by The Editors on August 6, 2009
NBC8 filmed crazy footage from the North Shore of Oahu of just how fast a shark gets going when it’s after something. The Blacktip ignored to surfers in the water to go after the fish, which is something shark expert Randy Honebrink says they usually do, according to a story on KHNL.com.
Analyzing the video, Honebrink says the shark is probably a Blacktip. . . “It’s definitely not a tiger shark,” he said. . . Tiger sharks are larger and more dangerous than a Blacktip. . . “I can’t think of a single case where there’s been a confirmed Blacktip bite on a person in Hawaii,” said Honebrink.
Check out the video and you’ll see what raw acceleration looks like. We’re just sitting ducks. . .
[Link: KHNL.com]
by The Editors on August 4, 2009
This morning (August 5, 2009) a shark was sighted at Australia’s Bells Beach “chasing another surfer in waters close to shore,” according to a story in the Geelong Advertiser.
Pete, who was surfing at the famous break . . .said many surfers started yelling to clear the water after the shark was sighted. No-one was injured. . . .About 20 minutes after the sighting Pete said some surfers were returning to the water.
When there are waves, they must be surfed. . .
[Link: Geelong Advertiser]
by The Editors on July 30, 2009
Zac Skyring, a 14-year-old surfer from New South Wales Australia was reportedly out for an early surf just south of Byron Bay when he was “thrown into the by the impact” of a “one-and-a-half-metre bronze whaler shark.” The hit punctured his wetsuit, but he later went to school according to a story in The Australian.
itness Neil Cameron told the ABC the teenager had several small puncture marks on his lower arm. . . .He says the boy and his father paddled back out to warn him other surfers of the danger. . . “His dad had the idea – he wanted to get him back in the water. Otherwise he reckoned … he’d never get him in the water again,” he said.
Oi! Oi! Oi!
[Link: The Australian]
by The Editors on July 27, 2009
Ogle Vision video was shooting footage of Elite Helicopter Charters off-shore near Pepperdine University in Malibu, California when they spotted a 12-14 foot great white shark, according to video featured on Surfline.com.
Thursday, July 23rd saw the beginnings of a pumping south swell — and a white shark spotted about 300 yards off Malibu. This is on the heels of many sitings at both San O and Sunset Beach in LA.
Watch the video, the thing is huge and just cruising offshore. On the up side we humans wouldn’t even be an appetizer for a great white this size. We’re hoping we’re just not worth the trouble.
[Link: Surfline.com]
by The Editors on July 10, 2009
South African surfer Paul Buckley, 37, was surfing near South Africa’s Mossel Bayon, when he got hit by a shark, according to the Daily Mail.
‘No doubt I was scared. I feared for my life so I just grabbed it. I thought if I held it by the tail, its mouth could not reach me again.’ . . . Mr Buckley, 37, was released after a few seconds and then frantically swam the 100m back to shore near Stilbaai, which is near the tourist resort of MosselBayon which faces the Indian Ocean. . . Witnesses bundled him into a car and rushed him to a doctor so the bite – which was nearly 37cm wide and 3cm – could be closed. . . The businessman was then taken to hospital where he received 150 stitches.
South Africa has an average of six shark attacks a year.
[Link: Daily Mail]
by The Editors on June 11, 2009
A group of teens from “the New South Wales far south coast” are going to keep surfing even though they spotted a big white pointer shark in the surf zone, according to a story on ABC News.
“The young surfers came within a metre of the 5m to 6m shark that has been sighted between Merimbula’s bar and Pambula Beach over the past week,” the story said. . . “As the boys said, if it’d wanted to eat them, they couldn’t have done anything about it”, he said. . . “So it was obvious that the shark saw them and didn’t realise it was dinner time, I suppose, which is obviously a great thing.”
Yeah, damn great logic, we reckon.
[Link: ABC News]
by The Editors on May 19, 2009
What is it about being attacked by a shark that makes people want to get right back in the water? Glenn Orgias, the Australian surfer who lost his left hand to a 2.5 meter great white while surfing at Bondi Beach, has spent his downtime working as an Australian Red Cross Blood Service ambassador but he’s looking forward to going surfing again, according to a story in The Sydney Morning Herald.
He told the Seven Network he hopes to receive a prosthetic hand but it won’t be waterproof, forcing him to improvise when he gets back on a surfboard. . . .”Yeah, I’m not sure how to push up on the board yet and hopefully I can get back on and get up.”
Tough man, Glenn.
[Link: Sydney Morning Herald]
by The Editors on May 18, 2009
Those pesky Florida sharks are still at it in New Smyrna Beach, according to a story in the Orlando Sentinel.
This weekend saw three surfers bitten by sharks, at the main spot where this happens: the surf zone just south of the inlet in New Smyrna Beach. . . Two surfers were bitten 9 a.m. Saturday morning, within 10 minutes of each other, said Volusia County Beach Patrol Capt. Scott Petersohn. . . .A third surfer was bitten around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday at that same location, Petersohn.
We’ve said this before, but it seems shark bites are pretty high price to pay for Florida waves.
[Link: Orlando Sentinel]
by The Editors on May 4, 2009
Mainland Mexico surf tourism has its work cut out for it this year. As if swine flu isn’t enough of a deterant, LA Times action blogger Pete Thomas reminds everyone that last May two surfers were killed by sharks and another had his hand ripped up while surfing in Zihuatanejo. .
The attacks, which occurred within a three-week period, generated “Jaws”-like mania and led to the erection of lifeguard towers and establishment of a shark patrol along a stretch of coastline that seasonally lures hundreds of surfers from Southern California and elsewhere. . . .Now it’s May once more and some might be wondering whether the phenomenon will be repeated.
We know one thing for sure: we won’t be going down to check that out any time soon. . . cough, couch. . .
[Link: LA Times]
by The Editors on April 22, 2009
A surfer from Okeechobee, Florida has been the second shark attack victim in Volusia County this year.
The unidentified 20-year-old was surfing in front of the Minorca Condominium, 2600 block of North Peninsula Drive, late Monday afternoon when a shark grabbed his right ankle, Volusia County Beach Patrol Capt. Scott Petersohn said Tuesday. . . “It was very minor,” he said. “Two or three puncture wounds.” . . . Petersohn said it’s unclear whether the victim went to the hospital, but he was not taken by ambulance.
We think minor is the best kind of shark bite there is.
[Link: News-Journal Online]
NBC8 filmed crazy footage from the North Shore of Oahu of just how fast a shark gets going when it’s after something. The Blacktip ignored to surfers in the water to go after the fish, which is something shark expert Randy Honebrink says they usually do, according to a story on KHNL.com.
