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Surf/Shark, too close to home
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=13445		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  James Orr [ Wed Aug 29, 2007 5:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3536368

Ouch. Today a surfer was nabbed by a white shark in Monterey County.
I'm usually across the bay, right where Santa Cruz and Capitola morph,
but I was in this area of the bay a week ago for one last summer
adventure---this is the bay I surf regularly.

CA has one of the densest populations of white sharks in the world, but
they're typically an hour north and a few hours south of the Monterey Bay.
I read another report on this that said they think the shark was 12 or 13
feet, which is right when they start to feed on the sea lions all over the
bay. Then again, the same report said they can exceed 20 feet, which is
false as far as I know. I was under the impression that they didn't get
larger than 18 at the most, with the typical mature adult at 15.

I've had some great experiences in the water with otters and dolphins,
some freaky ones with sea lions and elephant seals, and try to stay out of
the kelpy areas just because they still don't really have a handle on what
all's in the bay's kelp forests (according to something I read at the Long
Marine Research Center about a current kelp forest study underway at UC
Santa Cruz). I've never worried about the sharks though.

Three weeks ago we got my friend Ashley in the water for the first time in
her life I'm in the back there fiddling with my arm, about to walk in
since the waves didn't really exist and I wanted to splash my friends . . .
you know, being impervious to the 55 degree water in my wet suit
Same bay again, in the Seabright area of Santa Cruz. Now THAT would've
kept her OUT for the rest of her life!

Eesh!
Author:  James Orr [ Wed Aug 29, 2007 5:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
I forgot the pic

Author:  Alain Desforges [ Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:32 am ]
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James, spooky story allright! You know, coming from a generation where I saw 'Jaws' when I was 8-10, I've always been apprehensive about water... Good thing there's no salt water near me!    However, Bull Sharks have been known to travel far up-stream...

Remember, don't feed the fishes!
Author:  James Orr [ Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
Alain, that made me smile I believe CA is the 4th deadliest location in
the world for lethal shark attacks, with a whopping 24. That's not that
many if you think about it. I'm sure you'll be safe from them!

I hear you about the Bull Sharks! The two things I learned from Shark
Week on the Discovery Channel was that we don't have a clue, really (so
many contrasting opinions on the same species), and the Bull Sharks
swim up stream in fresh water! Thankfully not too far.

Feeling the swell of an ocean is a marvelous feeling. I hope you get a
chance someday!     
Author:  jfrench [ Tue Sep 04, 2007 1:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
James - Nice... My best friend has been on vacation surfing Santa Cruz for the past week.

Here in Texas we see some sharks (mostly bull, tiger and hammerhead - scalloped hammerheads are my personal fav) - the only people who get bit are fisherman.

More often than sharks though we tend to see a lot of dolphins. Nothing nicer than catching a wave and seeing a dolphin dive out of it. They're really playful here in Texas. (absolute crap that we haven't hard any good hurricanes for two years though... at least I got a good butt whooping down in Puerto Escondido this summer).

Author:  James Orr [ Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
Hey Josh

You surf? That's awesome. I've only seen one set of dolphins jump one
time, but it was otherly. I think I'm more ancy about the tiger sharks than
whites. Do you know more about the beaches your friend's surfing?
Author:  Kim [ Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
Nothing says it quite like this image.




A large piscatorial dinosaur with a penchant for devouring human flesh is most certainly a thing to behold.... from a great distance.

Cheers

Kim
Author:  Pwoolson [ Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:51 am ]
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Kim, though still scary, that's a dolphin.
Dolphin dorsal fins look like this:

Where shark dorsals look like this:

Notice the vertical area of the back of the fin as opposed to the curve on the dolphin.
I was surfing Rencon south of Santa Barbara when I started seeing dorsal fins about 20 feet from me. (BTW do you have any idea how hard it is to get poop out of a wetsuit? )I was quickly taught this visual lesson and we spent about 2 hours surfing with the dolphins. One of the most amazing experiences of my life.
Another tip: if you see dolphins, that means that sharks aren't in the area because dolphins do anything/everything to stay away from sharks.
Author:  James Orr [ Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:45 am ]
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Another surprise about Paul! How cool! I wouldn't have guessed with you
being in MI. That must have been an awesome experience.       
Author:  Pwoolson [ Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:30 am ]
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It's WI actually but I understand your surprise.
When we lived in AZ we had a group of friends in SB. So we went there just about monthly. Spent a lot of time on Rencon but I think Santa Clause is my favorite. I got up for my first time at Santa Clause during an early morning surf session. Continued to have success most of the morning then we walked across the highway to the greasy spoon and had a wonderful lunch. What a great day. I remember it like it was yesterday and it was almost 15 years ago.
Author:  1bordeaux [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:40 am ]
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Guys,

I lived in Southern CA. for a while while working at Carruthers guitars.
Surfing was part of the daily routine, (389 days continuous at one point). Actually was in the water, fishing off long boards in Malibu around 6 a.m. one morning with a friend when a grey whale and Baby,(15-20 ft.?), surfaced about 30-40 yards from us.
Yes, it can change your life!
Many dolphin encounters and a few brief, yet thankfully distant, shark encounters over a 6 year period.
(I believe I once walked on water, and no matter what Paul W. says, when you move that fast, it flys right out of the wet suit!)

Paul
Author:  Pwoolson [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 1:54 am ]
Post subject: 
[QUOTE=1bordeaux]
(I believe I once walked on water, and no matter what Paul W. says, when you move that fast, it flys right out of the wet suit!)

Paul[/QUOTE]
...and before I was taught the dorsal fin id trick, I too would nearly walk on water to get in. And didn't feel safe until I was at least 25 yards past where we set up camp and nearly to the road.
Author:  jfrench [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:20 am ]
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[QUOTE=James Orr] Hey Josh

You surf? That's awesome. I've only seen one set of dolphins jump one
time, but it was otherly. I think I'm more ancy about the tiger sharks than
whites. Do you know more about the beaches your friend's surfing? [/QUOTE]

James - yep! Haven't had much time to the past year or so though, aside from a trip to Puerto Escondido (highly recommend that place!).

I can't remember the names of the breaks/beaches.. I've never surfed in California so city names seem to mean a lot more to me.

So you don't have many dolphins there then? Its peaceful surfing with the dolphins. Once, coming over the intercoastal waterway to Surfside, TX - we could see the dolphins jumping out of the water all the way from atop that huge bridge. They'll get close to you in the water, too.
Author:  jfrench [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:23 am ]
Post subject: 
Paul is right - thats a dolphin.

We ought to get an OLF surf puting together sometime. Now THAT would be fun!
Author:  jfrench [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:24 am ]
Post subject: 
EDIT: I meant surf "outing"....
Author:  James Orr [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 4:49 am ]
Post subject: 
That would be really fun. I've never stood up though, I'm strictly
bodyboard. I tend not to like telling people that though because they tell
me how much they love renting boogie boards and floating around

Paul, I actually saw a Gray Whale the other month. It was feeding in the
Santa Cruz harbor.

There's something great about being in the water. It'd be great to have
more dolphin encounters.
Author:  James Orr [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:59 am ]
Post subject: 
I found this link on espn.com this morning and just watched the audio/
photo essay. It's about a surfing school that takes blind surfers out on
"Braille Surf Day" every year. It's really cool. Very well done.

http://www.surfline.com/surfnews/photo_bamp.cfm?id=10724&ad= 1
Author:  Shawn [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:05 am ]
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I just got from California yesterday where we were dropping off my son who will be studying photo journalism at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara and Ventura. I was only able to surf for about an hour while there (just north of Carpenteria and south of Santa Barbara) but had a great time.

Several years ago I hooked up a microwave based network between the Channel Islands National Park vistor center in Ventura and the islands and on the South and West side of the islands we would see lots of great whites from March until about May following the seal and sea lions up the coast.

I grew up in Florida and there sharks are much more dangerous because of the water being much warmer.
Author:  James Orr [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:21 am ]
Post subject: 
Shawn, I'm sure your son will love Brooks. I took a few classes through
them for my production minor in college. Great stuff.

I'm glad I'm inbetween the big shark spots!
Author:  A Peebels [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:12 am ]
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When I lived in the SF east bay I used to dive all up and down the coast. One of the places we used to go was just south of the Pigeon Point light house. Later I found out that the seals have their pups on Ano Nuevo Island just south of there. When the seals are in, so are the whites. I never saw one. I guess I was lucky.

Al
Author:  KiwiCraig [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:45 am ]
Post subject: 

James,
       I was a surf lifesaver back in the 70's for a brief time in New Zealand . One early evening our club had a mini carnival to decide the winners of our club trophies . One of the events involved two members swimming out to the bouys with a belt on each and attached to reels on shore . First to the bouy was the winner . The reelman (Me ) then reeled . I felt an enormous pull as I was reeling in and commented to one of the seniors. All of a sudden it became very loose . When the line came in it had a ragged end . We looked out to sea and it was blood red . A massive fin appeared . By this time the other competitor had been reeled in and was hysterical . He saw the whole event take place in front of him whilst being pulled in .We never found any part of Bill ( our club captain) , but part of the belt washed ashore later which gave an indication of the white shark's size. Bill would have been lying on his back whilst being reeled in. Going on the belt,the shark got him right about his middle , and would probably have taken the remains out to sea .A couple of other members and myself were told to search along the beach . It was starting to get dark and we could see in the distance an irregular shape lying on the sand.Running towards it was a moment I shall never forget . It turned out to be a lump of driftwood. I remember we all kicked the hell out of it . Didn't make much sense I suppose , but I guess we were all in shock ,as was everyone.
A few days later the club organised a shark hunt with a well equiped boat and a special shark gun. They got a large shark ,but of course whether it was "that " shark will never be known. It did improve the wellbeing of some of the members though.
Bill's parents strolled the beach every day for a very long time . It was their only child . Very very sad.

Barry, the other competitor, never went near the water again . I also stayed away for quite a while , but have since enjoyed the surf many times . Shark nets are installed nowadays of course.

My memories of that days events are still incredibly vivid


Author:  jfrench [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
Wow.... thats an amazing and very sad story.
Author:  Kim [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
[QUOTE=Pwoolson] Kim, though still scary, that's a dolphin.
[/QUOTE]

Baaaaah! Spoilt Sport.....

Cheers

Kim
Author:  Kim [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:24 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yes, Joshua summed it up, very sad indeed Craig.
Author:  Matt Gage [ Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:11 am ]
Post subject: 
I cant belive you guys are talking about surfing with out me!

Wow,, KiwiCraig, that is an amazing and sad storie. good for you to get back in the water.

I have my share of "whitey" out here on the east coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts as well. Jaws was filmed just south of me on Marthas Vinyard island, not that that means anything.

There is a healthy grey seal and harbor seal population here, and there have been a few sightings of predatations on seals this summer.

Am i still worried when Im out surfing?? you bet...

We also have Basking sharks here that can get up around 20', they never fail to clear out the surf breaks, but they are harmless plankton eaters.

New England is not well known for its surfing but, Rhode Island, the south shore of Marthas Vinyard and Nantucket, and the outer Cape Cod where i surf are great.

heres a shot of me and my wife Cathleen, on a typical day in the surf off of Wellfleet Ma.


heres a close up of the old boy getten `er done..


let me know if there is going to be a surf get together, I`m in!
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