Surfer dies after shark attack near Coffs Harbour
A surfer aged in his 20s has died after being bitten by a shark on the New South Wales North Coast this morning, lifeguards and paramedics say.
Paramedics, including critical care specialists aboard the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, raced to Shelley Beach, at Emerald Beach north of Coffs Harbour, shortly before 11:00am.
Despite their best efforts the man died at the scene.
"It was a devastating for everybody on the beach this morning," Chris Wilson from NSW Ambulance said.
"A number of local surfers and bystanders came to the aid of this man.
"They were incredibly brave in a very challenging situation.
"The Westpac Rescue Helicopter winched in a critical care medical team onto the beach to continue treatment.
"The patient suffered a critical injury to his arm, but despite the best efforts of bystanders, paramedics and other emergency services, the patient couldn't be revived."
Aaron Armstrong was surfing at Shelly Beach at the time of the attack and saw the man being brought out of the water.
"It's quite scary, you feel for the dude's family," he said.
Mr Armstrong, who has lived at Emerald Beach for more than 20 years, said it was the first attack he's aware of at the "very popular" Shelly Beach.
Resident Glenn Coleman heard the sirens coming down his street.
"We pricked our ears up straight away and we knew something had happened," he said.
He said many locals were out surfing for Father's Day.
"It's a heavy feeling," Mr Coleman said. "It's put a heavy atmosphere over the village."
The council has closed Shelly Beach, Emerald Beach and Serenity Beach for the next 48 hours.
Police Inspector Ben Atkinson said incidents like these were difficult for all involved, including emergency services and locals.
"This has a particular impact on the surf community," he said.
© Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.
Comments
Heavy stuff, RIP fella.
Shocking, RIP.
Oh no. So sorry to hear, RIP legend and condolences to his family and mates.
RIP mate.........september seems like a really bad time of year for shark attacks if memory serves me correctly............mid morning ,clear water more than likely a white...........
I was surfing in Coffs at same time, was very overcast and gloomy.
Not the first one for area either is it?
Very sad, rip
Last one was a bodyboarder at Sapphire, tiger shark. 30/11/13.
And the grom at Broomes. Last year I think?
Was at Wooli. 12/7/20
Got it, that’s right. . So unimaginably sad.
That’s the one I was thinking of robo. Thanks
Thats sad.
It's almost certain Martin Dalys younger brother has passed away too while free diving off Katiet in Mentawais.
They searched for him for days with planes and boats even divers but nothing not even a body.
From a few days ago https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/i-ve-cried-that-many-times-brother-cha...
Updates on go fund page https://www.gofundme.com/f/lets-find-legend-of-a-bloke?utm_source=facebo...
Never a good idea to free dive alone.
So sad to read .. RIP
So sad ... sincere condolences to family and friends -
Swellnet ... any direction to recent articles with a balanced perspective on the scale/frequency of east coast shark bites in recent years would be welcomed ... or upcoming articles on the subject also valued
For the first time I find myself thinking (purely on anecdotal impressions) ... “far out, another one... this really seems to be something more than a blip or coincidental cluster could explain” ... I mean no disrespect to all who know any victim - of course every single incident is utterly catastrophic and tragic
RIP
So sad to hear this. Can only imagine what the local community are going through. Thoughts and positive vibes to the family, friends and those involved.
This is the third on the Mid-North Coast this ‘season’
Tuncurry -May
Crescent - July
Update. Was in his 20's. From Daily telegraph.
An onlooker has described horrific scenes of “a man without an arm” screaming for help on Father’s Day after a savage shark attack left a surfer with fatal injuries on the NSW North Coast this morning.
Four ambulance crews and a Westpac Rescue Helicopter raced to Shelly Beach at 10.45am after the man, in his 30s, was dragged to the shore at Emerald Beach in Coffs Harbour battling for survival.
One onlooker said he was out in the surf when the grisly attack took place.
“I was out in the surf and I heard screaming, I paddled further out to the water and saw a man without an arm, there was lots of blood,” the witness said.
“He was shouting ‘help me’ — people were trying to get him out to the shore.
“I saw paramedics performing CPR on him for about an hour and a half trying to save them.”
Locals had also battled to perform CPR on the man before crews arrived.
“It was devastating for everybody on the beach this morning,“ NSW ambulance inspector Chris Wilson said.
“A number of local surfers and bystanders came to the aid of this man, they were incredibly brave in a very challenging situation.”
“The Westpac Rescue Helicopter winched in a critical care medical team onto the beach to continue treatment.
“The patient suffered a critical injury to his arm, but despite the best efforts of bystanders, paramedics and other emergency services, the patient couldn’t be revived.”
A NSW Ambulance spokesman said the victim had suffered ‘significant injuries’ to the arm and back.
The onlooker said the horrific attack had made him apprehensive about getting back into the surf.
“It didn’t look good. I’ve been surfing for 22 years on Emerald Beach and there’s never been an attack in my knowledge like this.
“I really feel for the dude’s family — it’s a popular beach. I’ll get back in water but not for a while.”
Surfed at my local just north yesterday. A spot I regularly surf to myself. Did a second surf check for the day at midday at my local. Clean but inconsistent. A fella I know was out. Watched for a while, a heap of fish running just beyond the break. Got a msg from my wife with regards to the attack.
Very sad. Feel for the family and friends. Emerald Beach is a very tight knit community and encompasses a real surf/beach culture. Best wishes to all who know the surfer and live in the area.
That’s horrific. RIP buddy. Shoutout to the bystanders who offered help, that would be traumatizing.
Attacks seem to be moving north the past few months?
Terrible news.
condolences to the family and all the people who tried to ensure his survival.
Very sad
R.I.P. & condolences to his family & friends. Been surfing two or three times a week & have seen juvenile whites (2.5 m +) hanging around on the inside gutters last couple of months or so. Never used to even think about the GWS but that has all changed since there numbers are growing uncontrolled since being protected in Australian waters since 1996. More apex predators (GWS)= more attacks on surfers,divers etc.
Greg,
May I ask roughly whereabouts?
I can safely assure you I won't be surfing there anytime soon!
I'm based down in Sawtell/Boambee and don't usually stray far from home anyways but I used to live at Mullaway & then Sapphire for several years each.
Justaprimate, excuse me for jumping in but it really doesn’t matter where you are. If you are north of Newcastle you are at a heightened risk of a white encounter. The governments own program showed the fish are plentiful on the greater north coast and roaming up and down this stretch particularly. It’s a nursery for the growing population of juveniles. Until recently the Gold Coast has been immune from this thanks to their excellent drum line program which is a remnant of a time when humans valued themselves over sharks. However the death at snapper last year was likely as a result of the huge numbers in NSW now penetrating their defences, at least at the southern end. We are all at risk and sadly I’m no longer supportive of my boys surfing. It’s just a horrible way to die.
Imagine if your parents had tried to stop you from surfing because of sharks / board to the head / drowning etc. Surfing is still one of the safest sports around. You going to try and stop them riding bikes, playing footy and going into the bush with all those deadly snakes too? I understand your angst but perspective must include the fact that life is dangerous if it’s lived to the full and it’s still dangerous if you lead a milquetoast existence. May as well get stuck in!
It’s psychological. I drive down the pacific highway everyday to get to work and am well aware of the dangers of high speed car travel vs sharks, for example. But I can control this outcome with correct safe practices.
So too can I mitigate my risk in big waves and dangerous ocean conditions.
But you have no control over a shark. And it’s a bad way to go.
I love surfing, but if push came to shove I will admit I have other things in my life which take priority. It’s a fun and addictive recreational pastime, which borders on the religious, yes, but ultimately is nothing more than taking advantage of a natural phenomena for a hedonistic pleasure.
In other words, I’m not one of those people who can answer in the affirmative that if I was to be eaten by a shark, it would be worth it because “he died doing what he loved”.
That goes double for my children.
I live in Forster mate! Where the guy got taken 3mnths ago @ Tuncurry. We are a hotspot for the GWS. Both 7 Mile bch & 9 Mile (north & south of Forster) are known breeding grounds for the GWS. We had the highest count of GWS in the drumline trial 2 years ago! I get out of the water when we see them but they are obviously there all the time when the bait fish & whale migrations are happening. A close friend of mine survived an attack by a 4.5m GWS on Dec 1 @ 7 mile bch. He is still traumatised by the attack & fought for his life in order to survive the GWS attack, which had 3 goes at him! He is one of the lucky ones to survive such a fearsome attack by a huge apex predator!
My condolences to his family.
As Robo said, it was very overcast and gloomy in Coffs today.
I was at a back beach around 11:30 & saw heaps of fish jumping & birds diving, the water looked rippy and choppy, not much visibility.
I also saw a young whale just off a nearby headland a few hours earlier.
I'm not 100% sure whether it's something to do with the whale migrations or not, but this time of year seems to be more risky.
I still remember a close encounter with a fin coming down a wave just north of Coffs on almost this exact date about 4 years ago.
NBN news saying GWS. Showed a photo just before dolphins everywhere.
Sad news. RIP.
Sincere condolences to those close to him.
Could have been any one of us. Heart goes out to the fella, his friends and family.
So heavy, and by the accounts above it sounded horrific.
Rest in peace mate, and thoughts to his family, friends and those who were confronted with the scene. Really sad :(
Tragic, RIP mate, big shout out to those that went to and brought him in, thoughts to family / friends and all involved.
RIP mate, another one bites the dust.
Condolences to the local family and his community.
More and more of us are suffering grief after the violent death of our people.
Lost 2 mates myself, I suspect many of us, and more of us over time, will have to endure this pain.
Next landlubber to talk about “entering sharks domain” or bees might get punched in the mouth.
Their stats do not accurately represent our community, and our exposure to violent death by being eaten alive.
Dont like sharks??
Dont go in the ocean.
Buy an annual pass to wet n wild and leave the big, scary sea for the rest of us.
Fair enough, but you only think like that though as you think it won’t happen to you.
Fair enough. But if you knew you could mitigate the risk by capping the number of threatening sharks, would you do so?
Nope.... millions of sharks continue to die each year, science suggests that shark numbers.... As well as pelagic fish numbers in general are in decline. The risk of shark attack is minimal.... More chance of dying from a falling coconut or vending machine incident. Why do humans need to control everything??? Appreciate nature..... Dont destroy it.
Just gunna ignore your lack of compassion for the grieving families and the grieving wider community suffering from the violent, sudden and very traumatic loss of their men and women, their boys and girls each time another of us is killed by a shark.
Also gunna ignore your mock macho, coolest hardest dude in the convo attempt evident in your earlier "big scary sea" comment.
Will engage on your incorrect comment that "the risk of shark attack is minimal....More chance of dying from a falling coconut or vending machine incident"
The point of my post is that statistics of shark attack projected across the entire population, do not correctly represent the risk to surfers, especially keen surfers who surf outside of the geographic areas of the successful net programs of the GC and Sydney. No such statistics have ever been produced. But if they were, surfers of Northern NSW, the NSW Mid Coast, and the greater Margret River area would obviously be predated upon at a much higher rate than the stats quoted. Thats my point.
And therefore the random statistics from bizarre accidents, such as being crushed by a vending machine are illogical, statistically irrelevant to a serious conversation, and intended to humiliate anyone who begins a discussion on shark deaths of surfers.
These stupid examples need to be called out, not repeated.
I will spell it out, with a quick fictional example;
dude "x" lives in a small town surfs every day in a shark rich area, never uses a vending machine, Vs dude "y" who has never been in the ocean, an uses a vending machine every day. Get it?
Will also engage on your assertion that "science suggests that shark numbers.... are in decline". The "science" by its own admission, is difficult, potentially highly inaccurate, and is at odds with the real world experience of those who spend a lot of time, over many decades, in, and on the ocean.
Additionally the wider statistics are exactly that...wider, and don't necessarily represent, again, the lived experience of those in our un-netted, unprotected quality surfing areas.
And I will comment on your "Why do humans need to control everything??? Appreciate nature..... Dont destroy it."
Firstly we obviously do don't control much at all in the ocean when so many of us are bumped, nudged, bitten and eaten by sharks.
Secondly, "Appreciate nature" well I doubt you would find a surfer alive who would not say they appreciate nature, just does interrupt the appreciating when bruce is about to chew off your leg, but thanks for the unsolicited statement of the obvious.
And finally "Don't destroy it" I don't think anybody here is advocating wholesale slaughter of sharks, but the fact is there are shark fishing licences granted in Australia for the commercial fishing industry, and until recently we imported a significant quantity of shark fin, product of the finning of which I think we share a mutual disgust.
When these terrible events occur we come together in places such as this to share pain and, occasionally discuss some limited control methods. Share pain, discuss stuff.
Thats all mate, please try a bit harder to be a decent bloke, life is better that way.
Really, really well said.
Great response. Completely dissected that disrespectful comment which was so cliche it was cringey. Meaningless stats and chest beating is what I took out of it.
You can guarantee that if there was as many vending machine deaths on the east coast of Australia as shark attacks in the last few years the government would have no doubt implemented a vending machine management strategy or just simply banned vending machines.
These are horrific and traumatic deaths that no-one deserves. I'm not saying that a cull is the only answer but there needs to be a discussion about how we can reduce the risks, which for an east coast surfer appears greater than anything related to a vending machine or coconut. The whole "if you don't want to be horrifically eaten alive then don't go in the water or I'm so tough because sharks don't bother me" comments add nothing to the discussion.
totally agree
Ha!!! I think u got me to engage when u suggested anyone who disagrees with u should be punched in the face....very alpha male hero bullshit there. Red flag to a bull for me....
So..... You have the name of the shark you intend to kill for you to feel better?
Police boats, choppers, drones have found nothing. Are you suggesting broad scale, or random killing of any sharks in the area?
How do we kill just the ones who like human flesh or do we kill all gws,tigers,bulls, hammerheads, reefies?
Sounds great for the environment you claim to admire. If you want to do something.... campaign to end overfishing....
Potential link between fish stocks and shark behaviour????
The Science relating to the ocean is difficult obviously but science being science, it needs to be proven and peer reviewed.... By scientists, giving it way more credibility than macca's drunken fishing tales on a friday night at the pub. Hearsay and gossip just dont cut it in the science world but feel free to post any reports you have that 'prove' shark numbers are increasing....I'll wait.
Bigger picture....news these days is purely about creating a media frenzy, resulting in a world living in fear. Whether it be mortgage rate hikes, violence in your suburb or sharks increasing. Its clickbait. We are bombarded with this shit giving us an idea that it exists in plague proportions....far from the truth. Stop believing the lies.
Go surfing, get barrelled, stop worrying.
Share pain, discuss stuff..... Its different for all of us..... Show some understanding and tolerance, youll be a better person for it.
Well put Yippee, I think there are a fair few with similar thoughts to this.
Beautiful response Yippee, I’m with you man. Thanks for taking the time.
bullshit - CULL GWS - muppet
Just heard this news. Very sad day. Sending love to all those close to the fella and those on the scene. Devastating.
RIP. Heavy.
Respect to all the brave folk who tried to save him. If there’s any of you on here, or you know some that was there - look after yourselves.
https://www.omnainc.com/collections/tourniquet-surfboard-leashes-1/produ...
Anyone ever used/seen one of these?
I assume it’s what we call a rail saver.
I’m wondering a) is it proper strong for solid waves and b) can it be repacked if you want to practice with it.
I bought a few of their tourniquets and wear them when surfing “sharky” spots. They are well made and reusable. I would highly recommend them. To my knowledge they are the only product of their kind on the market. I wear one around each thigh. Having it as your leash is great in theory but in the event of a shark attack when you are in the water under the stress of an attack you would never be able to take it off and reapply it where you would need it. And if the bite was on your upper body then there’s little you could do. RIP to this poor surfer. Could have been any one of us
Thanks for the reply mate.
Fair call about deploying the thing if you were using it as a legrope, maybe realistic if it was used on someone else while on the beach but using it in the water sounds problematic. Also, I'm assuming if you use it in the water, you would most likely lose your board, which would not be ideal for a variety of reasons.
I was hoping to find a tourniquet small enough to stuff inside the chest zip on a wettie but sounds like having one on the leg as you do might be the go.
Cheers.
Here's a better option Andy.. https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2020/09/10/instructions-...
Marine quality tourniquets Craig?
I think having one in the water ready to go would be the key.
Yep can stuff inside wetsuit.
You reckon this'd fit?
https://www.calmas.com.au/shop/p/omna-ocean-marine-tourniquet-omna-omt
I’ve got one of those surfer’s tourniquets and it ain’t fitting in a wetsuit. You could strap it somewhere on your body I guess.
In the article above Dr Jon recommends taking the SWAT-T out with you. Little plastic tourniquet.
Thanks guys
Andy I carry one of these they seem to last pretty well
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/294167092015?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28
Swat t tornique
Fits inside wetsuit zipper
I contacted the company to see if there were any Australian distributors. Owner has contacted many Aus surf Companies, no interest.
Products are well priced but postage is as much again.
I carry physio band rolled around short stick and tuck under chest zip. Cheap and way better than nothing.
Sad and worrisome for the future.
It is pretty radical to read of someone routinely seeing 2.5 metres GWs in the surf zone when surfing as posted above.
California is seeing the juveniles everywhere too and people seem blase about it. But as they become 3 metre and 4 metre, and shift to bigger prey what then?
We really don't know just how bad it will get. The best case scenarios are about the current level of attacks. The worst case is just tough to even think about.
Time for open season on GWS. Cat food.
Firstly, RIP.
This was two about 2.5 kms as the fish swim from where i had been surfing all week/weekend. Just some context for future discussions....A lot of Bait Fish/Birds/Action in the water over the last few days in the area, haven't seen too many whales out there over the last 2 weeks just the occasional one. Cloudy day and water temp starting to drop to i'd say 20-21 Deg C due to 3-4 days of constant Northerlies.
The locals that tried to save him swam the guy to shore and applied a tourniquet and performed CPR until emergency services arrived. Sounded like a pretty horrific event from the accounts I've heard from mates on the beach.
For some reason over the past few years, its felt like it was inevitable in this area that something was going to happen. Stay Safe in the water...
The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) said drones and other resources had been deployed to Shelly Beach after scientists confirmed a great white had bitten the deceased man.
“(DPI) is deploying SMART drumlines at Shelly Beach, Coffs Harbour as part of the Shark Incident Response Plan following the death of a man from a shark bite,” a spokesperson from DPI said in a statement.“DPI is assisting NSW Police, Coffs Harbour City Council lifeguards and Surf Life Saving NSW to monitor the area and provide technical advice and resources as required. Drones have been deployed in the area.
“NSW DPI shark scientists have analysed photographs of the bite and determined a white shark is likely responsible for the bite.
“Coffs Harbour City Council has closed Shelly and adjacent beaches for at least 24 hours.”
It comes as the DPI tagged great white sharks at Port Macquarie, 150km south of the incident, and Ballina, 200km north of the attack, on Sunday.
A great white was also tagged at Main Beach at Forster on the NSW mid north coast on Sunday.
RIP fella, tragic. Big shout out to those who assisted and the trauma of dealing with a dismembered human. The protection order of white sharks really needs to be reviewed, it's long overdue as the numbers are clearly increasing and random attacks like this will continue. The government response of police involvement and DPI does nothing in terms of dealing with the cause, they simply log another incident.
RIP, not the news that I wanted to hear, so young. Hope some good will surface out of this for the family, friends & community that all have been affected. All involved in coming to his aid, you are all heroes.
This is absolutely horrific. Imagine the poor young bloke's Dad to have his boy die like that on Father's Day :(
Awful news - condolences to family and friends .
Lots of people suddenly become experts on shark behaviour after an attack it seems. No point getting angry about what you can't control. Condolences to his family and friends, way too young to die. Rip god bless
Couldnt agree more. A terribly sad situation but a very rare occurance. Tens of thousands people go surfing each day.... Gotta risk it to get the biscuit.
Rip :(
Amazing they can deploy a Smart Drumline the "same day".... yet after all the calls for them at other areas (Tweed Coast for example) they run around making excuses, running community polls blah blah. I hope it catches & "relocates" the rogue in question but can we ramp up this program please.
RIP mate & thoughts with the local crew
I designed a tourniquet clip which you can use with your leg rope.
It fits in your leg rope key pocket.
Made from recycled fiber glass fin blank.
Size of this one 77mm by 24mm by 9mm which fits along with your car key in a below the knee leg rope.
I also made a slightly smaller one for my brother who wears an ankle leg rope.
Terrible news.
It clips onto your leg rope like this.
Then you wrap around leg and clip into 3rd slot, then pull tight and while holding rope with left thumb clip into 4th slot.
construction sign emojis
You should be selling those!
Great idea.
I work in an aeromedical retrieval service, we are the teams in the helicopters that come and airlift people to hospital and I just had a bit of feedback on your design. This isn't meant as criticism, just more information that you could use to improve on what you've already done. If you truly want it to work as a tourniquet you need to add some type of windlass to tighten it adequately. Its deceptively hard to tourniquet a limb and most makeshift ones only stop the bleeding once you've lost a huge amount of blood, dropping your blood pressure to the point that it doesn't take much external pressure to stop the flow.
Thanks for the response, very insightful.
teanorris said
I work in an aeromedical retrieval service, we are the teams in the helicopters that come and airlift people to hospital and I just had a bit of feedback on your design. This isn't meant as criticism, just more information that you could use to improve on what you've already done. If you truly want it to work as a tourniquet you need to add some type of windlass to tighten it adequately. Its deceptively hard to tourniquet a limb and most makeshift ones only stop the bleeding once you've lost a huge amount of blood, dropping your blood pressure to the point that it doesn't take much external pressure to stop the flow.
Thanks for the constructive feedback.
One of the rescuers on the Prime news report said they used a leg rope and a stick which they twisted to tighten the pressure.
I tried this a few times on my leg and the amount of pressure seems to vary depending on how the leg rope twists, each time I did 5 turns.
It seemed to apply slightly more pressure on my leg than what my tourniquet clip applies.
Then I tried a second experiment, holding and rotating my tourniquet clip, was able to rotate clockwise about 30 degrees, no more was possible, this pressure exerted was way more than the leg rope and stick method, almost to the point of hurting my leg.
butler county consortium
So I'm thinking while it isn't as good as a windlass tourniquet it is better than the leg rope and stick method, and it is something practical anyone can make and leave in their leg rope key pocket and use as a first response.
Any feedback is welcome.
Yep, a property applied tourniquet is very painful and not able to be tolerated for long so I’m not surprised that it hurt. I can see in your photo of the leggie and stick that most of the energy has gone into twisting up the legrope rather than tightening the pressure so that doesn’t look very effective. Try putting multiple loops of the leggie around the limb then secure the first and last loops with your clip then apply the windlass under the clip. It’s actually easier to occlude an artery over a broad area rather than a narrow one. Think of a blood pressure cuff. That effectively occludes the blood flow when inflated and doesn’t require an enormous amount of pressure to do it.
Tried multiple loops for wider area of pressure.
7mm leg rope wrapped around leg 4 times 28mm wide.
Was able to twist 45 degrees using a screwdriver(a stick would break) and get hurting pressure on my leg.
Relaocating is surely just moving the problem (to many GWS attacks) to somewhere else!
I appreciate your efforts philo but are we going to war or are we going for a surf? What a ridiculous situation we've allowed to develop. Shark huggers, your time is just about up.
I think you need testosterone injections bloke.
Your testicles don’t appear to be functioning.
Chuckle chuckle chuckle
Sad news indeed. My condolences to family, friends.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-support-katie-thompson
Sweet Baby Jesus, just reading the gofundme page blew me away!
Poor family had everything to live for, just taken away from them in an instant.
That breaks my heart!
Put Flake on the menu at fish n chip shops around the country and left do our bit to stop this happening to any other families.
Fuck me his wife is pregnant with their first child. That’s so fucked.
And just married this year. Life is a real cnut sometimes, so so unfair.
man, thats just an awful tragedy.
yeah from what i heard it was an horrific senario..........feel for him and his family and also the guys who tried to help save him and anyone else who witnessed the incident....also heard there was a kid near him when it happened ....i hope all those people seek or are offered counciling.
There was one family with 3 kids under 10 out there with their father, 10 year old saw it happen. Mother was screaming at them from the beach to come in.
Condolences to his wife, family and friends. Thank you to all that assisted, make sure to check up on each other. RIP
Tragic news. Thoughts with his loved ones
Young Tim was a Tuncurry local before moving from the area. A really quiet kid that was super polite whenever you saw him in the surf. The towns still not recovered after Marks attack and now this happens. I really feel for the Coffs community and his dad and uncles down here that are fairly well known in the Forster Tuncurry community.
Leaving behind your pregnant wife on Fathers Day. It doesn’t get much more brutal.
Horrible circumstances, RIP mate. Condolences to everyone affected. Sometimes life just doesn't make sense. :-(
https://www.prime7.com.au/news/7468281-community-in-shock
so by that people were warned about the shark before hand?
This will be the "go to" response into the future.
"Water users and beachgoers are advised to follow the NSW SharkSmart Twitter feed or download the SharkSmart app for the latest information on shark movements and sightings. "
Preferable to beach l#ckd#wn I suppose (if the health experts get involved).
Just terrible news ...hope we dont start accepting attacks as part of the deal .....
Its taken some time but even the experts are starting to say numbers are up ...
Big tough blower doesn't care how many people get eaten so long as the untouchable GWS is unharmed. Strange set of principles.
I understand your fear and although the most recent attack is another unfathomable catastrophe for everyone involved, it doesn’t change the fact that your chances of getting attacked by a pointer are infinitesimal. Even if you were to get attacked , which I honestly hope you aren’t and wouldn’t wish it on anybody, it’s simply a fact of life.
The world is a beautiful, thrilling and dangerous place. Everyone owes their God a death sooner or later. It’s sad but it’s an unavoidable consequence of living. Get your head around it and then get busy making the most of the time you’ve got. This isnt machismo it’s reality.
Blowin, Do you have children? Most surfers accept risk far more than the average person and can identify with your perspective - for themselves. But I think our deeper fears are for our sons and daughters and the consequences of loss, guilt and blame that could unfold from an attack.
Our children learn to drive and face fairly high lifetime risks of accident but with society's "stamp of approval". They play contact sports with lots of injury risks. Such risks are higher than for a shark attack for the average surfer.
But rightly or wrongly, surfing around sharks sits off on its own in how risk and consequence is judged by ourselves, society, partners and relatives. We fear the hand grenade of loss, guilt and blame being tossed into our lives more than the sharks having a go at ourselves. Wife to surfer hubby "you got him / her into surfing, its your fault" is a possible reality with long term consequences that you can't just get philosophical about and tough out.
Blower, human meddling by changing laws a couple of decades ago for the protection of GWS has changed the playing field. There's enough going on in the surf without the growing risk of these predators king hitting vulnerable humans, often with life-threatening results. I'm not into culling but the laws need urgent change to restore balance.
Your ideas of
kill, crush, destroy are as outdated as you are boomer. Conquer your fears instead of dragging others down with you into a life of dread and anxiety.
All else fails, take up lawn bowls....
Smart drum lines seem a modest but effective way of lessening the risk and giving us real-time data which is invaluable.
Everyone accepts risk when they paddle out- I guess humans are smart enough to try and mitigate risk when it starts to increase and the loss of life or serious injury becomes unacceptable.
This attack will traumatise a hell of a lot of people.
The $64 question is when the literally 500 odd 2-3 meter fish that have been tagged, grow to be 3-4m plus in a couple of years, what they gonna eat?
Really sad news, I have no words thats adds to the above comments.
I have a question guys, any one use these ever, these guys have been talking this product up for years - https://www.sharkbanz.com.au/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjaCx_7Ps8gIV55lmAh2_ugvt...
User reviews are good on there, they seem to do something.
Cmon be fuckin real - Barton you need punching !
http://icbseverywhere.com/blog/2015/05/a-new-bracelet-scam-that-will-tak...
And these also ....Fucking Con Crap
https://www.surfstitch.com/modom-shark-leash-6ft-standard-black.html
No need to swear
So the shark ate the Sharkband, seriously thats mad, and these people are telling us that they work, well maybe they dont, you be the judge, watch the video please........
More whites than ever/more attacks than ever.If this was a dingo attack they would cull another hundred as they did at Fraser. Not a fan of culling but theres a major imbalance here, lots of hungry aggressive (protected)juvienile whites. You gotta ask the question. Horrific attack and condolences to the family.
Tragic memories for the family on Fathers Day!
Excuse me for being a bit perplexed, but I’ve just read numerous respectfully posited comments which can be surmised as the same opinion:
“I’m not suggesting a cull but we need to restore balance…..”
What is being suggested if not a targeted reduction in the number of pointers AKA a cull?
Are you suggesting a cull Blowin?
Not at all. I’m trying to establish what’s meant when others say “ I’m not into a cull but I think balance should be restored “
No cull, just another review of the protection status which is currently listed as "Vulnerable to extinction" which is clearly inaccurate and outdated.
I have paid close attention to this issue for many years ( and tears) as a result of loosing mates and close encounters, both self, family and community and although I do not pretend to have the pulse of our community opinion, I offer, for your consideration;
the obvious gold standard for “bather” & so surfer, protection is the GC & Sydney netting program.
Yes there is “by-catch” (fishing industry term). Easy to photograph on a nice sunny low news day, just off the beach. Never compared to the legal licensed fishing industry take and by catch.
Please remember we legally kill cows sheep horses ( brumbies and failed racers) dogs (same) cats mice rats snakes sharks of almost every species, and almost every other species you can think of except crocs and the white shark and grey nurse (? )
And, as of today magpies in Sydney for 14 “attacks” .
Somehow the world keeps turning.
Not saying all that is OK, I just don’t want my people (you guys!) thrown under the bus/ shark.
Somehow community opinion is dangerously close to the idea that no surfer or their children should be offered any meaningful protection.
The response from the bystanders is usually an angry shrill shout down of our pain and our loss, we just offered mindless “statistics “ about bees & vending machines
Perhaps a conversation worth having would be one about ways to minimise the by-catch, while maintaining the nets.
For example: If the by- catch could be contained to some acceptable (not zero , remember we are trying to save human life here) standard, the program could provide safety for beach users in other areas experiencing the trauma of death from shark attacks.
No, not everywhere, I would suggest SW WA, NSW North and mid coasts as obvious candidates.
For another example; nets deployed at dawn & removed after sunset, checked every hour.
For another example: Seasonal deployment during months of known risk As determined by the “science” ( watch them run from that one!)
Not interested in the practicality, (after all we just shut down the economy to save mostly geriatric death, might be worth $ or 2 to save a teenage surfer)just a brainstorming amongst us as to what may be possible
This is worth our time. A logical coherent response with some level of consensus is what many many groups have been able to put forward to change policy in their area of interest.
Let’s ignore the trolls & their “every shark is sacred” type thinking.
We issue licences for the shark fishery all over Australia, and can not be bothered ith the most rudimentary stormwater pollution prevention techniques to save turtles. Perhaps this is one of our “in” s,
Cheers mates
So sad for the family & friends.
Be aware of your surroundings, risks & limitations.
Vehicle stats from an Australian car insurance company
1,195 people were killed in road-related deaths, over 3 people per day in 2019
Vehicle fatalities: Males x 854 + Females x 291 = 1146 in 2018
Australia has had 190,000 fatalities since car record keeping commenced in 1925.
If you want to save lives, particularly children & old folk; start by get rid of bullbars.
Macho or inconsequential facts they’re all ridiculous. A person has lost their life doing what we all love, something a surfer only knows. Comparing car accidents to shark attacks is ridiculous. Transport does just that, you don’t think about it you just do it. Living in a regional coastal area surfing empty breaks it’s always on your mind. Yes it’s a choice but it’s what you love, what we all enjoy. Any insensitive comments, I’d say come from those who live in built up areas who surf in the safety of crowds.
I get the car statistic analogy along with the many others that get compared when talking about “the chances” but it’s getting harder to rationalise when comparing it to a shark attack for me. I have young kids and I totally agree with the comment above, it’s not my risk any more it’s the potential of leaving my wife and two kids under 10 without a dad. Yeah the chances are slim, but are they really that slim? We’re seeing them daily here in the surf zone. I reckon at least once a month there’s a very close encounter as well. I can’t remember when that became normal. As far as sports go there’s not many others that exist where nature delivers an animal that can kill you while you’re participating. It’s a psychological brain fuck.
https://m.
Agree Dan,its a constant mindset, going for a surf, if its the last time your kids see their parent. Its definitely changed the last couple of years.Doesnt matter if your surfing alone or in a crowd ,ie a lot of the recent attacks have been with plenty of surfers in the water.
I feel it would be more appropriate to carry on this well flogged debate in a new thread out of respect for the people associated with this tragedy. Moderators?
I agree, but what moderation, some of the foul mouthed things people say on here, and at each other they would be banned anywhere else.
Not a website recommended for kids and women.
I’m just mindful that this is a real person, with a real wife, real parents and real mates.
I’m sure most of whom don’t want to read or hear every reactionary whim that comes to people’s minds.
I find the debate one worth having but maybe just not in this thread.
But just like everyone else, that’s just my opinion.
+1
I have been surfing for over 45 yrs now, shark attacks happened only every few years.
With the protection program, shark attacks have increased to the point that of every few months.
I feel for everyone involved, The TRUMA that it brings.
There is a reason why you do not see the injuries from shark attacks. THEY ARE HORRIFIC
When I look at statistics now, I know more people who have been involved in white shark attacks than car accidents.
Thats sobering.
Few of my pals were in the water when Mani got fatally attacked last year.
Absolutely horrific scenes with life changing consequences.
hmmm...check this out from Port Stephens
https://www.facebook.com/100023380791159/videos/pcb.3763496223750374/555...
Is that a tag just in front of the tail?
Everyone should watch this, thats about as real as it gets........
Interested to hear from people on here as to how big they think that shark is?
I don’t know him but see him fishing quite a bit thus know his boat ( or at least I think I do )
2.5. Based on size against boat Definitely juvenile ……
Thanks for sharing.
I also thought juvenile... The giveaway seems to be the more narrow torpedo shape? As they get around the 3-3.5m mark they become more 'thick'. That's my understanding anyway, would be valuable to hear from those who know better.
It looks barely 6 foot to me.
Was going to say that looks like a very young shark about 1.5 meters long
I'm a bit over people using the trite statement that "the risk of shark attack is just an inevitable consequence of going for a surf" to justify their view that the relevant authorities should not taking any action to reduce the rising incidence of shark attacks.
When I started high school in 1970 the annual NSW road toll was over 1,000
For the 12 months ending August 2021 the NSW road toll was just 279 and there are a shit load more cars on the road now than in 1970. So much so that the deaths per 100,000 cars in Australia has reduced from 80 in 1970, to just 4.5 in 2014.
How do you reckon we got from over 1,000 to just 279 road deaths in NSW?
It wasn't by saying "Oh, road deaths are an inevitable consequence of getting in a car" and thereby justify doing nothing to reduce them.
What did the authorities do?
* Made seatbelts and baby capsules compulsory
* Brought in the breathalyser and random breath testing
* Set up speed cameras
* brought in P plates and extended the period your on them & limited your speed whilst on them.
* Beefed up design standards so that cars were less likely to destroy occupants in an accident
* built safer roads
In other words, the authorities took major action to reduce the risk of dying when travelling in a car, and they should be pressured into doing the same thing regarding reducing the risk of shark attacks when going for a surf.
They made an app. Job done.
But your not asking the government to fine people who don’t wear seatbelts, you’re asking the government to go and kill more animals in our rapidly denuded oceans just so your chances of getting bitten by a Noah can be reduced from 1 in 3,000,000 to1 in 5,000,000.
Boo hoo
Boo hoo?
The same could probably be said of a grown man who demands the government make the ocean 100% safe for him to go play in. Get a set of testicles and just go surfing.
Agree to the first part. Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing don't you think?
Second part a bit unnecessary don't you reckon? I can't see anywhere where I've said my activity in the water has changed for you to make that comment.
Yeah, sorry. I get tired the defending this point. I’m just so over seeing the natural world around me destroyed and to have surfers call for further destruction merely so they can treat the ocean like a golf course really irks me. It feels like a betrayal by those I feel most closely aligned with a shared appreciation of the untamed world.
Surfers are supposed to be the ones teaching humanity how to coexist with the brutal forces of nature, not demanding that bureaucracy intervene and render the world empty of danger. It honestly goes against what I believe is the central attraction of surfing -that privileged ability to excuse ourselves from the mundane and to go run with the wild things.
It’s always disappointing to discover that some surfers don’t feel the same way and would demand action to the contrary.
Blowin,
I share your love of the natural world.
And yet in my ( and I think your ?) local area the marine park status, and government buyouts of the local fishing industry have done much to turn the tide.
Globally is a different matter.
However if we are talking about a problem
( shark attack maiming and death) in relatively small areas
( NSW North & mid coast & SW WA)
and if we could significantly reduce those levels of maiming and death
by deployment of nets ( long proven, non experimental tech)
AND we could reduce the by catch to a reasonable level;
Firstly would you oppose the protection of your fellow surfers and their children ( could you relax the “supposed to be the ones teaching humanity how to coexist with the brutal farces of nature” line a bit) to save perhaps one or two grommets from such a death,
And
Secondly ( I am very interested in your thoughts on this one, because it is tricky) what would be the acceptable/ unacceptable cross over point of by-catch to human lives saved ?
Cheers mate
I, and most other advocates of action, am not calling for "destruction of the natural world". To say that is a total overreaction, as is the implied statement that we are also wussbags because we don't want to be exposed to danger. I enter the surf to test my ability and nerves to take on forces that I have no control over and am quite happy to be injured or even killed in that test.
Having said that, it is also false to say that surfers haven't tried to intervene and remove the danger of these natural forces. Jet skis for tow-ins and retrieval from impact zones, buoyancy vests and the like for starters. If these aren't actions to remove the inherent dangers to make me go out when otherwise I wouldn't, then I'll walk to Bourke and back. And before you say "but these are actions by the surfers, not the authorities", whites are protected, surfers can't take their own actions, only the relevant authorities can.
In my view a straight up cull is also not the answer, and to be honest I don't know what is, but we have some pretty intelligent people connected to some pretty awesome technologies and there should at least be a meaningful investigation of options.
For example, did you see the youtube of Spewy O'Brien and his mates on Stockton Beach quite a few years ago catching heaps of baby (2 to 2.5 metre) whites along the beach between Stockton to Birubi Point? Those guys brought to everyone's attention that here was a nursery for the whites. So why not tag everyone they can of the baby whites along that stretch of beach? If 90% (& I'm making that figure up) of the whites on the East Coast start their journey from here and we've tagged 90% of those, doesn't that mean that the shark buoys, if placed at relatively short distances between each other all up and down the coast, will give meaningful and statistically relevant warnings via the app to make an informed decision about whether someone's prepared to hit the water or not? I don't know if it's possible, practical or feasible, but aren't these are the types of things that need investigation?
I spent first thing Monday morning at Tuncurry Post Office holding two of the most amazing humans I have ever met whilst they cried in despair over the loss of their beautiful nephew and the tragic consequences to his wife and unborn baby. I do not want to ever have to bear witness to that again as long as I live.
I will not put in print my response to those who say they should grow a set and go for a surf.
+1
+1
Can anyone think of another govt program that increases risks to people? Every program apart from sharks (covid vax, drugs, alcohol, exercise, OHS, life saving, speed kills, .05, electrical safety, dial-before-you-dig, etc etc) is designed to save lives/reduce injury. What's so f'ing special about GWS?
Agree with Graham.Shark attacks were like once every couple of years.A few bumps at Lennox was mostly what you heard through the grapevine. Statistics aren't relevant, when theres shit happening in the water, reckon they go the opposite these days. We now expect a number of attacks during the annual whale season.Its like how many this year. Lots more Trawlers back in the day also which kept a lot of sharks off the direct Surfline.
ABC News tonight, a local Sydney council granted right to “ control” ( kill) magpies after (?) 14 injuries.
But zero deaths.
Interesting.
Like Drex asked. What's so f'ing special about the GWS?
I've never heard of teeth whitening legislation on the back of Bruce and co.
And magpies.... well...
That local council needs slapping. The magpies should be as protected as the sharks. Unless you’re going to eat it, don’t kill it.
I do agree with you Blowin. Maggies have an unnatural predator, the cat. So in a way sharks have similar, the fishermen.
Stu inadvertently put me onto 'Ghost wave' this week which I am now listening to... again. Between this book, reflection upon past personal experiences, and your comment above regarding those surfers most dedicated. My opinion has changed from 'shoot those bloody sharks' to 'show a bit of respect to them'.
wrong Blowin......i was a postman a long time ago saving to go back to bali,part of my run was down the bottom of a steep hill which had a few magpies which would swoop me everyday much to the ammusement of the old retirees who would laugh at the poor postie coping it.Well after a few weeks one of the fuking things almost took my eye out leaving a cut across the eyelid.Enough was enough so i went home grabbed my slug gun and went back and shot one ....didnt have a problem with them after that ....retirees complained and i got disciplined....but its the same principle as the whites ...if a shark attacks someone and its still in the area destroy it.....no different than a bull mastive dog attacking someone......and im not condoning culling sharks .
I appreciate your input blowin. The thing I struggle with is our justification of killing another being.
You say "If I'm going to eat it, it's ok to kill it". What if I kill it with the intent of eating it, and a mate comes over with other food and we don't get around to eating what we killed? A few days go by and we end up tossing what we killed into the creek.
How is it that by me saying "I plan to eat that" that I suddenly have the right to take its life? Surely we aren't that superior a being???
Surely my saying that I plan to eat what I killed only gives ME justification to why I took the life of another animal. That is only internal dialog, not law, not how the world really works.
Not sure how "I plan to eat it" differs internally from "that could eat me or a family member or a friend so I will kill it".
Here is another way of looking at things:
There are billions of beings in the ocean - each has their own right to life on earth.
Agreed!!
Beaming straight in to sharks - the vast majority are not a threat to humans. Agreed.
Those that are a threat are majority Great White and 3m or bigger.
What if fisheries had a contract to only take out anything in that class - Great White, and 3m +?
The status quo would remain in the oceans, the sharks would remain the top predators, keeping our oceans in sync and balance, but the troublesome beasts could be taken out.
As a Fisho myself - Got a new rod for father's day- I don't see how you guys justify killing a whiting as any less than killing a GWS. They are both ONE single living entity.
Have watched dolphin fish clubbed to death in the name of sport and fishing.
How is it that killing a fish is somehow different from killing a shark......
Same as buying a a chook from KFC. No Different.
That's my two bobs worth.
Interested to hear what other forum readers think about this...
After an 18 month hiatus I am tentatively getting back on a board. Problem is I now need to surf solo, having come from busy city beaches, into now rugged, isolated, sharky southern cold water reef. Live and let live I hope, can work both ways. And my luck continues. But jeez, these catastrophic incidents really test my resolve.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-10/council-investigation-after-baby-...
Onya Australia $ 163 K
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-support-katie-thompson
Cull - KILL - Destroy GWS
Troppo is on the money here. The 'sacredness' of the GWS is utter BS and hypocrisy when we happily catch and kill numerous other species. Also, as Norm said (but everyone ignored) - 'The $64 question is when the literally 500 odd 2-3 meter fish that have been tagged, grow to be 3-4m plus in a couple of years, what they gonna eat?'
.
There are so many animals we should kill/cull in Australia . Most are imported like foxes , camels , cane toads , rats and mice etc . But other animals can be culled if necessary and sometimes used for food eg kangaroos . Especially if they are causing problems to themselves , our land and humans .
Problem dogs are a good example . Maybe magpies , crocs and GWS as well .
It maybe an old wives tale but I heard that killing a GWS and dragging the corpse around the ocean acts as a good deterrent .
Why should we wait for a "tipping point " to take action .
Guess you mean wild dogs? I would like too add my neighbours cat that roams along the fences looking for birds to that list . (no collar/bell)
Donated!!
Good on yer mate
At least someone has stayed on track to the story that created the thread
Robo - was thinking of domestic problem dogs but feral wild dogs even more . Feral cats are probably worse than dogs . Happy to pay someone to shoot them all . Wouldn't eat them though . Would you Blowin ?
I don’t eat mammals. Only seafood. If we are killing pointers for food and it’s sustainable, I’ll eat my share with gusto.
If a pointer attacks and can be dispatched then it should be done immediately.
Killing sharks who have never attacked a human and probably never will because they superficially resemble an individual shark who has attacked a human is ridiculous.
It’s like arbitrarily gaoling 50 percent of men because 3 percent of men have committed rape. The rapists might not even be amongst the men who’ve been gaoled and all that’s been achieved is the mob has had their emotions soothed.
Great Blowin . Lets start killing all the problem GWS . I am sure they are tasty . You did a quick u turn .
News alert Blowin is happy to kill abundant GWS in Australia . He has changed his mind !
Do you think Mammals are smarter than fish so shouldn't be killed ? Or is it that you think a nice juicy steak of beef is not as tasty as Tuna ? You do know that Tuna is scarcer don't you ?
Nearly all of the fish you do eat have never attacked or killed a human ( or raped ) . Or the vegetables and fruit .
Get off the glue bloke.
Kill one that's attacked a human as punishment? It might have been a mistake & might not happen again (yeh,its a questionable statement) . I'd be reeeaally surprised if a cull happened anytime soon. Pity they couldn't sterilize all GWS in Australian waters now. That wouldn't technically be killing them,would it?? The ones left might eat each other to a sustainable number or just swim off& get hopelessly lost
I’m referring to the sharks which consume people and lurk around. I completely accept that they’re only doing what comes naturally but if it decides that humans are an acceptable food source then it’s placing itself in direct competition with us as a species and it’s left itself open to experience the consequences.
I don’t hold pointers up as inviolate sacred beings, I believe they’re incredible animals who we should be going out of our way to protect them as we should all creatures.
Having said that , if I’m eaten or attacked I don’t imagine that I’d harbour any animosity towards the fish responsible. Hard to say until it’s happened to yourself.
The original story is sad and devastating for family, friends and wider community. I'm sure we all extend our best thoughts to them.
The debate needs to go elsewhere.
I don't use glue Blowin . It could come from the process of killing a horse .
Blower writes - 'Killing sharks who have never attacked a human and probably never will because they superficially resemble an individual shark who has attacked a human is ridiculous.
It’s like arbitrarily gaoling 50 percent of men because 3 percent of men have committed rape. The rapists might not even be amongst the men who’ve been gaoled and all that’s been achieved is the mob has had their emotions soothed.'
So the 'guilt' of an apex predator is now a factor in whether it's killed? Comparing people with good morals to sharks with good morals is a bridge too far, even for you big, brave blower. GWS instinct is to see, kill and devour it's prey so pretty safe to conclude that innocent sharks are just as likely to attack humans as a 'guilty' one. The key here is to reduce the number of GWS so that attacks are reduced - even Blind Freddy can see this.
Like to know what research was found from
The grants given out when it was decided to protect the GWS in Australian waters
Shit, I used to surf there, one of the nicest surf communities in the whole world there. Devo. So sorry.
I posted this a few weeks ago . Seems relevant to this discussion .
Did a little research and thinking on Shark numbers in NNSW .
In the 70's the Byron Abattoir was busy and sharks were around the out flow . In 6 years of surfing at New Brighton ( 15km north )only had ONE encounter with ( we thought ) a Bronze Whaler . There were very regular occasions when we had to walk through 100 fisherman pulling in Tailor and filling hessian bags . Never ever saw a whale .
Whales are now seen by the 100's in a day . Wonderful .
I have not seen groups of fisherman catching bags of Tailor for many years .
So maybe the huge increase in Great Whites ( GW )is NOT food related .
In 96 NSW protected GW 's . In 99 the Australian Government listed them as vulnerable and in 2002 the Dept of Sustainability , Environment , Water , Population and Communities wrote a recovery plan .
Regularly updated with the last , I think , in 2013 . I read this one .
They listed the threats as being accidentally caught ( Beach meshing and drum lines ) or illegally targeted by fishermen . Also Climate Change ( increasing sea temps , acidification and changes to
ocean currents ).
They said it was essential to mitigate these threats and do lots and lots more research ( of course they did , more work and funding ) .
Fuck me , may be the ONLY Govt Dept to achieve their GOAL ie increase GW numbers .
Your spot on Hutchy ...there's a lot of money in research along with potential feel good votes etc ,etc ...as a life long commercial fisherman inside the G.B.R region I've seen a lot of twisted and fabricated research done with outcomes that suits the researchers or the people paying for it regardless of the impact falling on the wrong people . Over time the research is believed even when its wrong ... ....the shark population is up everywhere around australia and not just G.W and fisheries managers are aware of it ...when you think great white attacks you instantly think of SA or WA but not any more start thinking NSW
Hey Shaun. Valid points for sure, but i keep going back to this story about the mass disappearance of White Pointers from Sth Africa, and an area they were known to be in abundance.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/great-white-shark-population-decline-south-...
Pointers have also been protected in South Africa since 1991 so would be hard to argue the 'numbers are up because they've been protected' argument in this situation that gets thrown around alot here.
With this in mind, how does the argument of 'populations up everywhere' fit into the conversation do you think?
Personally, i wonder if alot of those sharks have headed over this way because of lack of food in Sth African waters, as much as a long shot as that sounds. They do travel oceans though. Who knows, but there's definitely an imbalance in both places, oz and Sth Africa. Also of note is the increase of Whites sighted off the East coast of the US over the last 5 or so years.
I have read a version of "what makes GWS so bloody special?" a few times here. I think the answer is that they have so much to do with the health of the ocean. Killing a single whiting is not to be equated with killing an apex predator, who also doubles as the garbageman. As to limiting it to the bigger ones, they mature sexually rather late, so taking a 3.5m animal may be taking it before it has ever reproduced. These points suck, to me, because i don't want the risk to us to be elevated, as it seems to have gotten to be in your part of the world. But they are valid points nonetheless. I just think that the science community is overly concerned about it. Erring on the side of the shark is to err on the side of caution, which does make sense to me, but can also be "too much of a good thing." More consideration to human life, and interest in that balance, should be given than currently is, as i see it. I am always looking at the shark situation in Oz because the rate of attacks has remained static here in the Red Triangle. The risk here is higher than in most places, but has NOT elevated, as it seems to have there. Makes me wonder if my GWS population is gonna "catch up" to yours. If it does, we have the same political environment here as you have with protection and attitudes, and will have the same heated debates that, so far, have remained unnecessary. It is just so tricky. Whatever this is worth, i grew up being told that the risk is connected to the seal/sea lion population. I think there is actually more of a connection to whale population and migration.
And, i wanted this to be separate from the other that i said, my heart and prayers go out to all personally effected by the latest tragedy. Horrific and terribly sad news.
$197k Raised.....of $250k Goal
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-support-katie-thompson
It was originally $100k goal
Word is around town, yesterday morning a surfer wearing some type of shark shield/band had his foot bitten by a shark at a local Coffs beach. Local surf school operator has photos....
I live here and havn't heard that, what surf school? Winks?
Yeah Robo, Wink. Has some photos, must have only been a small shark or a lucky bloke.
wobbie maybe
Yeah not sure, unlikely surfing on sand.
Interesting story though seeing the surfer had a “shark repellent device”
Wobbiegong bit that bloke at the wreck or belongil surfing on sand bottom.
Yeah ok that's interesting, guess it'd be stupid to assume they're confined to rocky bottoms.
I haven't heard much more about the bite on Saturday but will poke around as the main issue is the bloke had the device on his ankle. Not sure what brand but i think surfers need to know that perhaps said device actually attracted the shark.................
There’s a photo of the bite on the Shark Stories thread
pretty sure it was a small dog shark ,probably trod on it..... minor injuries from the photo i saw
https://www.sharksmart.nsw.gov.au/
Check out nsw sharksmart insta page.
Click on the maps of oz.... They show the migration patterns and areas visited of particular tagged sharks.
Sept 1 is a real eye opener!!!!
Marathon effort..... No such thing as a local shark....and plenty more to learn from the study of animals we know very little about...
Fknhell
Astonishing.
Unsure if this is common knowledge or not, I didn’t know it. Doesn’t help if you’re surfing alone, but may be of use for helping others:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/sep/24/doctors-brilliant-new-fi...
Yeah wow, great to know!
Yeah, it’s consistent with combat trauma treatment. Put your whole body weight on it if necessary - using the knee works well and means that your hands are free to apply a tourniquet if you’ve got one. You can let the pressure off the knee once it’s on and tighten the tourniquet if necessary. You know if it’s too loose because blood starts pumping again. Usually is - you’ve got to really crank the tension on a tourniquet.
There’s a similar spot on the upper arm under the armpit. Harder to apply direct pressure tho. Have seen a tennis ball wrapped in a bandage then jammed in there and the arm pretty much splinted to the torso to keep the pressure on.
Dr Jon Cohen out there?
good stuff ..........
The tracking of this GWS should finally put to bed the sharkhuggers' opposition to a cull on the basis that 'sharks only frequent coastal waters'.
Or quite the opposite? Killing one here ain't going to make much of a difference if they're travelling all over the ocean basins. Would have to cull lots to impact this migration pattern no?
craig ...or do you kill a killer if you can..? so if a bull mastive kills a child do you release it or put it down ?.....
If it can be identified and be confirmed I think I'd be OK with that.. but that's the main issue eh?
yes most of the time but there are a lot of cases as in the cassarina attack and the byron one where the shark stayed in the area for ages.......
some top notch garbage from you this morning Dreck. well done.
Regarding the lad that was bitten while wearing some type of shark repeller. I just visited Grandad at his nursing home and he reckons 100% it was the device that caused it. He's a classic old guy,his attitude to road safety was that in the event of an accident,you're better off being drunk¬ wearing a seatbelt,that way your body is relaxed (helping to avoid injury) and you've got a good chance of being thrown clear of the wreckage. So old school! He also reckons Covid 19 is gods punishment for Communists,Jews and "filthy Hommo-sexuals". In his day he was known as a Colourful Character but these days he'd best be described as a stupid old fuck with his head up his arse
Geez ray, thats some compelling evidence from grandad there.
My nan says the melbourne earthquake was felt by each of us individually.... due to the 5G implants via the covid jab all being switched on by dan andrews at the same time.
Nan said......
No way some "expert" in their field could argue with that!!!