| Pages:
1
2
3
4 |
Ken Bondy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3326
Registered: 12-13-2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mellow
|
|
Wise words Diver. There are a few sharks (white, tiger, oceanic white-tip, bull) that are large enough to prey on animals that are about the size of
a human being. Those are the truly dangerous sharks. But the fact that they we are in their food chain does not mean that their behavior is
unpredictable, just the opposite. The vast majority of sharks feed on fish and stuff that is much smaller than we are, thus they have no interest in
us as prey, and generally avoid us. The only consistently curious shark I have encountered is the silky. They are very beautiful, classic sharks,
6-10 ft in length, and they really want to know what you are! They will come very close and will make gentle contact (bumping). I have pushed them
away with fins, cameras, strobes many times.
|
|
|
FARASHA
Senior Nomad
Posts: 848
Registered: 6-3-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
FIRST - I answereed to a thread about SHARKREPELLANT - in my opinion there is non for ALL the different species.As they DO have different
bodylanguages. What might work for one won't for another.Like birds for example. Depends on their hunting grounds they visit.
Had a Sharkexpert ( Jack Jackson) telling the same, that you don't know the history of a shark -you never will know for sure what they'll do next.And
they do differ from each other.
ie - At SHAB RUMI / Red SEA, they had an research running for some month - included Tankbanging before dropping a bait.( they run a counting of
species there)
AFTER 20 odd years we dove there, someone used a tankbanger to call his Buddies attention - and was suddenly surrounded by Grey REEF SHARKS. Something
they would normally NOT do.
I had myself fortunately NEVER a bad experience - and felt except for those 2 ocassion quite comfortable,but wouldn't take a risk if i am unfamiliar
with a species, or a local population.
Reef Sharks - nosy and territorial but would leave you alone- as I posted above - but when they felt the electrical voltage froma active camera they
ALLWAYS came towards the photographer rather then to anybody else of the group.
Same we had with the Tigershark in the Atlantik.
If they are used to be fed then it changes the whole picture.
Same goes for any other species experience.
A friend of mine works lives around seychelles, and worked before in Red Sea, and did notice a remarkable different behavior of the Oceanic Whitetips
for instance.
We had Blue Sharks reported in Croatia/Mediterrenian Sea close to harbors, that would go instantly after everything,no buckling or circling, or
bumping previously. And that included people in the water too. Somrthing I never saw in Red Sea happen.
I could bring in some more observations I had,or heard of, but this would be tooo tiring now for me.
At the end - the experience you had do differ from what I had - doesn't that say something???
|
|
|
Ken Bondy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3326
Registered: 12-13-2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mellow
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by FARASHA
At the end - the experience you had do differ from what I had - doesn't that say something??? |
It could. I am only speaking from my first-hand experience, but that experience is fairly extensive.
|
|
|
dean miller
Nomad
Posts: 456
Registered: 1-28-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
"First hand extensice experiences" are wonderful stories to impress the land lubber c-cktail crowd but are certainly not definitive of a individual or
collective shark's behavior patterns or eating habits.
I too have had many encounters with sharks, mal grin, mal bon.
First was on a photo trip to Vera Cruz. I was free diving. I spotted a Lemon shark as I assume it concurently spotted me. Suddenly it was on and
circling - then I was pushing and striking it's nose with the lens of a very expensive Sampson Camera. With in a few moments but what recall was
enons I was struck in the back of the head by the boat which had seen the event and rushed to my aid. I turned gave them my hand and was catapulted
in to the boat, dropping the Samson in the process. We waited several hours and I re-entered the water and retrieved the Samson. Therefore all
Lemons are dangerous!
Off Catalina in very deep water blowing bubbles. Surfaced with a huge Hammer head near me --he was following me, circling me, under me, but never an
agressive move-But gave the divers on the boat who were observing the event a thrill! Therefor Hammer Heads are courious!
Off Catalina on the Avalon Banks on the very first shark cage dive in SoCal. After considerable chumming very Blue sharks started to appear.
Certainly not worth a cage, so we swam amoung them. That is until suddenly a some what large Bonito shark (tiger) appeared all the blues were gone in
a flash and we who were in the water had the shark swimming in and around us. Therefore blues are cute and fun and Bonitos are to be avoided!
So three more stories..Mal grin, Mal bon
I would suggest that if interested the reader might want to consult the written word;
"Sharks and Survival" (OFP) by Dr. Perry Gilbert, Chariman of the Shark research panel.
"Shark Lady" by Dr.Euginie CLarke, Cape Haze Marine Lab
"Killers of the sea" by Ed Ricciuti, NY Zoological society
"Myth and Maneater" David Webster
"Shark hunters" By Ben Cropp
"Dangerous marine animals" By Dr. Bruce Halstead.
Or if you have $$$ to burn and yearing to learn more about sharks;
"Dangerous and venomous Marine animals of the world" by Dr Bruce Halstead--a used one is currently for sale -$300.00.
There have been two documented photgraphed wild shark attacks;
1) Skin Diver Magazine 1961(?) Jim Stewart, CDO of SIO was struck by a white tip in South Pacific as the world famous UW photograper Ron
Church, was clicking away. Jim lost the triceps, (the muscle in the back of his arm) Ron has some great pictures!
2) Life Magazine (197???) Mexican crew was filming in Cozumel a rogue shark came into the frame and took a huge hunk out of a diver, swam
away out of the film. As I recall the Photographer was Ramon Bravo
--The predictablity of a wild shark is it's unpredictablity--
Sharks do not display demonstratable trait or habits that would indicate their predictability . There are always the old infirm creatures that can't
compete with the others for food so they search the shadows and become "Rogue Sharks" and victims make headlines and the beach is closed.
And so it goes...
I eagerly awaite your observations, experiences and learned responses
DM
|
|
|
Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
|
|
Hammerheads can move very fast when they want to.
|
|
|
FARASHA
Senior Nomad
Posts: 848
Registered: 6-3-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thanks DEAN for your expertises. I have to admit I was laughing on some stage, the way you put things, facts,...
Yeah those beautiful beasts are predictable unpredictable.
They have good days and BAD days, as we humans, there are also red neck's in the sea, isn't it?
I did read some of those books you mentioned - my favorit is Halsted's.!!
|
|
|
FARASHA
Senior Nomad
Posts: 848
Registered: 6-3-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
It's a still frame out of the video we took.
That Oceanic Whitetip (out of a groupof 6 sharks) tried to get a taste of a Divebuddies fins,while he started to get back into the boat.
[Edited on 11-10-2006 by FARASHA]
|
|
|
dean miller
Nomad
Posts: 456
Registered: 1-28-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
FYI
Re Jim Stewart
CDO ==Cheif Diving Officer
SIO == Scripps Institution of Oceanography (or was it changed as one time propossed to Oceanology)
Jim was second CDO of SIO he replaced Connie Limbaugh after his tragic dearth in 1959. Jim served as the CDO for almost 40 years. He is now close to
80 retired and a frequent Baja /diver traveler
DM
|
|
|
FARASHA
Senior Nomad
Posts: 848
Registered: 6-3-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
Not of the best quality this still from the video,but you see that of all the divers at that time in the water - they choose either us or the other
photographer to come close at.
|
|
|
Ken Bondy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3326
Registered: 12-13-2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mellow
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by dean miller
"First hand extensice experiences" are wonderful stories to impress the land lubber c-cktail crowd but are certainly not definitive of a individual or
collective shark's behavior patterns or eating habits.
DM |
Dean
I don't use my experience in observing shark behavior to impress the "land lubber c-cktail crowd' (whatever that is). I use it, when appropriate, to
offer an opposing view to anectodal and often incorrect information that is detrimental to shark survival. An example of such anectodal mythology is
the information quoted in this thread (11 Baja fatalities in the last 9 months), when in fact the last documented Baja fatality was 33 years ago.
|
|
|
Cincodemayo
Senior Nomad
Posts: 725
Registered: 3-7-2005
Location: Pacific NW
Member Is Offline
|
|
As Jaques Cousteau would say....The more predictable you think a shark is the more unpredictable he becomes.
Here's a good article from the pros...
http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/interview_taylors.html
[Edited on 10-13-2006 by Cincodemayo]
Don\'t get mad...
Get EVEN.
|
|
|
FARASHA
Senior Nomad
Posts: 848
Registered: 6-3-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
THANKS for the article Cinco, good one!
|
|
|
dean miller
Nomad
Posts: 456
Registered: 1-28-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
cincodemayo,
Cousteau should know...
Cousteau and diving companion Fredric Dumas was attacked by a shark in 1960 off Cape Verde Islands.
DM
|
|
|
FARASHA
Senior Nomad
Posts: 848
Registered: 6-3-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
CAPE VERDE ISLANDS - that was the place I had the Tigershark encounter.Was told that there are also GWSharks.
Great diving there.But tough diveconditions.
|
|
|
dean miller
Nomad
Posts: 456
Registered: 1-28-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
Farasha,
The man whom we both admire, Dr. Hans Hass was attacked in an area that I suspect that you dove or that you have visited. Dr Hass's attack occured
in1952 in the Suakin harbor in Sudan.
He is/was the first person to actively dive with sharks and concurenly conduct scientific experiments in the 1940s. His exploits have been documented
in a number of books, ie Men and Sharks first published in Germany in 1949 as "Menschen und haie" and in the US as "Men and sharks" in 1954 (-icc #
53-7975) by Doubleday & co.
dm
|
|
|
dean miller
Nomad
Posts: 456
Registered: 1-28-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
[quote-Originally posted by bigzaggin
...By the way, central Baja is basically overrun with voracious sharks, especially the Sisters area where upwards of 19 attacks (11 fatal) have been
registered in the past 9 months..... I am being totally serious.
Something to consider anyway. quote]
____________________________________________
Bigzaggin,
I was just doing a last moment "good bye" review of this thread when I read your above response.
I must unite and certainly agree with Ken Bondy in asking the question "What is your source of information?"
When a shark attacks and there is a fatality, of a swimmer, a diver or a surfer, it is instant world wide head line news. I and most on this board
monitors Baja events via this board, news papers, magazines, TV and word of mouth. I personally have not read seen or heard of the attacks that you
mention with such great authority.
I do recall the most recent attack and shark involved fatality in California. There was local, national, and probably international coverage when a
swimmer, Deborah Frarman was attacked killed while swimming amoung seals off Avila Beach, in August 2003. Shark phibia ensued! The beaches for
miles around were closed- and absolutely no aquatic activity was legally allowed or took place for about a month, then the public forgot about shark
attacks and things returned to normal.
I also recall that horrible summer of 1959.
On May 7, Albert Kogler was repeatedly attacked and killed while swimming under the Golden Gate Bridge.
Several weeks later on June 14, Robert "Bob" Pamerin was attacked in in the middle of LaJolla Cove while free diving for abalone in and amoung other
divers and beach goers. His body was never recovered.
Both attacks were Great White Sharks
Beaches were closed, all aquatic activity ceased, beaches becane deserted, dive shops closed. I was involved with the LACD at that time a wrote and
issued several press releases to calm the fears of the public--But only after the passage of time and dimming of memories did the aquatic world
return to normal.
I have told you about California shark attacks that I have been envolved. Therefore, for my own personal edification and that of Ken Bondy we would
like to learn about the eleven (11) Baja fatalites with in the past nine (9) months
I<<<<<<nquiring minds want to know!>>>>>>>
|
|
|
Sonora Wind
Nomad
Posts: 228
Registered: 9-25-2003
Member Is Offline
|
|
I will never ever ever
SURF THAT SHARK INFESTED HELL HOLE AGAIN. Thanks Bigzaggen for the heads up.  
[Edited on 10-20-2006 by Sonora Wind]
|
|
|
Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
|
|
11 people killed by sharks in the past nine months in Baja? The water must be
full of hungry sharks and people with death wishes.
|
|
|
DanO
Super Nomad
Posts: 1923
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: Not far from the Pacific
Member Is Offline
|
|
One down, tens of thousands to go.
\"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.\" -- Frank Zappa
|
|
|
ME
Junior Nomad
Posts: 38
Registered: 5-29-2006
Location: 805
Member Is Offline
|
|
we found the arm of a pescador by the name of carlos montoya, he worked out of punta baja. we found it about twenty miles to the south of PB near a
rock camp. it was bit clean off above the elbow.... this was febuary 06
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2
3
4 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
