Margaret River shark warning fails to alarm surfers
Sounding like a Central Station timetable announcement, the Margaret River shark alarm was triggered last Friday when a four metre white shark was sighted near Main Break.
The alarm was part of the Spectur Shark Warning System that uses alarm via sirens, flashing red lights, and pre-recorded spoken warnings.
Shark Smart confirmed that a four metre great white shark was reported at 8am. The Spectur Shark alarm was triggered as a result, but reports have emerged that some surfers didn't hear or see the Spectur alarm, which was sounding a loud warning and flashing red lights, and they had to be alerted by other surfers and beachgoers.
Spectur Shark Warning System at Margaret River
The system is part of a six month trial by the Augusta-Margaret River Shire with ten alarms positioned around Surfers Point and Gracetown.
Keith Halnan from the South West Safe Shark group says the technology is not effective, describing the alarm as "faint" and the audio warning as "difficult to understand" (listen to the video below to hear it yourself).
Augusta-Margaret River Shire spokseperson said, “Shire rangers remotely activated the Spectur Alarm system after receiving a SMS notification from WA Water Police regarding a public report that a 4.0m white shark was sighted at Gas Reef Surfing Spot, 150m offshore.
Rangers then proceeded with priority to the beach to undertake beach closure which was in place until 12pm.
In a statement from the Shire it said it welcomed feedback during the trial.
Click on screen to listen to alarm announcement and make sure volume is on
Comments
Wish i could tag Medina so he can see this
No wonder crew didn't go in, they need to get the alarm translated to west orstralian.
"Get out of the fucken water ay!"
You forgot "lets go have a beeyah" ..... as opposed to "lets go have a beer"
The crew knew the shark was there. I believe they spotted it first. I was told 3 to 3.5mtr.
It did however alert those in the car park so half the job was done.
A step in the right direction with more work to come.
I was told that due to safety legalities the alarm operates at 87Dcb and is only allowed to go to 90Dcb. (here say by that is what I am told).
Darth vader on mic?
Bodybasherz are tuned to Loud Hailers but they're hard to hear out back at low tide.
You'll need to hitch up "Disaster Area" Marshall Amp to penetrate that lone lineup.
I don't understand,do both Smart Buoy + Clever Buoy only emit alerts to base?
Surely base could emit an alarm to either Smart Buoy+Clever Buoy to alert danger.
That way a Clever Buoy could confirm then trigger live alarm to nearby ocean users.
Future tech can then adapt...If this is already the case then ignore silly comment.
It's not my place to argue for a Buoy or Command Post Siren in a Wilderness Park.
Just whatever is used must involve 100% reliable 2 way rescue communication.
As well as being difficult to hear it's also hard to spot a hand signal that far out.
2-way should be a basic criteria built into the design at no extra cost.
This falls well short of being a useful shark alarm.(Already a Shark museum exhibit)
Scary Shark Siren Selfies will bully Cute Quokka selfies to the verge of extinction.
Dutto's megaphone Welcome to WA will no doubt cut down on crowd numbers!
Tourists no longer ask locals if it's a bit sharky around here. 'See ya...I'm outta here!'
Maybe let off ghastly smelling gas like the underground mine warning system. It would work well in offshore winds. With a shark emblem projected in the sky, batman style.
We have a similar system where I work and the outdoor elements are significantly degraded depending on the environmental conditions when triggered. Looking at the distance involved here I am not surprised at what happened. I would expect they had conducted live testing to determine the output level required so the alarm is heard on the biggest and windiest day at the furthest distance. We struggle to hear the external alarms at greater than two hundred meters with a reasonable wind blowing and a lot of environmental noise around the place.
save the whales , we can look after ourselves
Gas is 3km away from Margarets too so the surfers there prob didn't hear the siren either. Maybe could get keith halal to stand on the steps and yell, he has a pretty loud voice on the matter. Shark mitigation fail # 2
have they started the drum lines trial yet Mike?
Yep, baited with mullet or a half salmon, wtf!! Trying to catch a white with a jellybean, I'd say it has been set up to fail which is exactly what Dave Kelly and loud voices want to happen. From a tourism point of view it looks good on paper not catching any sharks.
Put some large tuna heads on there and whole Samson fish if you want to catch a white, I'm sure if it was a catch incentive payment, Mr Payne would have no problem in catching them using more realistic bait options.
A bloke the other day walking back along the track was complaining about the lines attracting sharks, he's obviously never heard about the hundreds of craypots dotted along the coast or rotting whale carcases already washed up.
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/sharks/was-shark-drum-line-trial-now-un...
Drumline trial full steam ahead Freeride, Ellenbrook and Gracetown.
They are catching plenty of tiger sharks so far so technically sharks are being attracted in Uncle L.? Just not target species. Plenty people been bitten by tigers historically , Bethany Hamilton on Kauai for a high profile example. Nice priority buoy/ drumline at Ellenbrook Bombie but no point splitting hairs on effectiveness v location
Water temp is prob at it warmest for the year about now so tigers definitely going to be around. Common catch really, not unusual Albany way either.
Bouys might be something to grab onto in this 30knt offshore, time to go find out
Well if they can't catch a white on a drum line it's not the fault of the drumlines.
Proven way to catch them.
They love stingray baits too.
Australian Public Alerts + Alarms Index {Swellnet/Oz Exclusive}
1909 Shark Alarm Bell @ Bronte [Abrupt constant loop ringing]
WWII Air Raid Sirens [Drawn out wails]
https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/videos/sirens-guns-fire-commemorat...
Emergency Services/Flashes [Looping tone] (Variations on a theme)
Fire Alarm (Callout Siren) [Constant Wail] Model 5/A was adopted as....
(National Shark Alarm Siren) see vid': Trench digging on beaches + Aerial Defence
Evacuation Alarm [Repetitive Rising loop sound]
Emergency Bushfire Warning Siren [Long on < > Long off wails]
1995 Oz SEWS Standard Emergency Warning System [dalek sound] Public Alert
Amber Alert [Car Alarm beeps] Missing Child Alert
Marg's Little Lunch Bell...(Click screen to Play Above) [Mishmash of this & that]
tbb has managed to unscramble the muffled Message...
"SHARK hop up to the office Now...You left your Tuckshop money at home again."
Following Timeline [Shark Detect / Alert / Alarm Trials]
Please Note: (Some Shark deterrents may feature but focus is on Alerts)
SHARKSMART Site has many research/trials into everything Sharky...
https://www.sharksmart.com.au/research/
1989 Gold Coast Lifeguard Tower Numbering system
2006 SA Shark sightings recorded to present day.
http://pir.sa.gov.au/fishing/sharks/shark_sightings_log/shark_sighting_log
re: Shark watch South Australia [facebook]
https://www.facebook.com/sharkalertsa/
2008 WA Sonar Shark monitoring begins
2010/11 Beach Emergency Numbers rolled out in Qld/NSW/Vic
Jan/2014 WA Govt launch Sharksmart App online Shark Locator
http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/About-Us/Media-releases/Pages/_archive/SHARKSM...
Jan/2015 NSW Govt launch Sharksmart App
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/govt-app-to-help-reduce-shark-attacks
Sept/2015 Mullaloo Tagged Sharks trigger Buoys >SLSC Siren/Red Flashing Light
https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2015/09/21/mullaloo-shark-alarm_n_8164...
Nov/2015 Evans Head SLSC [PUSH BUTTON] 24 hr Control Centre
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-16/shark-alarm/6944936
Dec/2015 Dorsal Fin App GPS Shark Locator
https://www.surfinglife.com.au/2015/12/24/14633/shark-sighting-there-s-a...
Feb/2016 NSW introduces Little Ripper (shark spotting)Squadron
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/shark-spotting-drone-the-future-of-r...
March/2016 (BEN-Shark victim) Beach Emergency Numbers is rolled out in WA.
W.A contracts were awarded as far as S.A border...(Anyone seen BEN in S.A ?)
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/beach-emergency-numbers-is-perth-sha...
May/2016 Bondi NSW (APOLA- Council Lifeguards) endorse Clever Buoy
https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/inventions/new-shark-alert...
Dec/2016 Cambridge WA Clever Buoy trial (Sonar ID relayed to SLS-WA)
https://www.sharksmart.com.au/research/shark-detection-and-deterrent/
Jan/2018 Dorsal includes Drone Sighting App (Helps to Guide SLSA )
https://www.northernstar.com.au/news/drone-technology-to-be-used-in-new-...
June/2018 Mandurah (Shark Alert International) Spectral Sweeps > aps/SLSC
https://www.mandurahmail.com.au/story/5478214/cutting-edge-technology-co...
Sept/2018 NSW Drone Arsenal "Alert Devices + vidz" trialled at 15 beaches
No mention as to "Alerting Devices" being a Shark Alarm of Flashing Light's.
https://www.lakesmail.com.au/story/5656465/shark-drones-on-patrol-for-oc...
*(tbb offers apology to WA in relation to 2-way Shark alert Transmission)
Trials were requested by Surfers (Carried out by Govt but Ruled Out)....
Surfers argued "Shark Smart/Dorsal Apps"were useless to those nearest Shark/s
Stating a Buoy Siren/Light combo was best option extending upon Mullaloo trial!
Nov/2018 Govt study-Retrofit impossible now Mullaloo is dead in the water too.
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/sharks/sharks-wa-government-rules-out-s...
March/2019 WA (Main Story) 11 Solar-Alarms/Lights/Messages + 240 monitors
Be fair to say it best resembles a "70's Tilted Pinnie...(All show - no action.)
(The Trial)
https://thewest.com.au/news/7-news-perth/smart-system-speeds-up-shark-al...
(The Test)
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/sharks/margaret-river-surfers-didnt-hea...
Note all SLSA (Beach Safe) Patrols freely share (Shark/Stingers/Crocs...Apps)
file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/c03%20(1).pdf
https://thejellyfishapp.com/
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-23/crocodile-tracking-maps-help-foll...
Swellnet Shark deterrent summary
https://www.swellnet.com/comment/540714