Mary Lee

Alto Mare · May 13, 2015, 12:25:36 PM

http://7online.com/news/great-white-shark-moved-closer-to-jersey-shore/705510/

Keta · May 13, 2015, 01:08:29 PM

Interesting. Our GWs feed on seals and sealions and are usually not that far offshore. They are protected here.

Rancanfish · May 13, 2015, 03:10:33 PM

I used to not care about the odds of a white encounter until I experienced three occurrences in a short time span. In two I was on a party boat rock cod trip near Ano Nuevo. Amazing to see the damage to one live seal as he swam nearby looking at us, with the largest pool of blood in the water. It was weird looking at him eye to eye, almost like he was saying, "I'm toast aren't I?"
The shark did return and slowly start chewing on the floater awhile later.

In the other I was in my 17 foot Whaler Outrage rock fishing. I was at the helm barely putt putting along after my passenger pulled in a Vermillion. He was washing his hands in the water when all of a sudden the water color right next to the boat changed. At first I was confused because I thought I had come up on a shallow reef. But my depth gauge showed 60 ft.? As it turned out Mr. White was tracking us. He was wider than my boat! I put it in neutral and told my partner to get his hands out of the water. That giant fish broke the surface and looked right at me! It unnerved me a bit. After he submerged and circled us once, I put it back in gear and high throttled it outta there and didn't stop until I was about 10 miles closer to port. Quite a thrill. Never forget being assessed as a meal.

Did I say, screw kayaking?

Keta · May 13, 2015, 03:31:18 PM

In the 60's I was spearing fish in 90' of water off of Salt Point State park in Nor Cal and had one swim over me. In Alaska I was chased put of the water by a pod of orka, that really scared me.

Aiala · May 13, 2015, 04:16:59 PM

Quote from: Rancanfish on May 13, 2015, 03:10:33 PM
That giant fish broke the surface and looked right at me! It unnerved me a bit.

A "bit"??

Quote from: Rancanfish on May 13, 2015, 03:10:33 PMNever forget being assessed as a meal.

More like an appetizer... ye gods!

~A~

redsetta · May 13, 2015, 10:49:55 PM

After my brother's run-in (http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=12632.0), it does feel a little more 'real', but we're all still surfing.
Had an orca follow me on an early morning swim last winter.
I stopped to have a look at him, but it's hard to get a perspective when you're in the water too.
He watched me for a couple of minutes from just a few metres away and did three big, slow exhalations, before I continued on my way.
Thought it was pretty awesome at the time, but everyone I told reckoned it was nuts.

Dominick · May 13, 2015, 10:52:27 PM

Quote from: Keta on May 13, 2015, 03:31:18 PM
In the 60's I was spearing fish in 90' of water off of Salt Point State park in Nor Cal and had one swim over me. In Alaska I was chased put of the water by a pod of orka, that really scared me.

Why does that scare you? Shamu loves you. He is so cute and cuddly. Dominick

bestout · May 13, 2015, 10:53:08 PM

Quote from: Dominick on May 13, 2015, 10:52:27 PM
Quote from: Keta on May 13, 2015, 03:31:18 PM
In the 60's I was spearing fish in 90' of water off of Salt Point State park in Nor Cal and had one swim over me. In Alaska I was chased put of the water by a pod of orka, that really scared me.

Why does that scare you? Shamu loves you. He is so cute and cuddly. Dominick

Tightlines667 · May 13, 2015, 11:28:38 PM

I would rather be in the water with sharks over Killer, False Killer, or Pilot Whales anyday. Shark behaviour is typically much more predictable. They usually let you know if they are planning on eating you well before they make their move, assuming you see them first.

El Pescador · May 14, 2015, 12:56:35 AM

Quote from: Keta on May 13, 2015, 03:31:18 PM
In the 60's I was spearing fish in 90' of water off of Salt Point State park in Nor Cal and had one swim over me.
In Alaska I was chased put of the water by a pod of orka, that really scared me.

Lee, you are more of a man than I am! Summer 1980, just married and SCUBA diving with a college buddy off Salt Point State Park, having a great experience, I was moving along about 4 feet off the bottom when a Eel SHOT out of the rocks and was 12 inches from my face mask - Needless to say and thank GOD I was in a wet suit, since it contained the mess I just made!!! $:-\$

Since then, I vowed NOT to piss off the Air Gods or the Gravity Gods, and have stayed on land for most of my existence.

NO Underwater SCUBA diving
NO Sky diving.

Never - I own too much Life Insurance

Wayne

David Hall · May 14, 2015, 02:17:49 AM

Well I'll just keep myself in the boat for all of them!

joel8080 · May 14, 2015, 02:39:22 AM

2 years ago my Son who is a very good big wave surfer was in a lineup waiting for the next ride and between he and his buddy a baby 8 ft aprox white pooped up between them, looked at them and dived.
They still talk about it to this day, I'm not sure if they washed out there wet suits, but they keep surfing.

Joel8080

Keta · May 14, 2015, 03:02:27 AM

Quote from: El Pescador on May 14, 2015, 12:56:35 AMSummer 1980, just married and SCUBA diving with a college buddy off Salt Point State Park, having a great experience, I was moving along about 4 feet off the bottom when a Eel SHOT out of the rocks and was 12 inches from my face mask - Needless to say and thank GOD I was in a wet suit, since it contained the mess I just made!!! $:-\$

We started diving the cove before the state bought the property. Was the large anchor still at the park entrance? We brought it up from 90' and brought it to the beach. We were being closely watched from the top of the bluff and as soon as we got it above the high tide line the rangers took it away from us. We were pissed but what can you do with an 1100 pound anchor. I still have a link of the chain.

bluefish69 · May 14, 2015, 03:20:04 AM

Lee

You are the missing Link???

Mike

johndtuttle · May 14, 2015, 03:22:34 AM

Quote from: Tightlines666 on May 13, 2015, 11:28:38 PM
I would rather be in the water with sharks over Killer, False Killer, or Pilot Whales anyday. Shark behaviour is typically much more predictable. They usually let you know if they are planning on eating you well before they make their move, assuming you see them first.

Dunno about other whales but I wondered about this so I looked up the history of Orca attacks and it turns out the only reported fatality was "documented" over 100 years ago in the arctic where the human was likely mistaken for a seal.

No other deaths and *extremely few* attacks on humans (only 6) in the last ~100 years by wild Orca.

On the other hand, the keepers of Orca in zoos and marine parks have been attacked fairly commonly....maybe they don't like being held captive? Who knew.

Of course, on the other hand, it seems sharks kill people it seems yearly somewhere in the world.

ps wikipedia says there are ~75 shark attacks on humans yearly. After living more than 10 years in the monterey bay area and surfing...pretty much anyone that goes in the water around there is very conscious of the potential for a fatal encounter.