Shark situation northern NSW

Well, there are sharks in the water. Always have been, always will be. 

I suppose you're referring to whether there have been any recent incidents? No attacks in recent months but the odd nudge from time to time (much like any other Australian coastline).

It's certainly not affecting my decision to surf across Northern NSW.

Not sure about anyone else but I'd virtually let any thoughts of sharks go until recently. The last 10 days I've heard multiple stories of bumps and cruise by's. This morning just felt weird in the water, to the point I got out. I have a horrible feeling we're building up to something.

Hasn't stopped me surfing nnsw, but it is a different feel down there compared to the GC. I've got a holiday at a favourite haunt down there in a few weeks and I must admit it's on my mind. Pretty quiet place I'm going to and prior to that series of incidents really looked forward to the limited number of other guys in the water. Now however.....

Ben's spot on. No different to any other stretch of Aus coastline. Step off the sand & take your chances. Might "feel weird" but when you will you ever feel "safe" surfing in regard to sharks? Come over to WA. You'll feel "really werid" over here. Keep surfing & enjoy the moment :)

I'm feeling your vibes crg, surfed my fav spot this morning was the first one out and was for a good 1hr plus and just had the funkiest feeling the whole time, get home this morning check dorsal and boom big 4m white just a few metres away from where I surfed. But it is what it is.

Mb88 maybe youre better off not jumping on the net straight after a surf and checking if there were any sharks around you. They've always been there, we just haven't had the technology and resources to monitor and track them until recently.
You're just unnecessarily scaring yourself going on dorsal after a surf.
Just surf and forget about the website.
If you've got the idea in your head that there's whites all around you because of a bloody website telling you so then when are you ever going to have a nice relaxing surf?

I always like to watch Wolf Creek 1 & 2 before going on a desert surf trip.

To be honest Goofy, I don't believe they were always there.....at least not in the numbers were seeing now.

Whilst the chances of an encounter are tiny , they are greater than 20 years ago for sure.

Rabs I've spent probably 2 years of my life over the last 20 years surfing WA whilst visiting family in the south west. No different a feeling than here with respect to surfing and sharks. I currently think that this coastline IS different from others in Australia due to recent events. Every surf here as with any place you surrender to the risk. If I have 50 surfs and "feel weird" in one of them I'm going to trust my instinct and go on in...no need to channel my inner WA macho man and drink some cement and all ✌️

This situation of increased numbers of GWS and the subsequent increase in sightings, encounters and attacks is a new phenomenon.

It's nothing like the "business as usual" we grew up with.

Sure the risk is still small but it's orders of magnitude greater than it once was.

New phenomenon, or just like it was pre-whaling and pre gws protection (pre surfers of course too)?

Crg, think you misunderstood my point. Wasn't suggesting you harden up, channel your inner WA macho man & don't trust your instincts as you stated. I was simply referring to the recent past (15yrs or so) in WA & how it "feels werid" surfing whilst knowing this history. How much of this feeling is reality (is a shark actually nearby) & how much is it psychological?

How is it possible some people (including in this forum) know so much about the past & current history of GWS numbers in Aus yet can't provide one single factual stat in regards to the increased or decreased population? Even the Fisheries Dept have admitted recently they don't categorically have the answer. If you've got some proof let's see it. Measuring attacks/fatalities doesn't definitely point to greater numbers necessarily.

Ofcourse the present situation is different from 60 years ago, given all the variables of change over that period yet the proof of this change isn't so clear. When it comes to surfing any stretch of Aus, if your no longer enjoying it due to sharks why keep doing it? Perspective on this issue is the key IMO.

Measuring attacks/fatalities doesn't definitely point to greater numbers necessarily.
Rabbitt says. - this may be correct
But attacks are the only statistic that matters as far as personal safety goes for surfers
I couldn't be happier if there were twice as many sharks. Quite a bit less comfortable if the number of bites on humans doubles

Breaking news: "A 17-year-old surfer has been bitten by a shark at Lighhouse Beach, Ballina, the ABC understands."

:(
Hope he is ok.

More news starting to filter in - apparently the shark attacked a 17 year old boy, and he was bitten on the upper thigh. 

All Ballina Shire beaches are now closed.

Is there any correlation between heavy inland rainfall and shark incidents a few days later.. With the increase in fresh water reaching the ocean brining with it nutrients that attract fish, it would be logical to see an increase in the presence of sharks looking for food as a result. I’m not saying this IS the reason, I’m asking.. has anyone looked into it?

PS: I hope the kid is ok

Always heaps of sharks around the river mouth, wether recent rainfall or not. It does increase numbers after rainfall, but we haven't had a decent fall in a couple of weeks. Been a lot of whales heading back south after their northern birthing sojourn. I can only think that this recent attack won't be the last for this year.

fuck, was just about to take my kids down to N. Wall.

Saltman -"But attacks are the only statistic that matters as far as personal safety goes for surfers
I couldn't be happier if there were twice as many sharks. Quite a bit less comfortable if the number of bites on humans doubles".

Saltman, the question is, why are the GWS attacks on the increase in the past 15yrs plus around Aus? There are people out there that have absolutely "no doubt" that its due to increased numbers of GWS yet have no concrete proof. They may well be correct, but at the very least they need to admit that they actually don't know for sure.

I'm not a "shark hugger" and I'm also not apposed to a cull on GWS, BUT, if we do have a targeted GWS cull only an ignorant fool would believe for one second that they are now "safer" spending time in the ocean than prior to any cull. It's a truly wild environment that is very difficult to observe and document with any real accuracy.

I hope the young lad attacked today makes a full recovery and also those that witnessed it and assisted.

Bit more info here about the young fella at Ballina:

https://www.facebook.com/dorsalaus/photos/a.770352673087918.1073741829.7...

@ Freeride: Yeah ... putting yourself at risk is one thing, but our kids?

I had my gidget out for a paddle this morning. The chopper buzzed overhead and kept heading North, but, I can tell ya, I had a bit of a heart in the mouth moment when it headed toward us and seemed to slow up.

Wingnut "Yeah ... putting yourself at risk is one things, but our kids?"

Wingnut, whose putting your kids at risk?

Just after the attack.
Official Shark Report: NSW - BALLINA (LIGHTHOUSE BEACH). 11:39, 26 Sep 16, 3.5m, Aerial Survelliance, NSWDPI aerial team alert @slsnsw lifeguards of 3.5m White shark at Lighthouse beach following attack this morning https://t.co/aEbu7yHNzW

Go to the Dorsal page, there are photos.

Curious as to the water clarity at North Wall and if there were bait fish present, because otherwise, this attack occured in weather conditions that would generally tick most of the boxes for avoiding attacks (apart from North Wall's proximity to the Richmond River, of course).

Just for the record for anyone trying to put the attack into some kind of theory.

Sunny day.
1013 hPa barometer reading and steady.
Light SW breeze.
Low tide at the bar 10.34.
Five days before the new moon.
Water vis look pretty good.

A really pretty spring day.

27mm of rain in total so far for September so typical very dry month. River is about as clean and clear as it gets.
As for baitfish, I wasn't there today but have been surfing N. Wall every day. No bait balls present, been pretty low activity as far as that goes. Haven't seen much bait activity for weeks.

There has been tons and tons of whales passing back south.

Jeez, this is sizey!!

mini-submarine

Does anyone else feel uncomfortable calling this an "attack"?

How about an investigation?

PUBLIC NOTICE....26/09/2016..(ALL BALINA BEACHES ARE CLOSED) -Lennox Head+Sharpes Beach+Shelly Beach+Lighthouse Beach Balina are closed for next 24 hrs..... Earlier this morning just before 9:00 am @ Lighthouse Beach along from north wall, just past the break. Unseen Shark bites surfboard first then 17 y/old male (Balina sls club member) on right thigh. Fellow local surfer aids bringing friend safely to shore.Onshore off-duty nurses provide first aid. Life guards on season 2016/17 first patrol day cleared the surf safely. Youth is said to be stable in Lismore Base Hospital. Lifeguards are said to have chased a shark away after the attack. Aerial and sea surveillance is underway and surfboard bite marks will be analysed to determine breed/size of shark.(NOTES): 3- 4m Great White has been seen offshore! + Plans for shark netting this beach were called off just last month,due to rough conditions.(check other swellnet posts & local news for updates).Not a witness,just a messenger(REPEAT) slsnsw _INCIDENT_ (Please stay away from the area!) Thank swellnet for update post.

Sounds like it was the board taking the impact of the bite that saved this young fellas life.

Why would you feel uncomfortable calling it an attack AndyM?

@ AndyM - yep, the whole media wording and use of "attack" feels wrong. I mean, fuck, look at the picture of the beast. If it was going to attack, it would make a fucking mess of ya. More like an 'inquiry' or 'investigation' by said beast on the poor kid.

@ Rabs68 - us. One thing for us to surf and take the risk, but it's another to take our kids out and face the same risk. Fuck, how would ya feel if ya own kid got injured by an inquisitive shark.

@ Freeride - those same stats seem very similar to previous incidents?

Hey Freeride, and any others with the interest / stats / records - any similarity as to the moon position at the time of the incidents? That is, where was the moon at the precise time of the attack? Rising, setting, etc?

From the reports, incident today was just before 9am, so could be an hour after the lunar transit. I'm just looking for details of the other recent incidents....

In the Aussie article, one of the dawny surfers said a number of fishing boats came quite close in this morning.
I surfed there last night, dolphins were super active flying around the lineup. Put my feet up a few times too I must admit.

where's the aussie article LD?

I'm guessing this one, Freeide:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/teenager-attacked-by-shark-off-ball...

Dorsal linked it on their FB post.

Freeride, Wingnut sums it up. It just a bit sensationalist and inaccurate.

A shark 'attack' will rip you apart, many seem to be investigations.

No disrespect to victims, it's no consolation.

That worked earlier for me but now they've paywalled it?

We've seen shark attacks of varying severity....one of the main modus operandi of the great white seems to be the single leg/torso bite followed by letting the prey bleed out (exsanguinate).

You can call that a bite, call it an attack. Humans are rarely consumed, though there are some instances of it happening.

Call it what you want. The results are usually horrific and it's hardly sensational to call it an attack.

Seems one of the main things that helps a victim survive is the surfboard getting in the way of that initial bite.

Got to give it to this kid. "You can call my dad, but don't tell mum yet".
Apparently, he is going to be fine.
"It was a massive f...ing thing ".
Well said.

Docs been trying to prise his ph outta his hands......na go away im texting all me mates...lm o.k.

Good to hear.

"A 17-year-old surfer, who once rejected the need for shark nets"

Now that's some pretty ugly reporting.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-26/ballina-shark-attack:-teenage-surf...

Poor grom, mauled by Media and severely victimised by Lonewolfmaneatingreatwhitesharkattack. Twist of fate as Le-Ba Boardrider recovers in Hospital.Media hounds dig up news article July/21/2116. Returning back to bite Mr Cooper Allen,started a feeding frenzy-all want a piece now! FACTCHECK- North Coast trial eco-nets unravelled as marine debris(Yes ?). Get well soon Cooper and get yourself a good manager!

Sounds like the young bloke is going to be ok...great news.
Whales everywhere yesterday but it hardly felt like your "typical" attack weather or conditions.
The debate will no doubt fire up again from all sides and as usual the media will sensationalise...meanwhile our region and community keeps bearing the effects.
Hopefully on this cycle of the merry go round between local, regional and state bodies we can move somewhere forward to some sort of solution.

Yeah! Which Newspaper? and What.... Date was that ? Give the kid a head start....Be yesterdays news by now!

Jeez crg you called this on Saturday at 5:17.
What's your tattslotto numbers?!