Phuket Thailand

stevem · #1 19-09-2005, 18:15

Just watching a show on TV about shark attacts. There is some Aussie guy saying that any shark which attacts people in the water should be hunted and killed. I dont take this line, as the water is the sharks domain, and we are in it.

What are others thoughts on this??

stevem · #2 19-09-2005, 18:32

Also I want to add, that as an ex scuba driver, I used to love encountering these creators and just watching them. Once a mate and I were circled by Whaler shark off the coast of NSW while diving. What a high that was!!!!

I dont dive anymore, as the misses wont let me.

steve@thaib · #3 19-09-2005, 18:38

My take on it is to keep out of the water! I nver dipped a toe in Australia or South Africa, might be none too brave but as far as I am aware there are no recorded shark attacks in a bar anywhere in the world.

I say let them be, stay out of their yard and they will not be interested in you.

Sirgezza · #4 19-09-2005, 19:07

I saw a program a couple of weeks ago about shark attacks. A surfer in SA had been attacked and lost a bit of his arm (I think). His view was that he had invaded the sharks territory and was unlucky. He did need not feel that the shark had really done anything wrong and should be left alone.

banger_chris · #5 19-09-2005, 20:07

Hi Gents!

Its amazing that Documentaries on TV only cover horror scenarios like this in TV - and most of the time these horror scenarios are all taken from South Africas, Australias or Floridas shark infested areas. Most of the people who swim or dive there know that in decent times of the year its not unusual to encounter sharks when you set your foot in there. Its their own fault if they go in there. Dont blame it on the animals who just follow their natural instincts.

Certainly for a diver like me and in general its one of the most amazing things to see big animals like that in their natural surrounding. Two years ago i was able to see my first Whale Shark on a dive spot near Ko-Samui. It was one of those magic moments every diver dies for. My Dive Guide told me he was diving the same spots for the last ten years and never had the luck to see a Whale Shark. Around twenty people on the diveboat saw this big animal and there was this special feeling underwater. You could simply feel how excited all the divers underwater where. Everyone was showing their Thumbs Up

and it was really one of the best moments i enjoyed down underwater!

stevem · #6 19-09-2005, 20:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by banger_chris

Two years ago i was able to see my first Whale Shark on a dive spot near Ko-Samui.

You saw a whale shark in the gulf????

Sirgezza · #7 19-09-2005, 22:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by banger_chris

Hi Gents!

Everyone was showing their Thumbs Up

I'm not a diver, but doesn't that mean ''I want to surface''.

seafox · #8 19-09-2005, 23:04

sharks are usually no problem. I have been diving all over California for 15 years now and have never seen a great white underwater(twice on the surface on the way to the islands off of the Southern California coast). I do between 150 to 200 dives a year here. 36 years of diving and 6600 dives and no problems. The only time I ever had a problem with a shark is the first dive I ever did after I got certified, and that was only because the owner of the dive shop that we went with was spearing fish. A 9' bull shark came after the fish that he had on a stringer. Other than that no problems. I have had sharks circle me, once they start arching their back it is time to leave. Saw a 13' tiger shark in the Socorro Islands south of Cabo San Lucas at 150' and sat there and watched him for a while, he was not interested in us and the dive guide says he hangs out there at that spot all the time.

If you look like a sea lion, i.e. a surfer on a surfboard, it is a different story. The bull sharks in Florida waters have been biting people because they react to moving objects in murky water. They usually are in the surf zone, where even clear water gets stirred up. As to great whites in Southwest Australia and South Africa, you might be playing a game of Russian Roulette by surfing or diving there frequently, especially near sea lion colonies.

CeeGee · #9 20-09-2005, 01:18

Sharks do not attack because they dont like you, they dont attack because they are pis*ed up. They dont attack because you looked at them in a funny way.They dont attack because the wife gave them a hard time or the boss had a down on them this morning.Sharks dont bear a grudge.They dont attack because you support a different football team, wear your hair in a strange way or because of your sexual orientation.
Sharks attack because they are hungry that all.
Seems like sharks have a better attitude on life than most humans.Treat them with respect and they will do the same to you.

ps sharks were on the planet long before homo sapian were.

mind you if I met one in a bar he would have to buy his round like everyone else.

Crunch · #10 20-09-2005, 01:48

I have very little sympathy for people who willingly put themselves in the position of being way down the food chain, then complain about it when something at the top has a nibble on them.
Tango Sierra me old china.

banger_chris · #11 20-09-2005, 01:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevem

You saw a whale shark in the gulf????

Hi Steve!

The place was called Ko-Tao. The Boat took us around half an hour into the sea from Samuis Chaweng Beach. If i remember back it was a very small group of islands but i could be wrong on that. Best thing i ever seen in my life! At least 10 meters long, amazing animal. There was some guy around that hung on the back fin of the whale shark. The Shark dindt seem to be very comftable with it and went off into the Deep Blue . I never touch, only look when underwater doh... lol.

gez:

jah. normally a thumbs up means going up... but in this situation nobody wanted to get back to the surface but instead squeeeeeze aas much out of the tank as possible *grin* pure pleasure i tell you!!!

Mustang · #12 20-09-2005, 02:12

I would never surf or swim in areas known to contain sharks but diving with sharks is a big part of my next year's vacation.Protea Banks and Aliwal Shoal off the east coast of South Africa have a lot of shark diving(not chumming or baiting) and I don't think they've had a single attack on a diver yet.(I could be wrong)I'm not counting the free diver that got eaten by the Tiger up the coast a few months ago.He was spear fishing(all bets are off) and was suspected to have suffered a shallow water blackout first.(but I dont search a lot for shark attacks so I could be in denial

)
But the distance from shore,depth and strong current is probably the biggest risk to diving Protea Banks.Guess I'll find out next year!

Having said that,I don't eat shark meat....Karma's a bit#ch!

Mustang · #13 20-09-2005, 02:42

Of course if someone with 36 years and 6600 dives under their belt tells me I'm all turned around on the subject I might just lend an ear.5555555

Seriously as a fairly new diver it's good to know we've got a great diving knowledge base here to access.

seafox · #14 20-09-2005, 02:57

As far as I know there have not been many incidents with sharks off of the S. Africa coast while going out on trips with guides. One or 2 bites from excited sharks in feeding frenzies during the sardine runs but nothing from diving with Raggies or Tigers there. And they use a cage for the great whites.

Have had friends go out there and have had a great time. I have been invited on trips a few times but always have had something else planned and have not been able to get away.

I have been circled a bunch of times but usually if I swim at them they swim away a little bit. Had a friend of mine get chased by a 5' silvertip at the Cocos Islands. Saw the video with the shark chasing him all the way to the surface. He was filming some large pregnant female silvertips at a cleaning station and this male who was interested in the females went after him and circled him for all of his 50' ascent. He was using a closed circuit rebreather and was one of the first people to ever dive that site so maybe the small male did not know what he was as there were no bubbles and James is a big guy, 6'4" and 240 Lbs.

In Rangiroa in French Polynesia they are filming tiger sharks eating grey reef sharks at sunrise and no problems there.

aussie dollar · #15 20-09-2005, 04:02

saw bits and pieces of the show they are awesome.
I reckon its there domain and should not be hunted,unless for food sources with some restrictions placed to conserve numbers.
In sydney harbour and other major NSW waterways now the shark numbers are right up,for two reasons
Clean water (pollution is a lot lower)
curbing of professial fishing(goverment buying up licences)so more feed for them.

Crustasian · #16 23-09-2005, 16:32

It is a well known fact that more people are killed in the world per year by falling coconuts than by sharks - believe it or not.

S1MON · #17 23-09-2005, 18:59

I was down at patong beach today and thought i saw a HUGE Fin coming out of the water,

was not a Fin at all, he was a swede called Jim, must have been 6 foot 5

Will also be watching out for those coconuts from now on, thanks for the advice crustasian