Great White off Hayling Island.

[portlock seagull]

Growing up in Australia, sharks are never far from your consciousness...

Some years ago, the day before the Missus and I got engaged, we were swimming at Cottesloe off Perth. There was a huge buoy about 200 metres offshore and the Missus says: come on...let's swim out to it.

She was an excellent swimmer and I was barely adequate, but when you're about to propose to someone you don't wimp out of a challenge like that.

Anyway, as I swam (some distance behind her) I suddenly noted how eerily still the water was...and how murky it was in the late afternoon just before dusk. Just before I reached the buoy, where she was waiting for me, I suddenly thought: what the FARK am I doing out here?

I'm going back! I called and started swimming faster and faster. She, of course, zoomed past me and the closer I got to the shore the more I was seeing those huge pointed teeth closing on my toes.

Anyway, I made it back to shore, exhausted and totally freaked, but life continued happily.

However.

About five weeks later, a bloke was killed by a shark in exactly that spot.

For all I know that same shark checked me out but wasn't feeling peckish.

In other words, you have a vivid imagination and struggled to control it (as is notmal, not calling you a woss or anything). But really if this was a news story the headline would be 'Man goes for a swim and returns safely'? Yes yes, I get you're from Oz and the seas are alive with things that can kill you but generally they don't and millions (millions!) instead enjoy the sea for what it is. The worlds greatest playground!!

 

[portlock seagull]

I was swimming off the beach in the Bahamas a few years back and noticed a huge ray beneath me, I got out quick.

I got surprised by a giant manta in the Maldives and it does give you a fright, as does anything you weren't expecting least of all something big. But after the initial shock I couldn't get enough of watching such an amazing creature. Same with sharks. The ones you see aren't to be worried about. If you get attacked almost certainly not going to see it coming so what's the point worrying? By then be too late!

 

[Mr Putdown]

Is that the odds for worldwide shark MURDERS? Could we please have the odds for UK-coastal-shark-deaths? I think I might chuck a tenner on. Quick way to win a few trillion.

A bit of googling suggests that the only shark deaths recorded in UK coastal waters were candidates for a Darwin Award:-

"*FATAL* - In 1956, off The Lizard in Cornwall, a Leslie Nye and Richard Kirby were attempting to blow up a shark with explosives and blew themselves up instead."

 

[FatSuperman]

TLR - I saw a shark once.


About a decade ago I was in the Maldives - I spent most of my waking hours paddling about with a snorkel, so much that I looked like a crab stick. Bright red on the back, British white on the front.

Anyway, toward the end of the week I had gone over the house reef and was swimming about near the drop off, trying to get photos of an eel, when I noticed a 'largish shark'. I'd already seen loads of little reef sharks - they look massive when you are out of the water looking in, but in reality are quite small. So I think I'd become a bit desensitised to sharks. I swam toward the large shark, gleefully hoping to get a nice photo when I realised it wasn't a reef shark but a mako and it was massive, I guess over two metres. It turned toward me and I totally freaked out, I screamed and just thrashed trying to go backwards and get away from it. The moment I started thrashing it turned again and swam off, it was unbelievably fast. Even now that's what shocks me the most, the speed of it. I've got it on video somewhere, it's excruciating to watch as the shark is basically doing nothing and I just shit myself and start screaming.

 

[FatSuperman]

A bit of googling suggests that the only shark deaths recorded in UK coastal waters were candidates for a Darwin Award:-

"*FATAL* - In 1956, off The Lizard in Cornwall, a Leslie Nye and Richard Kirby were attempting to blow up a shark with explosives and blew themselves up instead."

That is brilliant. I assume they were chucking explosives off a boat, I can't fathom how you'd go about rigging a shark to blow up. I might pop down to the bookies.

 

[portlock seagull]

TLR - I saw a shark once.


About a decade ago I was in the Maldives - I spent most of my waking hours paddling about with a snorkel, so much that I looked like a crab stick. Bright red on the back, British white on the front.

Anyway, toward the end of the week I had gone over the house reef and was swimming about near the drop off, trying to get photos of an eel, when I noticed a 'largish shark'. I'd already seen loads of little reef sharks - they look massive when you are out of the water looking in, but in reality are quite small. So I think I'd become a bit desensitised to sharks. I swam toward the large shark, gleefully hoping to get a nice photo when I realised it wasn't a reef shark but a mako and it was massive, I guess over two metres. It turned toward me and I totally freaked out, I screamed and just thrashed trying to go backwards and get away from it. The moment I started thrashing it turned again and swam off, it was unbelievably fast. Even now that's what shocks me the most, the speed of it. I've got it on video somewhere, it's excruciating to watch as the shark is basically doing nothing and I just shit myself and start screaming.

Mako is the fastest fish in the sea so not surprised. At 2 metres, it's a relative juvenile and even with an massive adult you've nothing really to fear. Mako's are relatively common in British waters during summer. Don't give yourself a hard time, anything you're not expecting that's big is bound to freak you out...now you know what I face on sunny days seeing my reflection in the water

 

[Perfidious Albion]

I've seen and handled loads of sharks,dead, in my fish industry days . If you like huss and chips you've eaten it too . Dogfish to,be correct.

A silly season story in the press. Soon we will see the annual "a seagull ate my chips" story too

 

[Mr Putdown]

Mako is the fastest fish in the sea so not surprised. At 2 metres, it's a relative juvenile and even with an massive adult you've nothing really to fear. Mako's are relatively common in British waters during summer. Don't give yourself a hard time, anything you're not expecting that's big is bound to freak you out...now you know what I face on sunny days seeing my reflection in the water

Mako's may well be fast but they aren't the fastest fish by some margin. The Black Marlin has been recorded at 129km/h whereas the mako can only bring up the rear at a relatively paltry 74km/h.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

They eat a lot of Saffies too!

And a lot of South Australians.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Mako is the fastest fish in the sea so not surprised. At 2 metres, it's a relative juvenile and even with an massive adult you've nothing really to fear. Mako's are relatively common in British waters during summer. Don't give yourself a hard time, anything you're not expecting that's big is bound to freak you out...now you know what I face on sunny days seeing my reflection in the water

Mako's are also known to jump in fishing boats.

 

[Braggfan]

i recently discovered there is an entire sub-culture of people speculating on theories behind films and their meanings, pouring over details, plot holes/gaps as having great significance. invariably the original author/playwright/director just dismisses them out of hand.

You should read about Stanley Kubrick, the interpretations of The Shining and the apology/confession for the faked moon landings

 

[Honky Tonx]

Makos are not listed as man eaters but have been known to kill humans. I've swum with Sharks and have never felt intimidated. Always keep an eye on them as they will make it quite clear when it is time to get out of the water.

 

[BigGully]

Makos are not listed as man eaters but have been known to kill humans. I've swum with Sharks and have never felt intimidated. Always keep an eye on them as they will make it quite clear when it is time to get out of the water.

Swimming with sharks is wholly different to swimming alone in slate grey deep water somewhere off the coast of anywhere ..............

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Swimming with sharks is wholly different to swimming alone in slate grey deep water somewhere off the coast of anywhere ..............

For 1 I bet the sharks at 'organised' shark swimming events are well fed to both stop them from eating the customers and to encourage them to visit the area.

 

[Honky Tonx]

Swimming with sharks is wholly different to swimming alone in slate grey deep water somewhere off the coast of anywhere ..............

We had just finished a night dive off the Whitsundays and had been picked up by the dive boat which trailed a rope behind for us to grab hold of. When we got back on board the Yacht the person who picked us up told us that when he was collecting we were being followed by a large Shark. I won't night dive again. I've never done an organised Shark dive.

 

[BigGully]

We had just finished a night dive off the Whitsundays and had been picked up by the dive boat which trailed a rope behind for us to grab hold of. When we got back on board the Yacht the person who picked us up told us that when he was collecting we were being followed by a large Shark. I won't night dive again. I've never done an organised Shark dive.

Aaaah even you wont do a nighshift again, that would be my worst nightmare .....

 

[FatSuperman]

Mako is the fastest fish in the sea so not surprised. At 2 metres, it's a relative juvenile and even with an massive adult you've nothing really to fear. Mako's are relatively common in British waters during summer. Don't give yourself a hard time, anything you're not expecting that's big is bound to freak you out...now you know what I face on sunny days seeing my reflection in the water

Ah yes, I just checked it out based on that. One of the fastest sharks, and an average one is around 3.5m. Jesus, the one I saw was bad enough - the smaller ones probably stay near the reef for protection, and to pick off the reef sharks once they outgrow the safety of the house reef. I've never really been afraid of sharks, but it was just that moment. I didn't leave the water, it seemed pointless since I was a good hour away from getting back onto the beach anyway.

 

[Commander]

I swam with some sharks in the Galapagos. 3 of them, about the same size as me. It wasn't remotely scary, and they didn't look remotely bothered by me or aggressive. They just sort of looked at me as if to say "The bloody humans are here again, let's go somewhere else" and swam off. For some reason I've found it a lot more scary swimming somewhere in the sea where you can't really see anything- your imagination is the scariest thing.


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[portlock seagull]

I swam with some sharks in the Galapagos. 3 of them, about the same size as me. It wasn't remotely scary, and they didn't look remotely bothered by me or aggressive. They just sort of looked at me as if to say "The bloody humans are here again, let's go somewhere else" and swam off. For some reason I've found it a lot more scary swimming somewhere in the sea where you can't really see anything- your imagination is the scariest thing.


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My experience too. And worst vis off Lancing...couldn't see for the amount of shit spewing out of that sewage outlet 1/4 mile out! Plenty of lobsters mind, more than ever seen anywhere in world to be fair! Ecoli more of a threat than sharks in British waters!!

 

[portlock seagull]

Ah yes, I just checked it out based on that. One of the fastest sharks, and an average one is around 3.5m. Jesus, the one I saw was bad enough - the smaller ones probably stay near the reef for protection, and to pick off the reef sharks once they outgrow the safety of the house reef. I've never really been afraid of sharks, but it was just that moment. I didn't leave the water, it seemed pointless since I was a good hour away from getting back onto the beach anyway.

Don't get me wrong, if I ever saw a GW I would probably shit myself. Something about that eye and grin that isn't shared by others - never mind its size. Plus vis is typically v.poor in their waters so it's likely to disappear and pop up next time behind you etc as so difficult to keep in sight. That would be a very nervous dive! The one I'd be most scared of is probably the Bull because it's so bold. That or a oceanic white tip for same reasons. Anything else, I'd be pretty cool with. Keep eye on, stay bottom and watch for signs in behaviour as others have said. I think if you do that, there's nothing to be frightened by.

Now, Salt Water Crocs in the sea...FFS, now that's simply terrifying and well, just not cricket. Poor show by the Salties. Stay in the rivers, there's a good chap.