Re: [Paddlewise] Yum Yum Yellow

> From: "Nick Gill" <nicholas.gill_at_adfa.edu.au>
> 
> > Jackie wrote
> > > Nope, that's an urban legend.  I thought most California sea kayakers
> > > knew that.  
> > > 
> 
> > Bob Myers Wrote
> > Ridiculous, of course.
> >
> > Nobody's done a study of what color kayaks a shark prefers.
> >
> > And besides, shark attacks on kayaks are so rare that the data is
> > statistically invalid.
> 
> i write;
>
> I'm not sure about these comments. A few years ago I had heard of this. 
> Sounded dubious. then one day while lunching in the tea room I happened 
> to pick up one of the scientific mags that lie around my work place. 
> Don't ask me which one - I didn't  keep it. 

It's important to know which one if you are going to state it as a study
in a scientific magazine and attempt to persuade us of it's validity.  But,
I can do that, too.  A group of researchers (I can't remember their names) 
did a study some time ago on sharks that were of a species known to be
harmless (never attacked humans).  They concluded  that these sharks 
liked the color yellow that was flashed before them.  Ergo the yum yum
yellow theory was born.  Another group of researchers (I can't remember 
their names either) re-ran the study and found it inconclusive.  It had 
nothing to do with kayaks and only involved one species of sharks that
were harmless to humans.

> There it was - a story about a study by some shark researchers who had  
> studied on which colours are most likely to attract a shark attack. they 
> had tried all sorts of colours and patterns - using surfboards, or 
> something similar, if I remember correctly..

I don't remember this.

> the results - yum yum yellow was number one
> also don't get a zebra pattern black and white kayak- that was number two.

Don't tell that to the young couple traveling the world in their kayaks
that are depending on statements they claim they have heard that painting
zebra stripes on their kayaks will keep them safe from shark attack.

So which is it?

It was rumored that sharks do not eat the small pilot fish that swim
with them because they are black and white striped.  Because of this 
rumor, dive shops marketed black and white striped dive suits as "shark
repellent suits."  Ron and Valarie Taylor, well known underwater 
filmmakers who have shot extensive footage of white sharks, tested
the white and black striped diving suit theory and found the suits to
have no effect on sharks at all.  pg 223, Sharks, published by Facts
On File.

btw, Cousteau's divers often wore silvery white suits with black stripes
down their arms, sides and legs which gave them the appearance of having
black and white stripes while underwater conducting research on great
white sharks.  See Cousteau's "Great White Shark," text and illustration
produced by the Cousteau Society, published by Abram's.

> If I remember correctly though the associations were not that strong. 
> Unless the story or research was a hoax or my memory is so awful - 
> there you are.
> Nick

There has been "No conclusive experimental evidence that sharks respond 
to particular colours" - pg 76 "Sharks, Silent Hunters of The Deep," 
contributors include Dr. Perry Gilbert, Director Emeritus, Mote Marine 
Laboratories, Dr. Scott Johnson, Naval Ocean Systems Center in San Diego 
(research into shark repellents).

Cheers,

Jackie




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