Choking on a Shark Story
Stuart Nettle February 11, 2010
More people die from choking on shark than are killed in shark attacks. I've no idea if the above statement is true or not as I made it up. That was last year, during Sydney's 'summer of the shark' and, for a laugh, I posted it on a popular surf forum. The next day it appeared in the mainstream media. When it comes to sharks and the media, real facts are something awfully scarce indeed. Perhaps part of the reason is our lack of understanding of sharks? Perhaps part of it our fear? But there is no doubt the media exploits both these aspects to meet it's own ends. Kilometres of copy were squeezed out of last year's ridiculous preoccupation with sharks. A self-stoking cycle of paranoia and hysteria was established after shark attacks occurred on consecutive days in Sydney. Terrible incidents, no doubt, yet the reaction was wildly disproportionate and the longer it went on the more the reporting felt gratuitous rather than informative. Stories appealled to emotion rather than reason in a cynical bid to extend the lifespan of a blatant media beat-up. And now, it would appear, the media are once again cocked and loaded, ready to go off at the merest whiff of a shark story. News broke this morning of a 'shark attack' at Mona Vale. Within an hour the sky above the northern Sydney beach was buzzing with news helicopters, the carpark thick with camera crew. When it comes to mindless ferocity sharks have nothing on the media packs finely tuned to the maxim: 'if it bleeds it leads'. Channel Nine surrounded the victim and took the first strike, shutting him off in a media deal. Witnessess were roped in for interviews. 'Exclusive' photos appeared on websites around the nation. Experts gave soundbites to be heard across the syndicated news networks. Shark season in Sydney had officially begun. Unfortunately though, the shark turned out to be a wobbegong. That the attacker was the aquatic equivalent of a labrador made the whole event farcial and slightly pathetic. I mean no slight on the fella that was bitten. For his part, he looked a bit rattled even if he only had a shaving cut to show for it. It's not the media's job to reflect on their own misdeeds - accountability or conscience have no place at a news desk - but their actions cause an atmosphere of alarm. It may have only been just a wobbegong but the false alarm, and the manner in which it was reported, builds a momentum of readiness. Don't relax, the real thing is not so far away. The media aren't the only ones baying for blood. Surfwatch Australia director, Michael Brown, was coincidentally - and, might I say , suspiciously - nearby when the incident occurred. Surfwatch are the operators of aerial shark surveilance along the Sydney coast. Following is Brown's account in today's Sydney Morning Herald of what happened when the wobbegong got stepped on: "I could see a guy, he was out there just having a bit of a surf and it looks like a great white has come in underneath him, shot straight up, hit him like a freight train, knocked him up out of the water. "He's obviously freaked out. He reckons it was the biggest impact he'd ever felt in his life. Luckily for him he's had the chance to grab hold of a rock and while he's hanging on to the rock the shark's still latched on to his leg trying to drag him back out to sea. It was unbelievable. "And then finally after what seemed like minutes, which was obviously only seconds, the shark's let go and he's crawled over the rocks, blood just pouring down his leg, and you can see a distinctive bite mark. "I saw a bit of the tail, which looked like a [great] white," "I'm more drawing my conclusion on the fact that whites have a very specific hunting technique, that is that they come in under their victim and then they shoot straight up vertically and then really smash in to them to try and sort of stun them and that's what the shark's done this morning. "So everything about the way this attack has taken place indicates that it is probably a juvenile great white or adolescent great white." But it wasn't, it was a wobbegong... One would expect that Brown, in his role as aerial shark spotter, could locate and identify a shark while flying 100 feet above the surf, yet at ground level, and in close proximity, he mistook a wobbegong for a great white shark. Last year Brown railed against the State Government to increase aerial shark surveilance. He claimed shark numbers had increased and used the attacks as further proof. After all, if the public feels threatened, they will pressure the government who will in turn spend money on Surfwatch. Michael Brown may think he is dealing in safety, but after todays incident it appears that he may just be peddling in fear.
Comments
Fear of sharks? It's a strange thing. We used to grab wobbygongs for a tow when we were kids snorkeling around Catherine Hill Bay. There also used to be a resident population of Gray Nurse sharks there too, but never worried about them. They have since disappeared, sadly. Have seen many sharks while surfing, especially on the Goldy. Usually bronze whalers although, did see a 2m great white one morning fishing on the Tweed breakwall. NEVER swim in a Gold Coast canal. They are full of bronzies. People are more of a danger to sharks than they will ever be to people.
the reporting of shark attacks and such has been shown to greatly increase when there is a lack of news worthy stories.
Shark stories will get top rating due to fear and lack of understanding. Fair dinkum a wobbygong how unlucky was that. Still better than being grabbed by a great white or a tiger or bull shark. Agree with nuckenfutz don't swim in our canals and creeks Bull sharks paradise.
I agree with the whole media beat up thing, they are such wankers when it comes to a story. But that bullshit that Brown fella came up with is insane, he should be employed somewhere well away from the ocean. Last year was a bit weird with all the hype but the strange thing was that i saw 6 or 7 sharks in the surf that summer, 5 of which were between Snapper & Kirra. Before that i'd only seen 2 in about 20 years. Imagine how many times one has been nearby and you haven't seen it, possibly hundreds if you surf alot. It's their home we're using so it's to expected i reckon. I agree with the other lads about the canals, i wont swim there.
Aquatic equivelant of a labrador...
Hahaha....
These guys are absolute tools!
I looved the point where one of them said he knew it was a great white due to its hunting technique of stalking its prey below and shooting upward.. This is the same guy who earlier said that it was a 2m great white... in ONE freakin metre of water!! good luck on employing that hunting technique!
I rekon a mossy has taken a bigger chunk out of me than that wobbey!
Also, kinda suss that after the guy got out of the water, you would think THE FIRST thing you would do it stem the bleeding?
Nope. Leave the wound wide open, so everyone can get their shots..
He still has it uncovered, unot even cleaned up, 25minutes later (according to the news report) when the media all arrived on the scene!!
What an absolute tosser! Both these melodramatic shit stirers should be shunned from the surfing community for deliberately beating up a nothing event for personal gain..
Hope a 4m grey and white piece of karma visits both of them next time they have a sesh...
First of all in defence of Michael Brown Director of Surfwatch Australia, his prediction of the type of shark may have been wrong BUT he based his opinion on the scientific hunting technique that great whites commonly use. He was also in the water with his son, which Im sure would have been a big scare for him being 30 metres away from where the attack took place. Come on people give the guy a break, even Paul Welsh who was attacked thought it was a Great White!! People make mistakes build a bridge and get over it!!
michael brown was at the same beach where the shark attack occurred?
smells a bit fishy to me
@surfergirl
Who cares if he based his opinion on 'scientific hunting technique'? He was wrong and it looks an awful lot like he lied because the outcome would suit his agenda.
Give him a break? Sorry honey...His company takes public money and he's caught lying to the public. Feed him to the lions.
^^probably mistake them for kittens
There should be no 'defending' of Michael Brown and his statement. He sounds like every other salesman I have encountered. Embellishing at every opportunity to increase his postition and get the attention he so craves. I couldnt agree with heals anymore.
A very similar thing happened here in Newcastle a while back. I remember hearing the local radio stations light up with "young boy mauled by a shark". Everyone went into overdrive because of our close proximity to a fairly healthy population of juvenile whites. Once the circus backed off there was a photo of the boy in the paper holding up the tooth of a wobby about the size of a match head that was taken from the paper cut in his foot. My eyes and ears were the only thing mauled, mauled with rubbish.
Ive decided to help my early retirement plans along by surfing with beach worms wrapped round my calves. Hopefully one of those menacing Bream or Whiting you have down your way will give my calf a nibble. Hello media deals, retirement and a slot on the next big brother series.
The SMH reported that "Mr Welsh was standing in a metre of water at Basin Bay, just north of Mona Vale Beach, teaching his 10-year-old son to surf".
But then Michael Brown says "I'm more drawing my conclusion on the fact that whites have a very specific hunting technique, that is that they come in under their victim and then they shoot straight up vertically and then really smash in to them"
How could have a Great White Shark come underneath the victim and then "shot straight up vertically", if the water was only a metre deep? I reckon the shark - even a juvenile White Pointer - would have beached itself before it had a chance to chomp.
anyone reported this to MediaWatch? it's the show on the ABC about the complete rot that is the bulk of Australian mainstream media.
As soon as myself and a couple of mates had read this, we pegged it for a Wobbegong. We are not shark experts by any stretch but if you are close to rocks, able to hold onto one apparently for dear life and in 1m of water, chances are it isn't going to be a 2m Great White. i have no doubt the guy got the shock of his life.
I also particularly liked the colourful language used by Mike Brown when he claimed the shark 'tried to drag him out to sea'. Seriously are sharks becoming that smart these days that they know to drag us out to sea where we are probably only marginally more manageable than in shallow water?
@sum cat
I've forwarded it to Media Watch but I have a feeling they're already on the case. The Dept of Primary Industries is also launching an investigation into the type of shark.
I've got a feeling we're gonna hear a bit more about Brownie's Wobbegong.
I spotted a seven meter White off Tama yesterday swimming with a pack of Wobbegongs and a couple of Mako's. The Mako's were launching themselves 10 to 15 meters in the air every time a Surfwatch plane flew over and the Woobegongs were charging at the beach every time the white breached and spotted a backpacker heading into the water. Don't be deceived, the shark population are preparing an all out assault on Sydney's beaches.
Here`s one for you...South Africa 3 month surf trip with mates,winter 2000, waves, beer,wetsuits, weed. Capetown to Durban and Back.. Durban Shark World visit one flat day. Shark dissection live...,insides cut open and showing 90percent liver inside a shark to filter whatever is in ocean..that ends up inside its mouth. Highly sensitive tip of nose which can sense vibration and a drop of blood in olympic size pool.Cool..Week later heading back to CTown score nice swell Nahoon Reef..first light no dramas...arvo session glassy 3 to 4 foot.. when TWO great whites attack local grom about to take off..Break his wrist..then bite his board while bailing to deeper water...All caught on camera that you have all seen around the world(sold to reuters..bad mistake)..We were told storm water outfall was nearby after the attack..which attracts the big fish.Dont believe the hype... i have laughed hard at media coverage of this attack over the years..its all about drama/ratings...But THEY are out there,be careful(Sharks and Media) hahaha
Yes thanks for reminding me, sharks are out there. South Africa , South Australia . Go south if you want to see the real deal.Port Stephens is only the Kindergarden The mind shark, thats the scariest one.
Did anyone see Catalyst the other night? Jesus ,they were tagging Juvenile Great Whites just at back of the surf line...They said they'd tagged like 10 in a day or something and there's was guys surfing all up the beach,guess we're not on the menu eh?Just don't step on one
That's Mona Vale for ya. Can't dish up a decent wave, can't even dish up a decent shark attack. Serves Channon and the boys right for leaving NN boardriders back in '65 to form Seabeach.
@ heals... I will jump to his defense, Michael never said he definately thought it was a great white, in fact on a live radio interview he was quoted as saying that they were not sure what type of shark it was but from the nature of the way Paul Welsh was attacked it MIGHT note MIGHT be a juvenile great white shark. He never said definately. That's why I say give the guy a break... His company does not take public money I have known everyone who works for Surfwatch for a long time and they are a not-for-profit organisation. They do not earn any $$$ from what they do. So please get your facts straight before making false accusations!!!
How absolutely ridiculous(and funny).
surfergirl, when interviewed by the media about a shark attack, most 'experts' would be cautious about mentioning the type of shark unless they were quite certain.
In the interview with the SMH (reprinted above), Michael said:
"it looks like a great white has come in underneath him"
"I'm more drawing my conclusion on the fact that whites have a very specific hunting technique"
"So everything about the way this attack has taken place indicates that it is probably a juvenile great white or adolescent great white"
Three sentences in one interview that mention mention Great Whites. This seems to be a pretty confident analysis coming from someone who runs a business spotting sharks. And, he didn't say "MIGHT be a juvenile great white" as you suggested.. he said "it is probably a juvenile great white" - there's a difference.
As for whether Surfwatch is a not-for-profit organisation - there's nothing on their website to indicate it (all I could see were $100K sponsorship packages). Can you point me in the direction where their NFP status can be clarified? The ASIC website database seems to be offline right now.
Again I will point out he said looks like not that it definately was a great white shark. He was 30 metres away with his son, that in itself would be a frightening experience. It could have been him or worse his son. Straight after everyone was out of the water, he was bombarded by media. Ok his statement His website advertises for sponsorship as it costs around $1000 and hour to run a chopper. Try forking that out of your backpocket. So his observation was wrong big deal! People make mistakes
Sorry his staement may have been incorrect but again I emphasise he never said it definately was. Thats all I have to say Im not entering into a war of words Im just trying to make people see that it was a simple mistake and nothing that a big deal needs to be made out of
"Straight after everyone was out of the water, he was bombarded by media."
Why was he bombarded by the media?
"it costs around $1000 and hour to run a chopper. Try forking that out of your backpocket."
I know.. I'm looking to get my pilot's license, it's insanely expensive.
But, there's a big difference between 'not for profit' and 'not making a profit'.
Surfergirl = Michael Brown
@ thermalbern he was approached by media as he was a witness to the attack and also as the local expert on sharks as he does run Surfwatch Australia as you are aware from looking at his website. The media quite often approach him for comment, his opinion is highly valued in the media world and there have been very few occassions where his comments have been inaccurate.
@ coops no I am not Michael Brown I am his girlfriend and not afraid of admitting so, I am pointing out the simple facts of what really happened considering so many people seem to have a narrow minded view and are focussing far to much on his speculation of what type of shark it might be! Again on ABC Radio which I have a recording of he is quoted saying "we don't know what type of shark it is" he then further expalains by the way Paul was attacked it may have been a juvenile great white due to the way Paul was attacked. Like I said no where in ther did he say it was definate.
It is easy for everyone to judge. But you all need to know why I said it might be a small white shark.
I do acknowledge I repeated the statement and should have been more careful not to create panic in the community.
First, I said to the media and I quote
“I am not sure if it was a Great White but it looks like the shark has come from under the guy, it’s launched straight up into him, knocked him up out of the water. He grabbed onto a rock and the shark was trying to drag him back into the water”
this was word for word the statement I made less than an hour after the attack on ABC radio. I have a recording of this conversation and will make it available for review to anyone.
What made me think it was a small 1.8 to 2m Great white. I have seen several Great Whites off the Northern beaches over the past couple of weeks so I knew they were around.
I spoke to Paul the victim minutes after he was out of the water and he said to me that the shark launched strait up at him from bellow and hit him with an incredible force. Paul then said the shark latched on to him and was shaking it head as it tried to drag him back into the water. This is in line with the way Great Whites attack. Wobbygong sharks do not attack like this as far as I knew.
After inspecting the bite on Paul’s leg I saw a lot of blood and what looked to be deep bite marks on both sides of his lower leg.
At no stage did I ever say it was definitely a Great White, the media just ran with it and before I knew it the story was out of control.
A short time after the attack I went up in the Surfwatch chopper and photographed three sharks around 2m swimming in less than 2 feet of water at Avalon beach. The channel 7 helicopter also photographed a 2m shark off Mona Vale beach close to where the attack took place, so the evidence for a small white shark was growing.
It was not till later in the arvo we found out it was a Wobbygong. By this stage Paul had sold his story to the media. Nether I or any member of Surfwatch received any profit from the story nor did we sell or profit from the sale of any photos.
It was not my intention to cause panic but at the time I did believe it could be a small Great White. I know there were more sharks about. So I am glad people stayed out of the water for the day.
Based on the evidence and the fact I knew there were dangerous sharks in the area. I did what I thought was right. I am disappointed my comments caused so much concern but I believe I did the right thing based on the evidence I had.
On a personal note I was in the water less than 40m from where Paul was attacked. It was a shock for me and the fact I had my 13yo son with me made it even more of a shock. I see sharks all the time with my work and I don’t want to see anyone else attacked. So I guess I am a bit over sensitive when it comes to sharks on our beaches.
Cheers
Michael Brown
First of all, good on you for commenting on here Michael, and also for acknowledging the public perception of your comments.
It is however, very hard to believe that with your knowledge of sharks a victim could've been attacked by a white, with enough force to drag him into the water, yet only receive the extremely minor wounds he did. Surely the force of a white's jaws would cause far more damage? Have Valery and Ron been lying to us all this time?
However the events unfolded, it does seem that you dearly wanted this incident to fit your preconceived notion of white sharks. That would've suited your public image very neatly.
Lastly, are you sure those two meter sharks you saw at Avalon were in just two feet of water? Again, that does seem awfully hard to believe.
I am happy to email you the photos if you like
Anyone can request the photos by sending me an email. [email protected]
Where in all this debate is any comment about why we are seeing so many sharks (whites especially) off the east coast? What about the explosion of the australian salmon and what they are doing to fish populations? The over fishing from commercial operations and groups claiming to be recreational anglers taking schools of fish every year from our oceans? The complete destruction of school shark populations on the east coast from over fishing? We seem to be pretty quick to judge the Japanese over whales and dolphins but it is time Australia looked in the mirror and realised we are doing exactly the same thing to local fish populations. The conversation created by this scare mongering from the media makes out like there are no sharks off the beaches of sydney. Its not rocket science that someone was able to get in a helicopter and take photos of sharks, they live in the ocean for christ sake! Michael you also don't mention what kind of sharks were photographed after the attack.
Surfergirl the fact you didn't acknowledge who you are at the start when commenting on this removes any level of credibility to your statements. Michael, I respect your organisation and what you do as I believe that you provide important scientific data in terms of shark and fish populations in the Sydney region but with surf sites like swellnet being supporters of white tag you should think twice about defending yourself and perhaps look towards using your media profile to educate future generations about the environmental effect of over fishing and the reasons behind shark behavior.
If the money invested on sending planes, helicopters, reporters and their cameras to report on someone getting gummed by a Woobegong was invested into looking under the ocean rather than above it perhaps we would have a little more respect for the environment and the creatures that we are blessed to experience as a guest of their world.
So you draw the conclusion that because one was spotted of Avalon recently, it must have been a white shark? Classic !! And you went up AFTER the attack so it could have swum in from anywhere by that time.
@ Keono I dont think it really matters whether or not I say who I am. I was just pointing out that I was not Michael Brown. Simple.
Great Article. Although you forgot to mention that the wobbegong is suspected to have ties to Al-Qa'ida,...
Leave Michael alone. The more people like him and people who believe his #@%* the better. Think about it. Less people in the line up. Keep up the good work Michael.
P.S Does any know the condition of the Woobegong? I would of bitten him to if he stepped on me.
Cheers C.L
White Shark Central Sth Aust
The facts are that surfers have no defence against a shark attack other than trying to throw a pitiful punch which will not even register against a great white. Use a Jawsguard fools! www.jawsguard.com.au
Check out what aposematism is all about and why the blue ringed octopus has blue rings, why the frilled lizard has a frill, why bees are yellow and black etc.. It's about looking scary dude! Not like a seal meal!!
@jawsguard. Just checked out your websit. Very interesting. I remember a shark docco I saw in the late 60s early 70s by Ron and Valerie Taylor (legends) In that docco Valerie was talking about surfers and sharks, she said" If I was a surfer I would paint two big eyes on the bottom of my surfboard because sharks are cautious hunters" I think your onto something. Worth checking out.
I hope it works on Wobbegongs!
Cheers C.L
White Shark Central
Mid Coast
Sth Aust.
@Jawsguard
I checked your website, and it seems like a great idea except you don't have any images of the stickers. You've got descriptions, but how about photos?
I've seen people riding their pushies around with stickers of eyes stuck to the back their helmets. This is supposedly to keep magpies from divebombing them during the spring nesting season. Same theory I guess?
All images are seen in the Online store - click on "Glass-in Decals" or "Stickers" and away you go. Click on the eye images for more images of the Jawsguard products. "BECAUSE BLUFFING IS YOUR ONLY DEFENCE"
Regards from Jawsguard staff.