RealSurf Surfers' Forum

On hold due to shark.

Loved how Ronnie and Luke didn’t say anything for a couple of minutes while the surfers were sitting on the back of the skis. Just ignored what was happening. Finally Ronnie says “ we’ve gone on hold due to some wildlife in the lineup”. Don’t mention the “s” word.

noted by me as well.

Funnily enough it was KP who mentioned the word Shark.

It was a shark-shaped clump of seaweed. It was reasonable to pause and check, of course.

of course.

But one also understands a certain sensitivity to both the concept and the reality of a shark may exist, being as it is, an existential threat to the business model of the WSL.

Exhibit A being the Fanning shark attack and subsequent abandonment of the Final in J-Bay 2015.

Exhibit B being the cancellation of the Margaret River event last year after two serious shark attacks in one day.


Both of these incidents would have been extremely expensive, and likely constitute ongoing costs in terms of the necessity to insure against contingencies.

True, although the commentary team's hesitancy to say shark is perhaps best judged when there’s a shark.

More evidence we need a shark cull.
Those rotten dirty bastards are interfering with our entertainment!

Best solution is to hold all comps at inland wavepools. To avoid loss of corporate dollars as well as avoiding outrage from the entitled shark hating elite

Indeed.

BA wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 22, 2019 1:02 pm

Loved how Ronnie and Luke didn’t say anything for a couple of minutes while the surfers were sitting on the back of the skis. Just ignored what was happening. Finally Ronnie says “ we’ve gone on hold due to some wildlife in the lineup”. Don’t mention the “s” word.

This is what people in semi charge of public communications in Australia's beach and surf environments -- lifeguards etc etc -- are counselled to do, ie. avoid the use of the word "shark", because the reaction of other people to that word can't really be predicted. "Wildlife" or "animal" is the suggested term. So Ronnie etc were just toeing the same line your local lifeguard would toe.

Really?

My local lifeguards have no hesitation whatsoever in using that word.

I've never heard them once refer to a shark alarm, or sighting as a "wildlife" or animal spotted.

They call it a shark with no hesitation.

i dunno, but i'm pretty sure carroll just jumped the wildlife with that last call.

Well I'm looking forward to see 8-10 foot Bells and seeing who wants it and who doesnt.

It's not Teahupoo.

Doubt people will be pulling back from the Bells Bowl.

Bells / Winki is the most unsharky place I've ever surfed. True two people have been nipped on the ankles there but nothing serious.

steve shearer wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 23, 2019 11:51 am

Really?

My local lifeguards have no hesitation whatsoever in using that word.

I've never heard them once refer to a shark alarm, or sighting as a "wildlife" or animal spotted.

They call it a shark with no hesitation.

I'll guarantee they do not do that over a public address system or any kind of media that might be heard by people they don't know.

They have a manual and shit that tells you how to deal with it in public.

Not sure exactly what you mean......there are a million examples here of lifeguards referring to sharks and shark situations in the media.

Not to mention the DPI's own shark education propaganda which is everywhere and repeated at every opportunity.

It would take a peculiarly perverse kind of anti-reality for them not to on this stretch of coastline.

Maybe they are just ignoring the manual around here or realise how futile it would be trying to call a donkey a horse.