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Yep, a pretty average topic, but I'm curious as to how often you ocean sailing guys (and girls) see sharks? And what's your general reaction- total horror, head straight in, or don't really care?
One of my favourite locations has been a little shark infested lately, (seen 3 whalers around 2.5 meters in three trips) so I'm kinda turned off going there. But gee it's a great place to sail...
Anyway, my reaction to sharks right near me is firstly wish I had a powerhead, then feel crook in the guts, then legs start to shake, and I head straight in
How often do you fall in the water?
You'd be referring to Trial Bay? I think I once saw a shark while I was windsurfing there. I saw a browny greyish shape out of the corner of my eye. The mullet were running that day with plenty of fishoes out so I thought if it was a shark it was probably more interested in the fish than me.
When I came in I was told there were a bunch of sharks out there that day.
What can you do? There was a TV show on the ABC a few weeks ago about sharks, mainly bull sharks in Sydney harbour. There was footage of an attack on a navy diver. I really don't think there is much you could do about it if you are attacked by a big shark. They are so bloody powerful.
Don't go in the water late in the evening or if you are bleeding. Stuff like that apparently lessen the risk. I think if a shark acted aggressively or inquistively towards me I'd head back to shore and give up for the day.
Mody,
Yep, Trail Bay.
I spend a little time in the drink as I'm learning- gotta love the tacks... I fully expect their numbers to grow come the mullet run (only 4 weeks or so off), and probably more chance of bigger bities when the salmon run- a few months away yet. I fully get the odds of being eating whilst sailing is so low it's not worth thinking about, but when you're going super slow and see them 5 meters away, and one turns to follow you, it kinda plays with ya mind...
Aus301,
I'm hearing you mate. I've spent half a life time on surfboards, with a number of years at Byron and20 odd here. It's funny, on a board I never really gave them too much though, although I have been chased in twice, seen some rippers pretty close by, but since sailing (only 2 months or so) I notice the view into the water is waaaay better. Probably had them around my legs numerous time on a board, just couldn't see them. I guess that shows how little interest they have in eating people.
Quicksilver are bringing in a new wetty for SA surfers and sailors, and it may be of interest to you Phil. I would recommend you also get a Personal Flotation Device if you are going to use one of these in future 
Actually it's pretty bad here Adam, I took this shot earlier today...
I'll take the chain mesh if I get the sword.
Never seen one windsurfing in 25 years. How do you see into the water when it's windy?
In 25 years, 2 at Cottesloe, 4 at Scarborough 2 at Scarborough followed me for about 300m until I hit the shore, glad I was on an inward run.
Got stung by a bee once about 1/2 km out.
Saw one going past 100m out in Lake Macquarie once.. It seemed to know where it was going so I gybed & came back to shore and then waited until it had gone a long way Nth..I then went out on my new board for the first time - fell in heaps , the clew pinged undone and I had to sit 10-15mins in the choppy water while I rethreaded it ...Just kept hoping it hadn't decided to come back..it was a bull shark c 2m +..Still have my legs..
I think if I saw one 5 ' away I might finish up for the day & lack a bit of enthusiasm going back out there..
mate,your missing out on some awesome sessions.Ive been out 4 x times this week and its been sick as. I did see a chompy critter this arvo but when I fell in near him he **** himself and bailed.DONT LET FEAR RULE YOUR LIFE BRO!!!! how many shark attacks a trial bay in the last ten years?????
NONE,FREAKIN NARDA ZERO
come catch some waves Bruzzzy???
Their just a marine animal, swimming around, Doing their thing. Forget about them.
If it wasn't for the media hype with sharks, No-one would give a sh!t if they saw one.
There's some pristine sailing spots on SA west coast, Well worth checking out. Anyone thats going to poo themselves everytime a bronzy shows up may as well stay home.
Watched a big shark once as my mate did 3 bottom turns over the top of it in about 3m of water. It travelled down the line with him as it just happened to be going that way.
As he gybed off the end of the wave the shark kept going, didn't even look at him.
I've seen two in about 10yrs on the ocean and both times I near on shat myself cos in rough water you see it for 1sec then have no idea where it is
I reckon the more you see 'em the less you worry about them.
It might be a fools complacency, I dont see the point of letting fear ruin a good session when your out there anyway.
Couple of years back a few big bronzies that had been chasing salmon up and down the beach started circling me when surfing. OK then, next wave in. I didn't worry about them too much until they started paying me attention.
I saw a documentury called Jaws a few years ago. Sharks are very smart and a planning ways of eating you. If you go in the water you WILL get eaten.. period!
Southern end of Lake Macquarie early last year I had a bull cruise up beside me. It was so close I could of touched its fin. It went on its way after I sheeted in the sail a couple of times. Christmas last year same place, with-in half an hour I saw 4 bullies, 2 I ran over as I didn't see them. scared the sh!t out of me. These guys weren't little either. My oldman told me when he was a teen, in the same area there were great whites. They have always been there but since commercial fishing
was banned several years ago, sightings are more common now. Needless to say my freestyle moves have improved dramatically.
To me the whole shark problem is not about gettin killed- as you're more likely to die in a car crash heading to the water- it's simply some huge grey powerful creature with teeth chewing on me! Pretty well everyone who's ever been biten by a shark has lived to tell the tail, so they usually don't bite to kill, more a way of tasting the offering to see if it's what they really want.
I probably wouldn't worry about them so much if I wasn't learning on non-planing days and falling in so often. Being fully on the plan on a choppy day, making all my gybes, etc, I'm sure I'd hardly even think about them.
First year I ventured to WA some fisherman had his outboard chewed by a great white, this caused us to drive straight past safety bay and onto Geraldton. This is when I started to learn how to water start, I had a jet boat operator drive past and ask me if I was trying to attack sharks???? not inspiring at all! After a few days I cruised over a 3 meter long fish which spooked me off the water for the rest of the day. We left for shark bay a week later that produced some great sailing even though the name was a bit scary. At the end of an awesome few days we went for a sail on a charter boat and got to see heaps of sharks that we had sailed around for the past few days. I've Learnt to accept that they are there, Do I like it...no I don't but it's part of what we do.
