Just grazed onto this: http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.com/unprovoked_kayaker.htm There is another shark attack on a kayak recorded in "Deep Trouble". They all seem to involve short kayaks. Does anyone know of a shark attack on a long sea kayak, a boat say 5 metres long? I am hoping the Noahs know that a longer boat is not worth test biting! -- Cheers, Peter Treby *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Peter Treby wrote: > Just grazed onto this: > http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.com/unprovoked_kayaker.htm > There is another shark attack on a kayak recorded in "Deep Trouble". > They all seem to involve short kayaks. Does anyone know of a shark > attack on a long sea kayak, a boat say 5 metres long? I am hoping the > Noahs know that a longer boat is not worth test biting! > Hi Peter, What's interesting about this site, is that finally ISAF has removed Roy J. Stoddard's name from the list of shark attack fatalities off the California Coast which they had included for several years after a puzzling incident that occurred in 1989. http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.com/fatal_attacks.htm Stoddard was out paddling with Tamara McCallister on a day in January in 1989, reportedly not dressed for cold water. When their kayaks were found tied together, lodged in rocks offshore (as I recall) and McCallister's body was found floating offshore (Stoddard was never found), author, John McKosker, conjured up a scenario for his new book where a huge great white may have attacked Tamara then swallowed Stoddard whole when he came to her rescue. In 1996, I wrote George Burgess (director of ISAF based at the Florida Museum of Natural History and who is often called on by the media about recent shark attacks) several emails presenting an argument against McCosker's claim. Evaluations by local expert kayakers who inspected the damaged kayaks were ignored. What McCosker described in his book was not logical and seemed sensational (McCosker was finalizing his book about great whites at the time of the supposed attacks and added this wild tale just before it went to the publisher and convinced Burgess the two kayakers should be entered into the ISAF). What has been described as "evidence" that McCallister was killed by a shark were six bite wounds (the largest being 13 inches across... hardly the size of a shark to swallow a man whole), abrasions on her hands "such as would be seen from someone fighting off a shark" wrote Burgess, and no water in her lungs indicating that she did not drown. There were too many other questions about this incident, however, for me to be convinced of McCosker's theory. I believe McAllister received what is known as "test bites" after she succumbed to hypothermia. I think the hand abrasions came from either attempting to climb back into her kayak while suffering hypothermia or possibly while attempting to hold onto rocks. The seasoned California kayakers who viewed the kayaks suspected a California grey whale may have caused the damage to the fiberglass kayak and possibly resulted in the two kayakers taking an unplanned swim. McCallister and Stoddard were paddling in an area where grey whales were known to travel during that time of year. Neither was prepared for a swim to shore in January water temps. A few years ago, a woman was paddling a Scupper, I think, at the mouth of the Russian river when a great white came up from beneath and knocked her out of the kayak. There were witnesses to this event. She was unharmed. I don't think you can rule out any length as fishing boats have been attacked by sharks. The thing to keep in mind is that *any* attack is so rare an occurrence, scientists can't establish a pattern to warn you about what creates a threat. Jackie *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Jackie Myers wrote: "...A few years ago, a woman was paddling a Scupper, I think, at the mouth of the Russian river when a great white came up from beneath and knocked her out of the kayak. There were witnesses to this event. She was unharmed. I don't think you can rule out any length as fishing boats have been attacked by sharks. The thing to keep in mind is that *any* attack is so rare an occurrence, scientists can't establish a pattern to warn you about what creates a threat." Just as well that attacks are so rare that it's hard to draw conclusions. If this incident involved an Ocean Kayak Scupper, that's 4.5 metres long. The seals around here get up to around 2 metres long. You would think a shark attacking a larger vessel is not mistaking the boat for a seal meal. With a fishing vessel, maybe the shark is getting excited by berley and bait, and biting at the source. Some of the nicest paddling trips take in seal colonies, and going over wearing a mask and watching the seals swim around is fun. But I get a mild dose of anxiety around seal colonies, you never know what might be hunting them. I have been approached a couple of times by this mob: http://www.sharkshield.com/index.php, wanting to survey sea kayakers. When I mentioned a donation to the sea kayak club in return for our assistance with their market research, I didn't hear back. Shark repellent! Cheers, Peter Treby *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Peter: About 8 or 10 years ago, an aquaintance of mine whom I generally found a steady and reputable fellow but have since lost contact with, reported that while crossing between Cape Cod and Martha"s Vineyard "fat, dumb and happy was paddling allong when something lifted his sit on top kayak from beneath, ellevated him and his kayak out of the water briefly about a foot and a half. He nearly tipped over. What ever creature it was, was about as long as the kayak." he slid off the thing and beat feet out of there "full tilt boogie" and did not hang around long enough to figure out what exactly it was. He judged by the texture and collor of its aperance it was some sort of shark. We both were unaware that whatever sharks frequent the north east US waters were quite that big. And were at a los for a conclusive answer. It had been an unusualy warm summer and the gulf stream that year was unusualy warm as well. So it could have been at the extreme edge of its natural habitat. best: Michael ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Treby" <ptreby_at_ozemail.com.au> To: "Paddlewise" <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net> Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 2:36 AM Subject: [Paddlewise] Sharks > Does anyone know of a shark > attack on a long sea kayak, a boat say 5 metres long? I am hoping the > Noahs know that a longer boat is not worth test biting! > > -- > Cheers, > Peter Treby *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 12:45:06 -0400, "MICHAEL SILVIUS" <M.Silvius_at_worldnet.att.net> said: > Peter: > About 8 or 10 years ago, an aquaintance of mine whom I generally found a > steady and reputable fellow but have since lost contact with, reported > that while crossing between Cape Cod and Martha"s Vineyard "fat, dumb and > happy was paddling allong when something lifted his sit on top kayak from > beneath, ellevated him and his kayak out of the water briefly about a foot and a > half. He nearly tipped over. What ever creature it was, was about as long > as the kayak." he slid off the thing and beat feet out of there "full tilt > boogie" and did not hang around long enough to figure out what exactly it > was. He judged by the texture and collor of its aperance it was some sort > of shark. > We both were unaware that whatever sharks frequent the north east US > waters were quite that big. There was an 1100 pound tiger shark caught by a boat out of Nantucket a week ago. I would expect that sized critter would have an easy time lifting a kayak. http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/4746503/detail.html Kirk *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Peter Treby <ptreby_at_ozemail.com.au> wrote: >I was wondering if short boats and surfboards are more easily mistaken >for seals by Whiteys than longer boats. Itb^Ys an anecdote, not data, so donb^Yt draw any conclusions: In 1989 I was paddling near the southern end of the Queen Charlotte Islands in my plastic Puffin touring kayak b^S bright orange. (I've read that sharks are attracted to bright colours. A diver in the Galapagos Islands once had a shark take a test run at his bright yellow air tank that knocked the diver several meters through the water and presumably cost the shark a few teeth b^S no biggie, since they're constantly growing new ones.) Anyway, I glance off to my port side to see a fin slicing towards me in fine Hollywood movie style. I'm just getting to the end of the "It can't be b^S it is b^S I should be scared!" thought process when the shark gets to within about fifteen feet, apparently sees the boat is pretty big, and veers off at a 45 degree angle. I later talked to some local fishermen who told me that based on the apparent size (10-12 feet), location, and behaviour, it was a salmon shark. Thinking back, my guess is that that my paddle strokes sounded like a fish in distress at the surface (sick fish sometimes lose control of their swim bladders and "fall" to the surface, where they thrash about as they die.) Sharks are attracted to any such irregular noise; when I've dived with them, we were taught to swim rhythmically and regularly. That day was unusually calm, so the sound of my strokes would not have been lost against the background of surface noise as it ordinarily would have been. I think one thing that saved me from a possible test bite (sharks feel with their mouths) was the excellent visibility, far from shore on a calm day. Many of the attacks on humans I've read about happen in the surf zone. In the turbulent bubbly water, the shark may sense motion without being able to see what caused it, and seems to take a bite experimentally on the off chance it's a seal or something else yummy. So the apparently higher incidence of attacks on surf boaters and surf boarders may have more to do with where they spend most of their time compared to the typical touring boater than with their size and shape. Cheers, Philip *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Philip wrote: "Anyway, I glance off to my port side to see a fin slicing towards me in fine Hollywood movie style. I'm just getting to the end of the "It can't be b^S it is b^S I should be scared!" thought process when the shark gets to within about fifteen feet, apparently sees the boat is pretty big, and veers off at a 45 degree angle." My only sighting of a shark while paddling has been a short experience. I saw a dorsal fin slicing along the surface for maybe 5 metres, then it disappeared, Such a brief sighting encourages good body rotation, as you look around to see where it's gone! Cheers, PT *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Enjoying the shark tales, here are some pictures of a shark encounter I had a couple of years ago: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~ltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/21-bigfish.jpg <http://www.abdn.ac.uk/%7Eltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/21-bigfish.jpg> http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~ltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/22-shark.jpg <http://www.abdn.ac.uk/%7Eltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/22-shark.jpg> http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~ltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/23-undertheboatplease.jpg <http://www.abdn.ac.uk/%7Eltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/23-undertheboatplease.jpg> The rest of the photos from the trip here: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~ltu006/images/coll_tiree/ <http://www.abdn.ac.uk/%7Eltu006/images/coll_tiree/> Cheers Colin www.kayakscotland.com <http://www.kayakscotland.com> <http://www.abdn.ac.uk/%7Eltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/23-undertheboatplease.jpg> *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Peter Treby wrote: >I saw a dorsal fin slicing along the surface >for maybe 5 metres, then it disappeared, G'Day, Just back from a long trip to the Whitsundays, a group of islands at the southern tip of the Great Barrier reef. Wonderful place to go in our July winter, when the box jellyfish and irukanji are on leave and strong steady winds sigh through the trees discouraging mossies. We paddled from island to island and camped between the hoop pines, the casuarinas and the coral sand. Anyway Elizabeth and I were ferry gliding between Cateran Bay and Hook Island, while our companions let the current take them in an arc. The currents were strong that day. About halfway across she points and exclaims "Whats that". A hammerhead shark had just leaped half out of the water. It had a lithe silver grey blue green body, was about 3.5 metres long, just a little shorter than her sea kayak. This fish must have known Elizabeth was about to be elected club president. It treated her with the utmost respect, circled her boat, swimming under it, along its side and down and around mine. It was the most elegant looking shark I've ever seen. There was no sense of aggression and it seemed as curious about us as we were about it. Afterwards we were told it was unusual to see a hammerhead leap like that, a rare privilege. All the best, PeterO (Sydney, Australia) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
PeterO wrote: > >G'Day, > >Just back from a long trip to the Whitsundays, a group of islands at the southern tip of the Great Barrier reef. Wonderful place to go in our July winter, when the box jellyfish and irukanji are on leave ..... > > Irukanji? http://forums.deeperblue.net/archive/index.php/t-41199.html Yikes! Jim et al *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Jim wrote > Irukanji? http://forums.deeperblue.net/archive/index.php/t-41199.html Yikes! G'Day Quite easy to protect against if its summer and they are a risk. You either wear a lightweight stinger suit and wind up looking like one of the "Incredibles" or you can wear panty hose to protect legs and look equally bizarre! All the best, PeterO *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Okay, Colin wins the 1st annual Paddlewise "Coolness Under Shark Approach" award. Any entries for next year's? Philip Colin Calder <colin.calder_at_abdn.ac.uk> wrote: >Enjoying the shark tales, here are some pictures of a shark encounter I >had a couple of years ago: > >http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~ltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/21-bigfish.jpg ><http://www.abdn.ac.uk/%7Eltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/21-bigfish.jpg> > >http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~ltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/22-shark.jpg ><http://www.abdn.ac.uk/%7Eltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/22-shark.jpg> > >http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~ltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/23-undertheboatplease.jpg ><http://www.abdn.ac.uk/%7Eltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/23-undertheboatplease.jpg> > >The rest of the photos from the trip here: > >http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~ltu006/images/coll_tiree/ ><http://www.abdn.ac.uk/%7Eltu006/images/coll_tiree/> > >Cheers > >Colin > >www.kayakscotland.com <http://www.kayakscotland.com> ><http://www.abdn.ac.uk/%7Eltu006/images/coll_tiree/images/23-undertheboatplease.jpg> >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed >here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire >responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. >Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net >Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net >Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ >*************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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