Surfing Waves

Just curious. How many of you actually seen a shark while surfing? What's the odds of actually being attacked by one? Just curious. For some reason, I've never fully been able to get over this fear. lol

Here is a thread I started a week or so ago.
https://surfing-waves.com/forum/view ... hp?t=10089

As far as the chances of you being attacked? Think about all the people in the world that swim in the ocean and how few attacks there are. It does get sharky here at times but the only thing you can really do is keep an eye out. Otter says there are not that many to be concerned about in his area and Tomcat who lives on the East Coast (US) says they are always around which I understand but he has a pretty good mindset towards them.

I've seen none, and I'd say your odds vary with your location.

I've seen some 3-4 foot sharks while surfing. Nothing that I've been worried about, though.

It's the whole fear of being eaten alive that gets to you, though.

To freak you or not?

Consider this - they are everywhere. You just don't see them. Reember that species of shark are found in the arctic and antarctic. You may be lucky enough to live in an area where there have never been any that attack people. And you may not. But there's still species of shark there.

My question to you - why do you care?

I surf in some of the sharkiest waters in the world (South Australia). We get millions of people in the water a year here. And we are on a major Great White migration route.

We average less than one attack a year.

Does this tell you anything?

-doug

Loads of biteys where I live too, there's a couple of breeding spots for great whites and lots of feeding spots for them all along the coast - lots of big rivermouths full of tasty salmon.

As far as I know, there's never been an attack by one, and just a few people bitten by smaller ones, like sevengills, but that hardly ever happens, and it's never life threatening.

i spearfish a lot. being in hawaii, theres surfers wherever there are waves, and from my experience, wherever there are waves, theres a good chance theres a shark.

think of it this way, ur more prone to dying driving home from work than u are getting eaten by a shark.

Yep far more likely.

Or dying from a bee-sting on the beach.

Statistically you are dozens of times more likely to be killed by a protective sow. Or cow. Or horse. Yet people just aren't terrified of visiting a farm!

-doug
Compsand.com - The Composite Surfboard Cooperative!

fisherguy wrote:think of it this way, ur more prone to dying driving home from work than u are getting eaten by a shark.

I would agree. dougirwin13 has mentioned South Australia. If you live in Adelaide and head down to Middleton/waits/parsons on the weekend, you have a much better chance of being killed on the Adelaide to Victor road than you do my the sharks.

Parsons is a top spot for fishing for salmon. Both the resident fisherman and resident sharks love it.

Yah.

Where you live MB? I live on the Moana/Seaford stretch of the mid.

-doug

I use to live in Happy Valley until I moved to NSW 3 months ago. The sharks got too much

LMAO!

-doug
Compsand.com - The Composite Surfboard Cooperative!

New Symyrna Beach (where i surf a LOT) is on the news practically every year, it's known as The SharK Capital of the World... i just try not to think about it haha. I was even circled in Flagler Beach once when I was just learning to surf, and I've probably never paddled faster. or screamed louder.
i just think to myself...What are the odds of that happening TWICE???
and i make sure not to wear any shiny jewelry in the water lol.

Ive had a big shark appear not to far from me at bluey's NSW, needless to say I did not stick around and caught the next wave in ....

R

saw an 8 ft shark at Diamond Head during a surf contest. usually see 3-4 footers out there although I don't know of any shark attacks at that break. there have been a few attacks here in Hawaii with one of the worst ones being Bethany Hamilton's loss of an arm.

we get species of shark in the uk, although when you see them you dont really worry because they're not too big, although in the summer there are bigger sharks, but still i don't think i know of anyone being attacked! can't imagine it myself, although it may have happened

I surf in San Diego and while I haven't seen any of the sharks around I know that we get great whites in La Jolla cove because the seals like to hang out there in the kiddie pool. We also have lots of blues and threshers. I remember when I was younger there was a guy who would always go fishing on his long board at my break. One day he caught a big a@# thresher that towed him in a 8 mile circuit before he was able to real it in. Still don't know how he got it into shore but it made the news. The only thing I worrie about while I am surfing is the sting rays.

CH

Sillysausage wrote:we get species of shark in the uk, although when you see them you dont really worry because they're not too big, although in the summer there are bigger sharks, but still i don't think i know of anyone being attacked! can't imagine it myself, although it may have happened

Sharks on the East coast of the UK?
Wow I didnt even know we got actually sharks here. Only little nippers. Ah. I can't imagine sharkes here @ all :O

some of my friends were fishing before and they got like a 4ish foot shark at the pier. i surf about a mile from the pier.
i'm just curious, can those sharks bite a finger/toe off?

I've never seen one. Ive only seen jellyfish and the odd seal popping up to say hello. XD