• We have updated the guidelines regarding posting political content: please see the stickied thread on Website Issues.
"The majority of rips will bring you back to the beach - don't struggle."

The advice over here is to swim at right angles to the rip (ie, parallel to the shore). When you're back in surf, head for the beach.

(I'd prefer not to wait and see if the rip brings me back. If it does, I might be dead already - if it doesn't, well, the outlook's not good!)

And always swim at a Life-guarded beach, especially if you're a visitor to the area.

EDIT: At least we don't get man-eating sharks off Cornwall. Basking sharks are huge, but they feed on krill.


Yes rynner2, I've never understood that - Britain is well known for it's Gulf Stream, which shares a connection to Equatorial Waters, has Basking sharks, yet none to very little representation of any harassment by 'Noahs'.


My experience with being caught in rips is, that by the time you've swum across the rip into 'still' waters, you're already far offshore, which will necessitate a long hard slog back, through maybe 4 to 5 lines of breakers in a very weakened state.

Best thing is to tread water and if on a patrolled beach, stick your hand up in the air, and wait for the 'Beachies' to come and get you.

Quite often, if the rip doesn't take you back to the beach, it will follow closely the line of the headland, which is easier, oftentimes, to clamber up on the rock platform and walk back to the beach.

At North Bondi (yep, that Bondi), there is/was a rip called the elevator, which a lot of grommets used to use to get out the back, behind the first line of breakers. It was handy for the transport, and also because there usually was very little surf to bash through to get 'out the back'.


But yes, the best way to swim is to swim at a patrolled beach, and always between the flags.
 
Lot of attacks in northern NSW this year. Very large Tiger Shark caught off Lennox Head - allegedly recently but yet to be confirmed. Its a fair size this beasty - at least 5m in length. Strong debates over culling currently.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...nuine-says-local/story-fnii5s40-1227480176456



239790-15ef746c-408e-11e5-aee4-367c73406707.jpg

 
That's a Tiger Shark? Looks like a Great White to me.

Regardless, those two images are exactly why I fear the deep.
 
That's a Tiger Shark? Looks like a Great White to me.

Regardless, those two images are exactly why I fear the deep.

I first thought that but the tiger shark has distinctive teeth, they are serrated sideways the tiger shark chews by shaking side to side and using it's teeth as saws. Where as great white just chomp like Luis Suarez.
 
I had the same initial response but Chris is right. I too would have sworn it was a white pointer by the profile in pic 1 and, as you say, the seeming lack of stripes. Pic 2 shows the teeth just as Chris describes. The tiger also has more of a shovel head than a pointed nose. I think the great white also has a colder look in the eye - stuff of nightmares up close. See the pic I posted on page 5 or 6 for the contrast.

Either one would give you a love bite to remember.
 
An Alcatraz Ferry Captured THE BEST Video of that Great White Shark Attack in San Francisco Bay
October 14, 2015 by Mike Schuler

For those of you hiding under a rock this week, a video has been making the rounds on the internet showing a great white shark attacking a seal right off Alcatraz Island in full view of tourists. The attack is being called the first shark ‘predation’ event in recent history in San Francisco Bay.

The original video of the attack went viral, racking up more than 800,000 views in just three days. But the original video didn’t start rolling until the shark had already started eating its meal. Now this new video has emerged captured from the Alcatraz Cruises ferry Hornblower Hybrid showing the attack from the beginning – including when the shark breached out of the water to latch onto its prey.

Scientists note that the great white sharks don’t make it into the bay often, but it’s not completely unheard of. This year in particular, possibly due to the El Niño, there has been noticeable uptick of great white sightings in and around Monterey Bay and off San Francisco, but so far nothing like this.

Below is the uncut version of the attack:


etc...

http://gcaptain.com/an-alcatraz-fer...ark-attack-in-san-francisco-bay/#.Vh_hgmvaKSp
 
Says "This video is private" - any other versions available?
Strange - it played yesterday.

But go to the Gcaptain link - another version is shown at the bottom of the page. The view is closer-to than the ferry footage, but misses the original strike.
 
A man (30) is undergoing surgery after being attacked by a shark in easternAustralia.

Queensland Ambulance Service said the attack took place in waters off Rosslyn Bay, a resort popular with tourists visiting southern parts of the Great Barrier Reef.

The man was reportedly spear fishing when he was surrounded by a school of mackerel and was then attacked head on by the shark, ABC reported, citing paramedics.

The man fought off the shark although he suffered lacerations to his arms and legs and is undergoing medical treatment.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/worl...acked-by-shark-in-eastern-australia-1.2483241
 
A surfer is in a critical condition after a shark bit off his leg at a beach in Western Australia.

Ben Gerring, 29, was in the water near Mandurah, south of Perth, when the attack occurred.

The attack occurred at around 16:00 local time (07:00 GMT), according to theAustralian Broadcasting Corp.

Local media reports said Mr Gerring was resuscitated before he was taken to hospital. He has undergone surgery and remains in a critical condition.

"He was right out the back looking to get a big wave, one of the set waves that had been coming through during the day," Brian Williams, president of the Mandurah Boardriders Club and friend of the victim, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-36423080
 
Sharks - ugh. I refused to go swimming when I was in Oz. I have a vivid memory of Fred Trueman on TMS describing how he was told by Aussies words to the effect of 'it's OK, they hardly ever eat anyone' and then the guy he was swimming with got - well - eaten.
 
I know it's not a particularly popular opinion, but I'm afraid I don't have that much sympathy for those who are attacked.
If you're putting yourself into an alien environment, where you know you're no longer top of the food chain, then you can't exactly complain when the creatures who are at the top of the food chain stop by for a bite to eat.

It especially annoyed me some years ago when it was thought two sharks were hunting together somewhere around the shores of Australia, a situation previously unheard of.
The authorities response? Hunt to kill! *slow claps*

I will add the caveat that I'm talking about divers, surfers and those who are in the water for leisure purposes; basically those who don't have to be there.
I appreciate those that have to work in the sea run the same risks and so deserve sympathy, and no small amount of respect.
 
I know it's not a particularly popular opinion, but I'm afraid I don't have that much sympathy for those who are attacked.
If you're putting yourself into an alien environment, where you know you're no longer top of the food chain, then you can't exactly complain when the creatures who are at the top of the food chain stop by for a bite to eat.

It especially annoyed me some years ago when it was thought two sharks were hunting together somewhere around the shores of Australia, a situation previously unheard of.
The authorities response? Hunt to kill! *slow claps*

I will add the caveat that I'm talking about divers, surfers and those who are in the water for leisure purposes; basically those who don't have to be there.
I appreciate those that have to work in the sea run the same risks and so deserve sympathy, and no small amount of respect.
I think I'm generally with you on that one.
Sharks have every right to exist and they do what they do. We're intruding on their territory.
Anybody who deliberately goes in the water needs to appreciate the possibility that something bad might happen.
 
I once covered myself in lamb chops and jumped into the lion enclosure at the zoo.
I was eaten alive.
Luckily, I got getter.
 
I once covered myself in lamb chops and jumped into the lion enclosure at the zoo.
I was eaten alive.
Luckily, I got getter.
After you drank a gottle of geer, apparently. :p :drink:
 
Sharks - ugh. I refused to go swimming when I was in Oz. I have a vivid memory of Fred Trueman on TMS describing how he was told by Aussies words to the effect of 'it's OK, they hardly ever eat anyone' and then the guy he was swimming with got - well - eaten.

Yeah - I've been to Australia many times and never swim in the sea. Not worth the risk IMO.
 
You'll be okay up north quake, the Crocs've eaten 'em all.

I was serious.


Broome is a quaint place to visit - but not for long - it's really got buggerall going for it. The beer is/was emu bitter, Council tells you you can't build a place taller than the coconut palms [seriously], food and petrol is too expensive, there's nothing to see there, the longest I've seen a local go for a swim would've been about five minutes - they have one of the most poisonous sea snakes up there, the crocs come up, onto the beach, and they have a jellyfish [the Irukandji] the size of your little fingernail that will make you very very crook
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irukandji_jellyfish

Check the Kimberly's out instead.


https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/21678851/surfing-croc-shuts-cable-beach/#page1
 
Last edited:
Back
Top