Surfing Waves

src news24:

Giant shark attacks CT woman
15/11/2004 08:59 - (SA)

Tisha Steyn

Cape Town - A shark attacked an elderly woman off Fish Hoek beach on Monday morning.

Darren Zimmermann, station commander at Simon's Town and a paramedic at Cape Medical Response, told News24 a member of the public alerted police about the attack at 07:00.

Zimmermann said according to witnesses the shark "took her, leaving her lying in the water, and then came back for her again, leaving only her hat floating".

He said the woman, a Fish Hoek resident of over 70, used to swim at the beach every morning.

The shark attacked her about 50m from the catwalk, about 80m from the beach.

An Air Mercy Service helicopter had seen the shark, which is believed to have been over seven metres long. It was still inside the bay, and the beach was closed to bathers and surfers.

Rescue 10, the National Sea Rescue Institute's Simon's Town office, harbour patrol boats and lifesavers were looking for the body.

He said the woman's name would be made known once her relatives have been informed.

thats rough. poor lady.

Ah, crap! I'm going to Cape Town on Friday!! I planned to go surfing in that area too.

Just confirms what I've been saying for a while now - Great White sharks are no longer endangered in the waters off South Africa and their numbers are getting too high, hence the increase in attacks on humans. It's been 15 years since catching one was made illegal - time to reintroduce controlled shark fishing again.

That's always bad to hear about.

Yeah, it wasn't a few months ago a guy had his leg taken by a great white round cape town too. Sharks are not uncommon round there. My sister's living round Fish Hoek and she surfs. :shock: doesn't sound very comforting hearing that news that's for sure.

I think we should most probably invest in a Sharkshield.....If only it wasn't so expensive.

A Sharkshield?
If only.

Awesome name, by the way

got a shark sheild but i think im still to sched to use the thing mabe I'll give it a maden voyage of course that is very bad humor but hopefully she dident feel xxxxx after the first bite, illeagl shark killing. fleshin' that! it's open warfair just need to hook up with my ingin buddies .fleshin' mount a fleshin' howeitser on the boat ,chum the water up here. and fleshin' bang bang bang no more sharkies in the north west .let that be a warnin to all sharks! don't leave none of me left if ya bite. cus i'll come and take ya life away.

Seriously, what a way to go out eh? Imagine being 70 & eaten by a shark while out for your morning dip. How much more dramatic & full-on could it have been. When the closest most of us will come to an exciting death will be rotting away in old peoples homes forgotten by out nearest & dearest or in some onocology ward surrounded by people wearing beanies with drips in their arms.

She died doing something she enjoyed, that is a pleasure most of us won't have. Something to think about...

Update:

It appears that laying most of the blame at the door of tourist boats and their "chumming" to attract sharks is erroneous. They are not to blame for the sudden increase of attacks in Cape Town area. It is in fact a virus that's to blame....

Background: False Bay, a calm bay on the south coast of Cape Town is a good place for surfing. It also happens to be the second-largest breeding ground for Great White sharks on the planet, after the Great Barrier Reef in Aus. We Capetonians have always known this, but have surfed here anyway because

a) the waves are good
b) there is a large seal population in False bay and they are the natural prey for Whities.

However in the last year over 7000 seals have been found dead around Cape Town and it has now been proved that they were killed by a virus. So less seals for hungry sharks means they are going to look elsewhere for a meal.....and swimmers/surfers are easy pickings!

I am off to Cape Town tonight for a couple of weeks holiday and I am seriously considering taking my golf clubs instead of my board!