Shark Attacks in Florida - Nords!

Have you been following the recent Shark Attacks in Florida?

A fisherman got nailed today while wading. (Chest deep). I try not to wade in Saltwater any deeper than 20 inches, that way I have the advantage.

Especially you Nords, paddling that surfboard out in the Ocean? - You must look like a giant Hostess Cupcake to a Bull Shark. Have you ever thought you might not want to be the 'cream filling'

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cut-Throat Have you been following the recent Shark Attacks in Florida? A fisherman got nailed today while wading. (Chest deep). I try not to wade in Saltwater any deeper than 20 inches, that way I have the advantage. Especially you Nords, paddling that surfboard out in the Ocean? - You must look like a giant Hostess Cupcake to a Bull Shark. Have you ever thought you might not want to be the 'cream filling'

Yeah, I saw it. I have a branch of the family tree in Tampa/St. Pete area, too.

I think surfers look like either a horizontal corndog on the half-shell or, sitting on the board, a couple of yummy ladyfingers dangling in the water. (Chewy on the outside, crunchy on the inside!) And I'm not even covered with a layer of yucky neoprene. It sure doesn't make me happy to watch a monk seal swim through the lineup and haul out on the beach, leaving those monk-seal smells trailing through our group.

I wonder if that fisherman had any fresh catch around his body. I know skindivers who spearfish and bring their catch to the surface to store it on a kayak or surf ski, but after leaving one or two bloody trails they have to vacate the area.

There hasn't been a shark attack on Oahu's south shore in decades. And Bethany Hamilton paddles up just fine with her right arm. So like Bernstein's retirement calculator from hell, it's not enough to keep me out of the water.

I read the other day that Lex Brodie is 90 and still surfing. I'm gonna have to add that to my long-term goals...

Now we're going to see a feeding frenzy. In the news media.

[MRGALT2U]

While this is certainly a disaster for the victims and families,
shark attacks are a statistical nothing, worldwide. Your morning
commute is more dangerous.

JG

[BUM]

Its too bad. I read that FL has an average of 30 attacks per year. Can that be right? Media over-publicizes these awful events.

[JB]

Thank God we don't have Bull Sharks in Hawaii (we have enough to worry about with tiger sharks). Bulls are very aggressive, and have been known to swim into freshwater rivers for food.

Regarding attack probabilities, it clearly depends on how much time you spend in the water, and where. A few months ago a Tiger Shark swam up to a local spearfisherman and took his catch. I bet his chances of being bitten are much higher than average.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Bumped by a small bull shark on an air mattress in virginia when I was about 4-5 years old, about 100 yards up a fresh water estuary from the ocean. Passed a couple of feet away by three tiger sharks that were in the 10-12' range off of nantasket beach in MA a couple of years later.

I dont go in the ocean any deeper than my ankles anymore, unless I'm diving. Then at least I can get a good look at them before they eat me.

Johnny...the stats you see about being more likely to be hit by lightning vs bitten by a shark are a little 'funny'. Anyone can be hit by lightning...you have to go into the water in areas inhabited by sharks to get bitten. The real stats of people who regularly spend time in shark territory (eg: surfers), particularly under conditions where the shark may not get a good look at what its taking a bite of or where the person is cohabiting with a sharks food source (eg: the woman in a wetsuit swimming with seals and sealions that was eaten this year)...pretty good odds you'll get a bump or a bite sooner or later.

I'll take my chances with the lightning. Especially around here. The water is ~50 degrees and the sharks can eat a school bus.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Yes, thats obviously a fake.

All sharks that jump out of the water have pancakes on their heads.

[Dawg52]

I've been going to Destin, FL every year for the last 20 years or so and this is only the second one I have ever heard of in that area. Then again, you don't see or hear of many on the golf course.*

[ronin]

Florida has the most shark attacks.* Lately, juvenille great whites have been bumping and nibbling around so cal.* A long time ago, when I was living in Samoa, I was watching the ocean and saw a really big tuna jump and*fly about 10 yds.* Then a really, really big shark jumped right behind it, almost on its tail.* Never seen one jump like that before or after, although I've seen a few circling me.* In Fiji I saw a big reef shark silouetted in the face of a wave screaming after a huge Jack Crevally.* That was scarier, because I was paddling back out to the line up.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Discovery channel had a special a while back on great whites (air jaws) near capetown africa, that jump out of the water. Dang amazing to see something that big leaving the water.

Videos
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence...o/airjaws.html

I'll try out skateboarding, and leave that surfing thing to all y'all...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronin Florida has the most shark attacks.*

In Minnesota we have never had a Shark Attack. One could leap to the conclusion that we practice safe swimming here in Minnesota

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Sharks cant buy winter coats and snowshoes.