What can be done to prevent the next encounter: stripes in, yummy yellow out

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Surfpolitik

633699-c37532a4-2e5d-11e5-a265-b36c865c538e.jpgMick Fanning's Great Escape video has now been watched over 12,000,000 times and it's no surprise. In just twenty seconds it stroked many touchpoints: it indulged our morbid curiousity of sharks, had the celebrity factor, and it evoked a range of primal emotions such as fear, relief, and camaraderie. It was all there on show with not a drop of blood to spoil it.

But as our collective pulse rates drop, heartbeat levels out, and breathing returns to normal it's worth pondering what's gonna change. Because things are going to change, this attack - or encounter if you're so inclined - didn't happen to a friend of a friend of a friend, Mick Fanning is someone we've all got a connection to, and it happened on a live webcast.

"Sometimes it takes a tragic event before there's a call to arms," says Craig Anderson, co-founder of WA's Shark Attack Mitigations Systems. "Fortunately for Mick he got away unscathed. Not many people could say that."

Shark Attack Mitigation Systems, or SAMS, manufacture a number of products that lessen the chance of shark encounters. One of them being striped wetsuits with different patterns for diving or surfing, each designed to confuse a shark.

"Vision is the last of a shark's senses it uses before attack," says Anderson. "The colour patterns we use are devised to cause confusion."

sams-shark-deterrent-wetsuits-elude-dive.jpgThe wetsuits have been created in conjunction with the University of Western Australia but they're yet to be widely accepted by surfers. In WA's south-west you'll see the odd surfer wearing one but they remain firmly in the minority.

This may soon change. Anderson says SAMS have had preliminary discussions with some of the "big name surf brands" though he won't disclose which ones. He does, however, think this incident may shock the industry the way it has shocked surfers, and they'll react accordingly.

SAMS westsuits won't necessarily stop an attack and their website says as much: "It is impossible for SAMS to guarantee that 100% of sharks will be deterred under all circumstances with the SAMS technology." But, says Anderson, "We believe they will offer some protection. After all, humans aren't in the sharks' food chain, whatever you can do to lessen the chance of an attack is worth it."

Immediately following last night's incident people commented on the colour of Mick's board. All his DHD boards this season have had a white deck with a yellow bottom. It's a striking look when seen in photos, especially watershots taken from the back of the wave where Mick's golden blade contrasts against the deep blue of the ocean.

images_2_0.jpeg"We're probably not going to do the yellow anymore," said Darren Handley when Swellnet spoke to him this morning. Immediately following the incident Mick told the WSL "I'm happy to not compete ever again" yet just hours later he was on the phone to his shaper discussing the encounter and what precautions they would take in the future.

"They call it yummy yellow," said Handley. "Mick was telling me the fishos over there call it that. When a boat goes down it's always the swimmers with yellow life jackets that sharks go for."

In WA's south-west and other places where frequent attacks have happened, surfers have taken to colouring the bottom of their boards black and white. The rationale is similar to SAMS wetsuit technology: the contrasting colours aren't registered well by sharks.

Would Mick use a black and white pattern when he next paddles out at J'Bay or Margaret River? "Yeah, we're already talking about it," said Darren. "We'll see."

Coloured wetsuits aren't the only technology SAMS produces, also in their catalogue is an electronic shark detection system called the Clever Buoy. The system works by using sonar to detect shark-sized objects swimming near a buoy network. When a detection is made the buoy will relay a signal to lifeguards on the beach.

The Clever Buoy system has been tested in the WA waters and will undergo a 30 day trial in Sydney early in summer. Anderson said they've been approached by resort owners who wish to make their private beaches safe, and even coastal land devlopers selling property near "shark safe beaches".

The Margaret River Pro is jointly sponsored by Tourism WA who are selling the south-west as an idyllic - and safe - place to visit. The Clever Buoy system is an ideal solution as it is portable and the network can be installed for the duration of the waiting period.

The WSL are yet to discuss the system but after this close call we can expect they'll use some type of preventative measure. Like the surf industry and the surfers, this incident will shock them into action.

Comments

Ape Anonymous's picture
Ape Anonymous's picture
Ape Anonymous Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 3:07pm

Apparently the US Navy did extensive research on colours and shark attraction. Green / army green is the least likely to attract them. Looks like vegetable matter. Yuk!

Luke G's picture
Luke G's picture
Luke G Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 3:20pm

How does that work when sharks are colour blind?

Ape Anonymous's picture
Ape Anonymous's picture
Ape Anonymous Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:20pm

Contrast to surrounding "tones".

trolleyboy's picture
trolleyboy's picture
trolleyboy Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 3:27pm

Wonder if Jeep will reconsider their yummy yellow leaders jersey?

atticus's picture
atticus's picture
atticus Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 3:42pm

Traditionally companies don't get involved in environmental issues unless there's profit to be made, usually that'd be market driven - i.e by following fashion - though in this case there may be top down impetus. At present few surfers wear striped wetsuits but what if professional surfers started wearing them, simply for safety, and canny marketers morphed it into a fashion? There have been more unlikely fashions trends, wetsuit shorts, fluoro zink, so don't discount those black and white striped steamers.

pale-rider's picture
pale-rider's picture
pale-rider Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 9:11am

don't knock wet shorts still waiting for them to come back, Occy Green Iguana Style, only shorts to leave your nuts unrasheded on a week long surf trip

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 3:48pm

I got my latest board with the black and white stripes. My fav little short board at the moment is yellow. Might have to get the spray paint on it tomorrow.

reeflingo's picture
reeflingo's picture
reeflingo Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:16pm

Are you trying to be a turtle or something? Get that black spray paint out pronto!

reeflingo's picture
reeflingo's picture
reeflingo Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:15pm

Time for the yellow leaders rashie to go. This is no tour de france. The only thing those blokes have to dodge is the drug testers.

the-spleen_2's picture
the-spleen_2's picture
the-spleen_2 Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:21pm
reeflingo wrote:

Time for the yellow leaders rashie to go.

Not while Adriano is wearing it.

reeflingo's picture
reeflingo's picture
reeflingo Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:23pm

Are you saying that he needs to be drug tested? ;)

Chris White's picture
Chris White's picture
Chris White Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 8:31pm

Hahaha that's gold. (Pardon the pun)

southey's picture
southey's picture
southey Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 11:36pm
Chris White wrote:

Hahaha that's gold. (Pardon the pun)

Hey Chris I saw yours and Hard's posts on FB . V Funny . Too early ? Maybe if Mick or Jdub see it .
Apparently not to early for DH though , although in his defence he did go finless as he heard that local sharks had a thing against Finning !

Rustymullet's picture
Rustymullet's picture
Rustymullet Friday, 24 Jul 2015 at 9:47am
reeflingo wrote:

Time for the yellow leaders rashie to go. This is no tour de france. The only thing those blokes have to dodge is the drug testers.

Rustymullet's picture
Rustymullet's picture
Rustymullet Friday, 24 Jul 2015 at 9:51am
reeflingo wrote:

Time for the yellow leaders rashie to go. This is no tour de france. The only thing those blokes have to dodge is the drug testers.

All this talk of yellow , are we missing the other yellow stuff that sharks might be attracted too???i was thinking of patenting a rubber pipe that feeds out of your wet suit for emergencies

Cylinders85's picture
Cylinders85's picture
Cylinders85 Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:15pm

My board is yellow its getting retried.

caml's picture
caml's picture
caml Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:38pm

Hold up a second fashionistas ! I paid 50$ to get black n white stripes painted on the bottom of my board but then I did a spot check & dived under and looked up at my special paint job . It wasnt even noticeable ! I honestly think that this idea is a hoax , like be real now does the shark swim under then make a decision based upon the colour ?

Ape Anonymous's picture
Ape Anonymous's picture
Ape Anonymous Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:44pm

Is a sharks sight more refined in the ocean than a human's ?

Faunt Leroy's picture
Faunt Leroy's picture
Faunt Leroy Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:57pm

Or a camels?

donweather's picture
donweather's picture
donweather Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 5:54pm

Watch that slow mo footage again. The shark swims past Mick then does a 180 degree turn and attacks. It clearly checked him out before going in for the kill. So it was looking at something before it made it's decision.

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 8:57am

Where do you see that it goes past? First sign of it is from the right, behind Mick, then the dorsal fin appears when it is right next to him.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:43pm

Caml, any surfers on the coast youre at stick to a certain board colour or keep away from yellows or any specific colour ?

caml's picture
caml's picture
caml Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:50pm

Aa & udes .well I always got my board yellow until a year ago I started to pay for the black n white stripes . But then did the diving underneath check & found it was very very unnoticeable . So my opinion is that it's too late to have a colour that prevents attack in shallow water GWS attack zones

Ape Anonymous's picture
Ape Anonymous's picture
Ape Anonymous Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:56pm

Shiny lure-like surface with meat attached..
Disregarding colour, sharks also use electromagnetic fields to hunt. Larger muscle will pulse more energy (larger electro-magnetic field), and may be why sharks tend to go for the large thigh muscles??

What did Kelly say to Mick : "Good Karma"

caml's picture
caml's picture
caml Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:52pm

Maybe if a shork was south efrican he may decide at j baai ! Shorks bru fookin shorks ! Target practice could be fun !

paddlepaddleduckrepeat's picture
paddlepaddleduckrepeat's picture
paddlepaddleduc... Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 4:55pm

I simply paint "not for consumption...human!" on the bottom...still here today.

penmister's picture
penmister's picture
penmister Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 6:51pm

Those wetties make me swim away. ...

mick-free's picture
mick-free's picture
mick-free Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 8:28pm

This guy was surfing Salad Bowls at Jbay finals day last year. At the time I thought what a tool. But maybe not now,

southey's picture
southey's picture
southey Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 8:45pm
mick-free wrote:

This guy was surfing Salad Bowls at Jbay finals day last year. At the time I thought what a tool. But maybe not now,

Being in Africa I'd be more worried about being mistaken for a Zebra on land than a seal in the ocean in that suit . I can see the headlines now , man survives shark infested ocean , only to be ambushed by lions the moment he stepped ashore . .
Oh about that talk of sharks going after larger thigh muscles , I heard a rumour that some deluxe , amasing , chiseled , good looking old fuk was seen at cash converters in Lincoln selling boards by the dozen ! ;-)

mick-free's picture
mick-free's picture
mick-free Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 8:52pm

hope he doesn't see this thread Southey....man he is getting pretty worked up with you...what did you do, de-hymen his daughter or something?

btw the Calamari fisherman we were staying with reckons the juvenile population of whites is out of control in the waters off jbay. Reckons open season over the next few years.

southey's picture
southey's picture
southey Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 9:05pm

Mick ,
" I'm just a slightly smaller bloke , standing in front of a slightly larger bloke , giving him the bird "
'cause I'm faster and smarter than him . Oh and it's fun ! I don't mind people laughing at or with me as long as everyone has some fun .

mick-free's picture
mick-free's picture
mick-free Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 8:29pm

southey's picture
southey's picture
southey Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 10:41pm

Old mate in this photo has a pretty big cut ? On his left foot !?
You'd reckon that would outway any advantage of Zebra chamelion .

mick-free's picture
mick-free's picture
mick-free Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 12:33am

Be funny if a lion seeing that Blood and zebra suit just bolt out of the bushes and start munching away. Then Kelly could retire having seen everything!

dingostick's picture
dingostick's picture
dingostick Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 8:41pm

Looking at the shot in the story of Fanno's 'yummy yellow' boards, it looks like they also come with dog scent.

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 8:58pm

work/health/safety might move in lol....... perhaps have competitors permanently on skis.... the ski rider may become the caddy like golf......... Better scope for approaching sets..... Tactics...... Less good waves going unridden....... I suppose a surfer will get run over and killed, then that'll fuck that up......

cory's picture
cory's picture
cory Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 9:51pm

Hey Stu,
I would love to hear the WSL's plans for next years comp at J Bay given that they are the responsible entity that decide where comps will be held and determine they are safe. What if the worst case scenario happened in South Africa and someone was injured or killed? Surely WSL would be slapped with the biggest lawsuit in sporting history? It's one thing to be a recreational surfer and choosing where you surf as well as if you go out but these guys don't have that choice given its their employment. A lot of the surfers commented about when they feel safe to have a warm up surf...

mikehunt207's picture
mikehunt207's picture
mikehunt207 Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 10:25pm

Would a shark eat a zebra? Stripes and all, reckon so, but more likely cause it smelt it or picked up on its heart rate or thrashing in the water . Hard to believe a predator that has been such a efficient hunter for so many millions of years would have to rely on its poor eyesight to hunt for food? they have much more developed senses than that. Water looked pretty murky too. Jury is out on the colour theory. For sure the most exciting thing the wsl has seen this year, prob a massive bump in viewer numbers. I guess now with such a public figure nearly getting eaten("oh my god! nobody is safe!) the shark haters will be sharpening their keyboard fingers. The WA gov just announced shark nets going up this summer in albany and perth .

theween's picture
theween's picture
theween Tuesday, 28 Jul 2015 at 5:15pm
mikehunt207 wrote:

Would a shark eat a zebra? Stripes and all, reckon so, but more likely cause it smelt it or picked up on its heart rate or thrashing in the water . Hard to believe a predator that has been such a efficient hunter for so many millions of years would have to rely on its poor eyesight to hunt for food? they have much more developed senses than that. Water looked pretty murky too. Jury is out on the colour theory. For sure the most exciting thing the wsl has seen this year, prob a massive bump in viewer numbers. I guess now with such a public figure nearly getting eaten("oh my god! nobody is safe!) the shark haters will be sharpening their keyboard fingers. The WA gov just announced shark nets going up this summer in albany and perth .

@mickfree, yes he does look like a tool and not necessarily cause of the stripes but also looks like he could handle any shark that came at him too.
I always thought you were meant to draw a big eye on the bottom of your board if you were worried about sharks? Predators don,t like they prey to to see them, ambush attack, an old boy told me that many years ago. No dumber than stripes anyhow.

'Dumb' is how you come across mike - we aren't 'shark haters' if we value human life over that of a fish.

mikehunt207's picture
mikehunt207's picture
mikehunt207 Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 2:47am

@mickfree, yes he does look like a tool and not necessarily cause of the stripes but also looks like he could handle any shark that came at him too.
I always thought you were meant to draw a big eye on the bottom of your board if you were worried about sharks? Predators don,t like they prey to to see them, ambush attack, an old boy told me that many years ago. No dumber than stripes anyhow

Blackdog's picture
Blackdog's picture
Blackdog Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 11:20pm

The big eye theory might work for magpies, tigers, savage dogs and so on but to old whitie you probably just look like one of them big squid. Mmmm calamari

cory's picture
cory's picture
cory Monday, 20 Jul 2015 at 10:49pm

Research is the key to understanding Sharks and living in harmony with them. I downloaded a free app a few weeks ago called Global Shark Tracker. I find it interesting to see different sharks in various areas behave so differently. All threats aside they are truly amazing and magnificent creatures...

mick-free's picture
mick-free's picture
mick-free Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 12:40am

@cory I used it in South Africa good for the real big ones. A mate said who was attacked and spending his life filming and docos on them. They are killing machines. That's it. Thats all.

gannet's picture
gannet's picture
gannet Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 9:06am

Now we know why Julian dons the Hurley stripes.

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 9:13am

Sorry, donweather, I can not see the shark at any time other than just before it appears behind Mick. How do you conclude it "checked him out" first?

Here's the footage:

mick-free's picture
mick-free's picture
mick-free Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 7:04pm

Wingnut can't punch up a link but smh reporting shark researcher said it was a classic attack from behind. Just read it.

daboots's picture
daboots's picture
daboots Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 3:05pm

Just set up some big balloons anchored by some buoys along the line up with some Gopros looking down from the sky. Then have a couple of guys looking at the screens to monitor for sharks. I don't think such a set up would be too expensive these days.

Most likely there is also already some video object recognition software that would allow recognition of a shark shape and swim pattern. For sure the military have that sort of software already in place. Obviously murky waters would be a problem but it would still cover most days.

Such system could even be easily used on any other beach as a standard.

My 5c...

ACB__'s picture
ACB__'s picture
ACB__ Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 2:32pm

That's almost exactly what SAMS have done. Follow the hyperlink in the article above.

daboots's picture
daboots's picture
daboots Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 3:13pm

I'm talking about aerial surveillance rather than sonar-type tech. The buoys would just be to keep the Gopro-holding balloons in place. Although just normal bottom anchors would suffice.

Instead of having lifesavers looking out from the tower they could be looking from above. This without having to use drones, which still have fairly limited battery time. A couple of Gopros with beefed up batteries would do the job.

Toppa's picture
Toppa's picture
Toppa Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 7:23pm

All the talk about yellow boards, if you watch the footage of Mick's board being lifted into the rescue boat it is actually 'white' underneath? Apolgies if someone else has mentioned this earlier.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 7:29pm

Toppa , you colour blind ?

Toppa's picture
Toppa's picture
Toppa Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 8:43pm

Sorry mate, I think it might have been Pete Mel's board that I mistook for Micks.

bondisteve's picture
bondisteve's picture
bondisteve Tuesday, 21 Jul 2015 at 8:05pm

G'Day all.
Having read through many posts on many sites I feel I should repeat here what I have posted in other sites. Obviously there is a lot of concern and forward thinking.
Guys this one is relatively simple.
1. Enforce the wearing of booties into the water...no blood.
2. The GoPro drone will be released in November. It is reportedly very good. Use it for shark surveillance. Even in Infrared.
3.Wakeless motorised surfboards could be considered as a first response to a surf observation. Keeping the surface relatively clean whilst dealing with the problem as skis stood by even while, possibly the contest continued. This is JBay after all and sharks are there regardless.
4. Convince the African authorities that placing two or more fit and possibly bleeding humans in the lineup without adequate defence(ski assist) is "Colosseumesk" and not in the best interests of Pro Surfing.
5. Not awarding points for risky finishes on the rocks.
Ta and good nite.

bondisteve's picture
bondisteve's picture
bondisteve Friday, 24 Jul 2015 at 9:42am

And here is some more!
You can now share the very moment you paddle over a waterfall in a kayak—live.
Live video-streaming app Meerkat announced a beta program on Thursday that enables some GoPro GPRO, +3.68% users to live-stream their footage directly from their GoPro device.
The company, which competes directly with Twitter Inc.’s TWTR, +0.28% live-streaming app Periscope, said the camera can be connected to the app via Bluetooth, and then prompted to stream by shaking the mobile device that is hosting the Meerkat app.
So there will be GoPro drones and the new app to stream live.
Great!

halleys-comet's picture
halleys-comet's picture
halleys-comet Saturday, 25 Jul 2015 at 4:40pm

My 5 cents worth; the SAMS testing on black and white stripes was done with tiger sharks. I'd only seriously consider using the b&w stripy wetsuits and bottom of surfboards here in WA if they test successfully on Great Whites. My theory is tiger sharks are primarily warmer water sharks, where the poisonous sea snakes are often b&w striped in colour, hence their aversion to these stripes. In WA it's the whiteys that have the history of bites and fatalities, not tigers (unlike places like Hawaii and Reunion).

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Saturday, 25 Jul 2015 at 4:55pm
halleys-comet's picture
halleys-comet's picture
halleys-comet Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 12:14am

Thanks Simba, that link was a good read, I'll still want more thorough testing with a variety of whiteys to justify striped wettie, or board, testing preferably done in WA where I'm based these days.

trippergreenfeet's picture
trippergreenfeet's picture
trippergreenfeet Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 1:36pm

Walter Starck has been working on testing/proving striped wetties for 30 odd years but I haven't found any solid work by him on GWS - Google Scholar turned up very little on that particular subject...majority of his work focuses on tropical waters although he has done some work in cold water such as NZ.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 11:10am

I dont know if this has been mentioned here before but sounds positive now ocean and earth have come on board with sharkshield.
https://www.sharkshield.com/video-tag/testing-and-scientific-research/

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 12:45pm

If the detterent vid on there site is the best they have.........I put little faith in Sharkshield keeping me safe.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 11:29am

Shark Shield developing the world’s first Proven In-built Surfboard Shark Deterrent with Ocean & Earth Media Release 20 July 2015 Shark Shield, the world’s only scientifically proven and independently tested electronic shark deterrent, and Ocean & Earth are developing the world’s first proven in-built surfboard shark deterrent. Lindsay Lyon, Shark Advocate and Managing Director of Shark Shield said, “The near miss Mick Fanning faced overnight further instills the need to create a safe environment for not only our elite surfers but for everyday surfers who love the sport. We believe this new product launching in early 2016 can do just that and take away the stress from surfers and families alike.” Designed to not only protect surfers the new product is aesthetically appealing and has no impact on current surfboard manufacturing or the shaping design processes, and zero to minimal impact on surfboard performance. The patented innovation leverages the Ocean & Earth grip pad by mounting the miniaturised removable electronics in the kicker area, with a thin adhesive sticker on the underside of the board as the antenna

halleys-comet's picture
halleys-comet's picture
halleys-comet Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 11:59am

Thanks again Simba.
I'm also keen to know if Dave from Katana Surfboards in Perth has done any more testing on his electronic deterent? check it out; surfsafe.net.au
Cheers

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 27 Jul 2015 at 6:41pm

Have I read SurfSafe instruction correctly : The surfboard must be bottom down in seawater at all times for the device to work
And it has a flashing greenlight on the underside when operating
A red and greenlashing light on the underside when battery has 1 hr of charge left ?

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 27 Jul 2015 at 7:02pm

The installation to a already glassed epoxy surfboard.........leaves a 900 mm long airpocket in the bottom

Question for glassing Gurus.........is this going to delam the bottom if exposed to any heat ? I say yes .

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 1:55pm

just heard from a mate that a large shark was spotted at flatrock and nth wall in the last couple days and serious enough for the cops to get everyone out of the water with sirens blaring today at shelley beach ballina.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 27 Jul 2015 at 6:24pm

Fanning surfed Snapper today ......riding a yummy yellow bottomed board.

Timm-Dah's picture
Timm-Dah's picture
Timm-Dah Monday, 24 Oct 2016 at 11:35am

Hey,

I don't see any difference between a SAMS wetsuit and all this Yoga pants fashion wave that is now starting to sweep through. (http://d3mz051w0m9hpc.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/colorful...)

If it stops ya from getting chomped, what's the big deal?

I do agree tho that I think it is more to do with the illusion of a sea-snake from the movement of your arms and legs then a shark finding it confusing based on colours etc.

From below, a person will easily look like a sea on a bright sunny day. Especially the body-boaders with their flippers etc. (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/apr/08/shark-attack-researc...)

Happy surfing.

Timm.

Timm-Dah's picture
Timm-Dah's picture
Timm-Dah Monday, 24 Oct 2016 at 11:38am

Hey,

I don't see any difference between a SAMS wetsuit and all this Yoga pants fashion wave that is now starting to sweep through. (http://d3mz051w0m9hpc.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/colorful...)

If it stops ya from getting chomped, what's the big deal?

I do agree tho that I think it is more to do with the illusion of a sea-snake from the movement of your arms and legs then a shark finding it confusing based on colours etc.

From below, a person will easily look like a seal on a bright sunny day. Especially the body-boaders with their flippers etc. The silhouette it creates and the slow back-&-forth of your arms and legs etc maintaining your position is pretty close to the real thing.(https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/apr/08/shark-attack-researc...)

I heard also if your wetsuit isn't very clean, dog slept on it or it's being bunched up in a pile of clothes etc...that residual smell is going to get the attention of a wondering shark.

Happy surfing.

Timm.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 11 Oct 2021 at 9:34pm
bluediamond's picture
bluediamond's picture
bluediamond Tuesday, 12 Oct 2021 at 12:37am

Reckon the little stripy worm can stop one of these Udo? haha