Ask Carroll

[Wyre]

Had similar (both sides), had surgery, all better.

Wow! yeah I don't really want to go down that road yet, but good to know it is an option.

[PeepeelaPew]

...

[Beerfan]

There's already expert advice dished out by Taronga Zoo -where shark attacks are registered- and which is dished out by media after every attack.


The following safety points should be considered and may help minimise the risk:

Swim at beaches patrolled by Surf Life Savers (they are there to keep an eye on your safety, to look for signs of danger and to assist if you get into trouble).
Do not swim, dive or surf where dangerous sharks are known to congregate.
Always swim, dive or surf with other people (the presence of a companion may deter a potentially attack and your companion can assist you if you get into trouble or are bitten by a shark).
Do not swim in dirty or turbid water (there is little chance of seeing a shark in these conditions).
Avoid swimming at dusk, dawn or at night (many sharks are more active during these times and in low light conditions you may not be able to see an approaching shark).
Avoid swimming well offshore, near deep channels or along drop-offs to deeper water (sharks are more likely to inhabit the deeper water).
Avoid entering the ocean near a river mouth, especially after a rainstorm (rain can wash potential food items into the sea that might attract fish and sharks).
If schooling fish congregate in large numbers, leave the water (sharks can be feeding on the baitfish schools).
Do not swim near people fishing or spear fishing (as these activities can attract sharks).
Dolphins in the area do not indicate the absence of sharks (dolphins and sharks sometimes feed together and some sharks feed on dolphins).
Kayaker should raft up together if a large shark is seen in the area (this makes for a larger object that a shark may not be interested in).
Do not swim with pets and domestic animals (sharks can be attracted to non-aquatic animals in the water).
Look carefully before jumping into the water from a boat or wharf (people have jumped on top of sharks).
Be careful wading through shallow water as Wobbegong sharks are known to hide amongst the kelp in shallow water and it is easy to accidently step on one and get bitten without knowing it was there.
Wearing shiny jewellery can reflect light that resembles the sheen of fish scales (sharks can be attracted to the reflected light).
If a shark is sighted in the area leave the water as quickly and calmly as possible.



Do you have anything different to add to that or disagree with anything on here?

You forgot to always swim near a fat fkukk mouth breather, the sharks can smell the trans fat and know they'll get a very high caloric load per bite if they decide to attack. And you know they're not going to swim faster then you can.

[Yuke Hunt]

Speaking of sharks, I had a recent encounter with a toothy critter a couple of weeks back while surfing a little point in Yuraygir National Park.

The area is abundant with baitfish and dolphins, the water was slightly murky too. I'd taken a 9'6" Micheal Cundith longboard for an early morning spin on some rather small peelers. After catching a couple of waves I noticed a shape further out without the telltale dolphin dorsal appearing. About 30 seconds later the shape appeared once again in the face of an oncoming wave. It was brown, around 4-5' long and making a B-line directly towards my position. A couple of seconds passed before the realisation hit me, shit a shark. Spinning the tank around I paddled like buggery, catching a tiny wave to the beach. From the shape of its head and coloration, I'm guessing it was more than likely a small tiger shark.

I found out later, that on the previous day a couple fishing close inshore from a trailer boat were constantly harassed by what they described as a brown shark. It continually stole their fish and even though they moving positions a couple of times, the thing followed them until they eventually pulled the plug and came in.

Now even though this creature was far from big, the vision of its snout heading directly towards me in the wave was quite scary.

[Wyre]

Ouch. That sounds pretty gnarly.. How long was recovery??

[bomboraa]

There's already expert advice dished out by Taronga Zoo -where shark attacks are registered- and which is dished out by media after every attack.


The following safety points should be considered and may help minimise the risk:

Swim at beaches patrolled by Surf Life Savers (they are there to keep an eye on your safety, to look for signs of danger and to assist if you get into trouble).
Do not swim, dive or surf where dangerous sharks are known to congregate.
Always swim, dive or surf with other people (the presence of a companion may deter a potentially attack and your companion can assist you if you get into trouble or are bitten by a shark).
Do not swim in dirty or turbid water (there is little chance of seeing a shark in these conditions).
Avoid swimming at dusk, dawn or at night (many sharks are more active during these times and in low light conditions you may not be able to see an approaching shark).
Avoid swimming well offshore, near deep channels or along drop-offs to deeper water (sharks are more likely to inhabit the deeper water).
Avoid entering the ocean near a river mouth, especially after a rainstorm (rain can wash potential food items into the sea that might attract fish and sharks).
If schooling fish congregate in large numbers, leave the water (sharks can be feeding on the baitfish schools).
Do not swim near people fishing or spear fishing (as these activities can attract sharks).
Dolphins in the area do not indicate the absence of sharks (dolphins and sharks sometimes feed together and some sharks feed on dolphins).
Kayaker should raft up together if a large shark is seen in the area (this makes for a larger object that a shark may not be interested in).
Do not swim with pets and domestic animals (sharks can be attracted to non-aquatic animals in the water).
Look carefully before jumping into the water from a boat or wharf (people have jumped on top of sharks).
Be careful wading through shallow water as Wobbegong sharks are known to hide amongst the kelp in shallow water and it is easy to accidently step on one and get bitten without knowing it was there.
Wearing shiny jewellery can reflect light that resembles the sheen of fish scales (sharks can be attracted to the reflected light).
If a shark is sighted in the area leave the water as quickly and calmly as possible.



Do you have anything different to add to that or disagree with anything on here?

And yet plenty of recent attacks have been:
In crystal clear water
Mid morning under sunny skies
Without any baitfish about or fish bust ups near by
With plenty of other people in the water.

Nick's point about many many more people in the water, surfing, diving, ocean swimming or what ever simply creating more opportunities for encounters between humans and sharks is valid.
What's rarely discussed is increasing numbers of great whites since their total protection. Juvenile and "teenaged" whites up to about three metres spend plenty of time very close inshore. That's because they are fish feeders.
One of their favourite foods is Australian salmon. Since the NSW south coast Australian salmon commercial fishery collapsed a few decades ago, their numbers have soared. May well be also because some of their small pelagic predator competitors like bonito, are now heavily commercially fished.
Australian salmon are present in Sydney Harbour in big numbers all year round now. Not so long ago they were only in the harbour in spring to smash the baitfish hatchings generated by warming water. Veteran NSW recreational fishos have also noted Australian salmon have become common in large numbers at certain times of the year on the state's north coast. They are even turning up on the Gold Coast. This was extremely rare if not unheard of in the 70s and 80s.
Salmon are an inshore fish which love massacring bait just past the wave break line. They've been blatantly obvious along the Sydney coast and the harbour for many weeks now. So where do ya reckon young great whites are gonna be? Right where people surf, ocean swim and dive.
Whites generally move to scoffing marine mammals when they get bigger. That prey, seals and baby whales generally, are also protected and on the increase.
So you have both predator AND prey numbers (for both young and mature great whites) increasing off the Australian east coast at least. More people in the water is only one part of this equation.
If it was possible it would be interesting to match statistics of how many people were regularly in the water in "shark zones" off our beaches back before netting started, and great white numbers back then, compared to today's situation.
North coast surfers might like to know there is now a limited Australian salmon netting fishery on the north and mid north coast; caught for trap baits.

By the by re an earlier post, the hammerheads caught in the nets aren't a protected type of hammerhead.

[swvic]

You've probably already used detergent, MF, but toothpaste is better. Same effect, but lasts longer

This worked, had some in my bag. Didn't try detergent or spitting.

Happy to be of assistance

[andy2476]

You've probably already used detergent, MF, but toothpaste is better. Same effect, but lasts longer

This worked, had some in my bag. Didn't try detergent or spitting.

Happy to be of assistance

Toothpaste is abrasive. It'll scratch the fuck out of plastic goggles

[PeepeelaPew]

...

[swvic]

You've probably already used detergent, MF, but toothpaste is better. Same effect, but lasts longer

This worked, had some in my bag. Didn't try detergent or spitting.

Happy to be of assistance

Toothpaste is abrasive. It'll scratch the try again out of plastic goggles

Abrasive yes, just like cutting/polishing compound. Never had a problem with scratched lenses

Rub it in, wash it off. No proximity stinging. Lasts for ages

[Nick Carroll]

hi NC, I'm pretty sure you may well have answered something like this before, but I've checked as much of this thread as I could and haven't come across it..

So, I have a genuine fcuked AC joint in my shoulder, the full 'step' deformity (bump) etc. I took 2 months off surfing, just rested it, but as soon as I do anything, be it gardening let alone surfing, it comes back pretty hard. Getting back in the water on a small day, I noticed that much of the pain or weakness seems to be from pushing the board down for a duck dive, as well as holding on to the board during a thrashing.

I don't think I am a bad duck diver, but is there any technique you think may help in this situation?
I took your advice with regards to paddling technique and found it excellent, so thank you for that.

Look I wish I could help you here A-Wyre but I suspect legion may be right here, surgery may be the only real option as far as long term fixes go.

High potency anti-inflammatories taken prior to exercise may help in the short term but they're no way to live your life.

You could try the ancient alternative to duck-diving - the eskimo roll. This is where you roll upside down and put your board between you and the whitewater as it moves past above you. It can be pretty effective with slightly heavier or larger boards and it avoids the direct pressure placed on the shoulder joint by pushing the board down into the water's resistance.

Under little foamies, you could try a sideslip duck dive, pushing down with the unaffected shoulder and angling the board underwater that way. It won't get you very deep but it'll get you under a little bit of rolling foam.

Meanwhile, have a think about the options and get some good advice from a sports medical practitioner who you can trust.

[Nick Carroll]

shearer re earlier, I think I might try to think about who I was addressing as well, it seems as if a slightly higher proportion of shark attack victims of recent times have been people who may have a slightly higher tolerance of risk and so put themselves in situations where shark attacks are more likely. Maybe they have dismissed the possibility of it happening to them. There would be a better way of speaking to them perhaps. I mean I am a bit like that myself, and I see people like that all the time, older people who swim off beaches at dawn in the whale/sea life migration seasons, etc etc, like two recent victims have been right out of that textbook but they haven't changed anything they do. I bet they have never read that Taronga Park Zoo website or anything like it, and they wouldn't think to pay attention to it, they'd think it was for people from the western suburbs or something.

[Beanpole]

I put up with it for seven years before I got the first one done. Seven years of paddling pain. To the point I couldn't lift my arm above shoulder height after a big session. I had bone spurs on the AC (like yours), tendons (or ligaments?) rubbing on the spurs and that would cause inflammation and pain. Rest worked while you rested but like you, one session and the pain would instantly reappear. Surgery involved grinding away the spurs and the ends of the AC joint. I've got a DVD somewhere, taken by the arthroscope ...

Yikes, sounds like my troubles as well.

[Beanpole]

There's already expert advice dished out by Taronga Zoo -where shark attacks are registered- and which is dished out by media after every attack.


The following safety points should be considered and may help minimise the risk:

Swim at beaches patrolled by Surf Life Savers (they are there to keep an eye on your safety, to look for signs of danger and to assist if you get into trouble).
Do not swim, dive or surf where dangerous sharks are known to congregate.
Always swim, dive or surf with other people (the presence of a companion may deter a potentially attack and your companion can assist you if you get into trouble or are bitten by a shark).
Do not swim in dirty or turbid water (there is little chance of seeing a shark in these conditions).
Avoid swimming at dusk, dawn or at night (many sharks are more active during these times and in low light conditions you may not be able to see an approaching shark).
Avoid swimming well offshore, near deep channels or along drop-offs to deeper water (sharks are more likely to inhabit the deeper water).
Avoid entering the ocean near a river mouth, especially after a rainstorm (rain can wash potential food items into the sea that might attract fish and sharks).
If schooling fish congregate in large numbers, leave the water (sharks can be feeding on the baitfish schools).
Do not swim near people fishing or spear fishing (as these activities can attract sharks).
Dolphins in the area do not indicate the absence of sharks (dolphins and sharks sometimes feed together and some sharks feed on dolphins).
Kayaker should raft up together if a large shark is seen in the area (this makes for a larger object that a shark may not be interested in).
Do not swim with pets and domestic animals (sharks can be attracted to non-aquatic animals in the water).
Look carefully before jumping into the water from a boat or wharf (people have jumped on top of sharks).
Be careful wading through shallow water as Wobbegong sharks are known to hide amongst the kelp in shallow water and it is easy to accidently step on one and get bitten without knowing it was there.
Wearing shiny jewellery can reflect light that resembles the sheen of fish scales (sharks can be attracted to the reflected light).
If a shark is sighted in the area leave the water as quickly and calmly as possible.



Do you have anything different to add to that or disagree with anything on here?

Avoid putting your dick in a sharks mouth as it may very likely get bitten off.
Gummy sharks are less dangerous in this area.

[PeepeelaPew]

...

[Drailed]

shearer re earlier, I think I might try to think about who I was addressing as well, it seems as if a slightly higher proportion of shark attack victims of recent times have been people who may have a slightly higher tolerance of risk and so put themselves in situations where shark attacks are more likely. Maybe they have dismissed the possibility of it happening to them. There would be a better way of speaking to them perhaps. I mean I am a bit like that myself, and I see people like that all the time, older people who swim off beaches at dawn in the whale/sea life migration seasons, etc etc, like two recent victims have been right out of that textbook but they haven't changed anything they do. I bet they have never read that Taronga Park Zoo website or anything like it, and they wouldn't think to pay attention to it, they'd think it was for people from the western suburbs or something.

Old bloke down at bronte who quite often swims bronte to Mackenzie's before the sun comes up.

Fark that. I could not get anywhere close to overcoming the fear barrier to swim out more than 5 meters in the dark.

[alakaboo]

If he's the bloke who bodysurfs in sluggoes over the reef then he is a total arsewipe and death by shark would be far too pleasant

[Nick Carroll]

I don't like my goggles fogging up.

OK Matticus now you are out of the tard game here's a new swim set.

You've been doing 10x100m 75 free 25 back with a tiny bit of underwater at the end.

So upping the ante a fraction to 1.5k I'm gonna give you two separate sets, do the first one (aerobic) on days one and three and the second one on day two.

"form" means any stroke other than freestyle. "re-set" means let your heart rate come back to normal.

set one (aerobic)

warmup 300m (75 fs 25 form continuous)

then within 30sec of finishing that:

4x50m, each on 1min15sec. Concentrate on kicking off the wall, streamlining, lengthening the stroke out, kicking with long legs (not from the knees, but from the hips). You get to rest till the end of the 1.15 then go again, same cycle four times through.

re-set.

6x150m - 2 pure freestyle on 3min, 2 50fs50back50fs on 3min20sec, then another 2 fs on 3min again. Note the rest time you're getting on this cycle and try to hold that pace whatever it is. (let me know what it is btw and we might tweak the time a bit)

warmdown 100m kick. Use a lil kick board or whatever, if there isn't a kick board then just scull a bit with your hands, keep your head down and take a breath every now and then to suit. You can rest for 10sec at each end.

set two (power)

warmup: 2x150fs, 10 secs rest in between

2x100 fs/form, 10sec rest in between

re-set.

16 x 25m fs on 45sec, one easy one hard repeat. Work on the kick and balance in the hard ones, really try to drive everything from the stomach and hips.

re-set

4 x 50m fs on 1.15, 1-3descending (i.e. getting faster on each one), the fourth easy pace

2 x 200m fs easy/mod pace on 4mins. Use a pool buoy if the pool has some. This is like a foam rubber peanut thingy that you grip between your thighs while swimming. It floats your hips high in the water and allows you to work on streamlining. It'll hamper your kick but you'll have kicked a bit in the 25s. Just relax and lengthen out and pull the 200s home.

don't try to do too much conscious work on technique, later on once you've gaining a little more swim fitness I'll give you some good technique drills.

do this for about six weeks, report back whenever, try to come back with that rest time you're getting on the 150s in set one.