The Point at Margs was barreling and holding well over double head. Lot of crew out though. Thank God for heavy locals pulling rank Also had a surf alongside Taj back up in Yallingup for the comp which had me giddy as a school girl. Some of the nicest summer waves I've seen in a VERY long time. Redgate was absolutely firing.

Yea saw Margaret River mains @ 10' <<est about two weeks ago, wish I had my camera with me as it looked spectacular!!

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ADS said...

Wouldn't be the first time a BIG Tiger has been mistaken for a Whale Shark

I wasn't sure if that story was just urban legend?

Sound a bit suss I agree.
I was told by a client who owned one of the Whaleshark dive businesses up Ningalloo way.
Was a few years ago now, she mentioned that the spotter plane directed the boat and a bunch of Jap tourists onto a Whaleshark.
Turned out to be a big Tiger. Needless to say, those in the water got back in the boat pronto. She mentioned that it has happened twice and that she was surprised the media never got hold of it.

I'd heard the exact same story. Not sure where from, don't remember.

The footage was absolutely definitely a whale shark. Whether or not the footage is from Perth is yet to be confirmed

The version I heard was even better, a Japanese film crew/diver was dropped right on top of the Whale (tiger) shark by helicopter.

Anyway your story could of happened it's not great for business for that sort of thing to make the news (not everything makes the news) I heard the story a long time back maybe when the whale sharks first became a tourist attraction.

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wodgina6722 said...

The version I heard was even better, a Japanese film crew/diver was dropped right on top of the Whale (tiger) shark by helicopter.

Anyway your story could of happened it's not great for business for that sort of thing to make the news (not everything makes the news) I heard the story a long time back maybe when the whale sharks first became a tourist attraction.

Yeh, the conversation was about 9 years ago...

Does anyone have a link for todays footage? Channel ten had nothing

Why Sharks Circle You Before Attacking

Two great white sharks swimming in the ocean spied survivors of a ship that had sunk.
"Follow me son", the father shark said to his son, and they swam to the survivors.

"First we swim around them a few times with just the tip of our fins showing." And they did.

"Well done, son! Now we swim around them a few times with all of our fins showing." And they did.

"Now we eat everybody." And they did.

When they were both gorged, the son asked, "Dad, why didn't we just eat them? Why did we swim around and around them?"

His wise father replied, "Because they taste better without the **** inside!"



No need to thank me, try to learn something new every day.