Jeffreys Bay Pro 2015

[marauding mullet]

My son's mate Kyle, at boneyards near Dunsborough. Well, they recovered his torso.
Son had been out there with him the day before.
Those 2 deaths on consecutive days at Cactus and Blacks are the ones that really stick in my mind. Local myth is that it was the same shark, a big old, but lean shark in poor condition. It's a lot of distance to cover but I guess it's possible.

[MrMik]

So much for poking them in the eye as a defence:

Some species without the nictitating membrane (such as the White Shark) are able to roll their eyes to face inwards, exposing the hardened sclerotic coat of the eyeball to protect them when attacking prey.

http://www.sharktrust.org/en/sight

[cedric]

Few years back the lady swimmer at Tathra was consumed.

[MrMik]

A question for those who sometimes have access to alive or recently deceased sharks:

Is it at all feasible to target the gill slits as a weak point if oneself or another person is being taste tested by a GWS?

I imagine it would be a really convincing argument if you could wiggle your hand into the gills and grab a hand full and twist and hold on as tight as you can.

I guess you're going to tell me it takes a crow bar to open the gill covers. Sigh....

[MrMik]

How about the finger up the arse? It reportedly seems to work well for rugby players and pitbull terriers!

[bomboraa]

Recent research has shown great white''s eyes have rods and cones which suggest they can see colour.

Swvic I'd love to read your theories or research on post tagging behaviour. Always open to different explanations or theories. I try to keep an open mind!

[swvic]

No worries, mate, I'll get on it

Rods and cones. Haha - if you have cones in daylight, you'll see colours. That's how I remembered the difference for examination. Silly? Yes. Effective though

[alakaboo]

They don't feel pain mrmik. They don't have the receptors.
Doesn't much matter what you do.

And on a big shark the gill covers are at least half a metre back and you have to reach past the open jaws. Plus their skin is made of teeth.

[--++sunstroke++--]

They don't feel pain mrmik. They don't have the receptors.
Doesn't much matter what you do.

And on a big shark the gill covers are at least half a metre back and you have to reach past the open jaws. Plus their skin is made of teeth.

I had to google that (pain in sharks).

You're absolutely right.

I thought hitting them on the nose, in the eyes, or the gills would potentially stop them from attacking.

Looks like we'll all have to carry AK47's, bazookas & tactical nuclear warheads in the surf from now on

[MrMik]

They don't feel pain mrmik. They don't have the receptors.
Doesn't much matter what you do.

And on a big shark the gill covers are at least half a metre back and you have to reach past the open jaws. Plus their skin is made of teeth.

I had to google that (pain in sharks).

You're absolutely right.

I thought hitting them on the nose, in the eyes, or the gills would potentially stop them from attacking.

Looks like we'll all have to carry AK47's, bazookas & tactical nuclear warheads in the surf from now on

In my opinion, the most promising strategy to defend against a shark is to attack them, or to give the impression that one is attacking the shark.

If in clear water, I'd consider levelling the playing field a bit by putting my head under water and looking around for it. Then, if possible, move towards it at the last moment when it is close and perform a very good martial arts battle-cry from close range.

Keep an eye on it and 'attack' each time it comes near you.

You can also make surprisingly loud low frequency underwater booms by pulling your hands under water suddenly in the right way. If done right, it causes a large air bubble which remains connected to the atmosphere and then empties back into the air in one sudden movement, the water closes in on itself with 1ATM pressure, and because it is incompressible, you get a water-hammer effect when it suddenly stops moving because the bubble is gone.
I wonder if one could learn to integrate this noise making into the paddling action, each stroke sounding like a cannon shot under water.
I know that I can reliably produce the loud water-hammer sound when my head is under water and I still have my hands, but I need to try out (with someone else listening under water) how to do this from above the surface. I think (but am not certain) that the boom happens when you manage to make a splash so that there is a solid fountain of water being ejected into the air when the bubble collapses. Higher solid fountain = bigger boom?

[Beerfan]

Make sure you get someone to video your techniques

[8]

gill twisters and underwater sonic booms..........sharks don't stand a chance

[Drailed]

Reckon your gonna have time for this Mik?

[Nick Carroll]

jesus christ

you're not going to see a shark.

if you do, odds are it's because the shark is not interested in you in the slightest and couldn't be fcuked if you see it or not.

if a big shark decides to attack you, it'll be after it has sussed you out for ages from somewhere you can't see it, then employed the predator's big technique of surprise, minimising the threat to itself.

But this will never fcuken happen.

Talking about fighting a shark is just silly mate. it's bigger than you and infinitely better in the water; if you want to feel like a hell doofus, learn to dive then go diving with a shark, you'll just go Oh jeez why did I ever think about fighting that thing?

Think of it this way, would you fight your dog if it weighed 300kg was non-domestic and ate living things? No you would not.

Making noises and shit underwater attracts a shark's attention in any case. It might get more interested in you or it might decide to get aggressive just to chase you away.

Respect and avoid and don't make a fuss if you do catch sight of one.

[alakaboo]

I love it when Nick's shark facade cracks.

So, off to Byron for the weekend. It's been fun guys.

[aaarating]

More sharks in Johnson and Lawson street than in the bay. I recommend a gill grab , eye poke and punch on the nose. Failing that, ring the council and complain.

[alakaboo]

I'm more worried about the writers.

[The Mighty Sunbird]

JUST KICK THEM IN THE HEART