BajaNomad

Shark Attack at Punta Pescadero near Los Barriles

Bomberro - 6-6-2008 at 04:50 PM

We have been getting lots of rumors of a fatal shark bite at Punta Pescadero. The local sport fishermen are telling us that a tourist was killed by a shark near the hotel. My wife is not happy as she swims each morning about 3 miles along the coast. She did not swim this morning. We would like anyone that has details about this attack to post some info. We were told the person was taking under water photos, I hope he was not baiting the fish with food. Rumors travel very fast and facts are scrambled a lot....Shark attacks in our area are almost unheard of.....

bancoduo - 6-6-2008 at 04:57 PM

Better stay out of the water. I's PAYBACK time.

mtgoat666 - 6-6-2008 at 05:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bomberro
We have been getting lots of rumors of a fatal shark bite at Punta Pescadero. The local sport fishermen are telling us that a tourist was killed by a shark near the hotel. My wife is not happy as she swims each morning about 3 miles along the coast. She did not swim this morning. We would like anyone that has details about this attack to post some info.


your post is perpetuating a rumors,... wait a day and see if it is real news, and more than rumor. if real, i'm sure details will come out.

i often call long distance ocean swimmers "trollers."

CaboRon - 6-6-2008 at 05:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bancoduo
Better stay out of the water. I's PAYBACK time.


Once they've tasted man blood, there is no going back


CaboRon

Diver - 6-6-2008 at 06:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by CaboRon
Once they've tasted man blood, there is no going back CaboRon


Hmmm, I didn't feel the same when I've eaten shark.

Tasty Morsels ?

MrBillM - 6-6-2008 at 09:45 PM

It was only a few years ago that Georgia Congressman John Lewis said (on the floor of Congress) that the Atlantic Sharks still follow the path taken by the ships in the Slave trade hundreds of years ago because they have an inbred memory of eating those thrown overboard.

You could contact the Congressman's office for his sources and see how they might apply. I'm sure he'd be happy to help.

oxxo - 6-7-2008 at 04:14 AM

There was a shark attack in Zihuatenejo last week. A surfer was attacked but survived. I am not certain but as I recall the attack took place at a surfing location called Punta Pescadero (not an uncommon name). There have been three attacks in that general location (two of them fatal) over the last year.

Could this be the source of the local rumor?

Rumors

Bomberro - 6-7-2008 at 06:02 AM

We have heard so many rumors here in the East Cape that usually turn out to be not true. There are many Punta Pescadero's around the world and in Mexico, so we will just wait and see, if there are actual facts or we get more information than just rumors I will post an up date....until then its back into the water....

Gadget - 6-7-2008 at 08:17 PM

You only need 4 or 5 feet of water to swim in. If there is no surf or swell action just stay in close to shore. Otherwise go find a spot where you can do that. Where a mask so you can see good.
I've been wearing a mask and snokel when I swim and love it. It takes the neck busting breathing thing out of it and you can really concentrate on your stroke.

Shallow Water

MrBillM - 6-8-2008 at 10:35 AM

Of Course, there have been numerous Shark Attacks in Shallow water. In fact, the "Record" shallow depth for an attack is ZERO feet

woody with a view - 6-8-2008 at 10:48 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by MrBillM
Of Course, there have been numerous Shark Attacks in Shallow water. In fact, the "Record" shallow depth for an attack is ZERO feet


like the 109 yard return for a touchdown, ZERO feet will never be broken.

congrats to that all star shark.:lol::light::?:

Gadget - 6-8-2008 at 01:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by MrBillM
Of Course, there have been numerous Shark Attacks in Shallow water. In fact, the "Record" shallow depth for an attack is ZERO feet


Yeah, I guess my point was that would you prefer to be in 30 or 40 feet of water, where you have to try and walk on it to get away, or run onto the beach?

I don't swim in sharky water, so it's not much of a concern, until the guy got hit up in Cardiff. I just find that I feel much more comfortable where I can see or even touch bottom.

Plus it looks a little more normal in shallow water with the water wings on, than way out in deep water. :lol:

DENNIS - 6-8-2008 at 02:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bancoduo
Quote:
Originally posted by MrBillM
Of Course, there have been numerous Shark Attacks in Shallow water. In fact, the "Record" shallow depth for an attack is ZERO feet
Just Bill being Bill, working hard to be outrageous.:lol::lol::lol:


I'll bet he was talking about a loan shark.

CaboRon - 6-8-2008 at 06:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by bancoduo
Quote:
Originally posted by MrBillM
Of Course, there have been numerous Shark Attacks in Shallow water. In fact, the "Record" shallow depth for an attack is ZERO feet
Just Bill being Bill, working hard to be outrageous.:lol::lol::lol:


I'll bet he was talking about a loan shark.


Many shark attacks are in shallow water. That's a fact.

Sharksbaja - 6-8-2008 at 08:03 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by gibson
Leave the swimming advice to us waders.


:lol:Somehow I already knew that!:lol:

Sharks in the Shallows

MrBillM - 6-8-2008 at 08:47 PM

Back in the 60s, I read a book documenting U.S. Military Shark research prior to, during and subsequent to WWII. It noted that there had, by that time, been ONE documented case of a shark coming OUT of the water to attack a person standing on the shore .

Granted, that it was one case in hundreds documented, nonetheless it made the case that Shark attacks CAN happen at any (or no) depth.

Given the fact that Sharks have been known to leap out of the water to attack prey, it isn't unreasonable. Highly unlikely, though.

Osprey - 6-10-2008 at 06:59 AM

Baja Pony Express this AM says there was no shark attack near Punta Pescadero. Just lots of rumors around after a commercial fisherman tried to harpoon what he thought was a big Mako shark. Turned out to be a small whale shark which was injured. No person was attacked.

Here is the entry on the BPE

bajajudy - 6-10-2008 at 07:01 AM

SHARK ATTACKS

a. We own and operate a dive business in Buena Vista and have received numerous inquiries for information on the alleged shark attack. I have done a pretty thorough investigation and here is what I have come up with.

There was no shark attack and it is all rumor. I say that because there are no eye witnesses, none of the local police or medical agencies have been contacted. Shortly after the attack report came out one of our local commercial fisherman sighted a huge shark very close to shore in front of Rancho Buena Vista. He hit the animal in the head with a harpoon but did not get a good shot. In my interview with him he believed it was a tiger shark about 14 feet long. Two days later while in our inflatable we sighted a huge shark in front of Vista del Mar. At first it looked like a tiger shark but when we got close it turned out to be a juvenile whale shark. It would be easy to mistake this animal for a tiger shark as they have the same silhouette with a blunt nose. Also the big white doted markings of an adult whale shark were not very vivid on this young shark. Getting a very close look we could see the fresh wound in it's head where the commercial fisherman's harpoon bounced off. For those that do not know whale sharks are filter feeders, completely harmless and fun to swim with.

To the best of my knowledge there has never been a documented shark attack in the Sea of Cortez and I don't believe this alleged incident was the first.

Mark Rayor
Vista Sea Sport

CaboRon - 6-10-2008 at 09:59 AM

Hola BajaJudy,

Didn't someone mention earlier that there are several places named "Punta Pescadero" which in English would mean "Fish Point" ... so, I am wondering if there was an event , but at another "Punta Pescadero" ?? Somewhere in Latin America ??

CaboRon

dtbushpilot - 6-10-2008 at 08:21 PM

I believe Pescadero is "fisherman"......