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Shark Scenario #1 - Brighton Beach Perth

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Created by Ioz > 9 months ago, 5 Sep 2011
Ioz
WA, 491 posts
5 Sep 2011 9:59PM
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So I am 400m out the back of Brighton Beach today in 14knts of wind having a fabulous time when my mind starts to wander to past event and conversations about the big bad fish.

It makes me think if a shark hits me now as i am planing along and completely knocks me off my board (as happened to ezza in Close Encounter Thread) and i landed in the water still in one piece with no blood oozing yet what do i do.

My board is only 15 feet upwind of me -

- do i take the time to body drag back upwind and hence doing so staying in the vicinity of the toothy predator ?

- or do i high tail it out of there, lopoing my kite furiusly down wind to try to make it back to the shore as soon as possible but maybe acting like a fast moving lure ?

What would give me the better chance of survival I thought to myself.

tgladman
WA, 500 posts
5 Sep 2011 10:02PM
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LOOP IT LIKE A POLAROID PICTURE.

lostinlondon
VIC, 1159 posts
6 Sep 2011 1:05AM
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Leave your board for the man in the grey suit, maybe he will give it a try and be hooked for life!

<Flexing my Pun Guns today>

tightlines
WA, 3461 posts
5 Sep 2011 11:12PM
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I would be back upwind and on my board (i.e. out of the water) in seconds.

Underoath
QLD, 2429 posts
6 Sep 2011 1:17AM
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I'd be tea bagging like a mother trucker.

harrysurfer
WA, 254 posts
6 Sep 2011 12:14AM
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id leave the board and take the chance with looping furiously back to shore

SugarQube
WA, 490 posts
6 Sep 2011 1:05AM
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" Jesus get me out of this one and I will go to church for the rest of my life"

ezza
NSW, 561 posts
6 Sep 2011 10:09AM
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body drag back to board as quick as humanly possible whilst emitting high pitched prolonged squeal ...
Promise yourself, god & whoever else you can think of (Ganesh, Buddha, Mother Nature) that if only they let you get back to shore in one piece you promise to be good & start going to bed earlier and drinking less beer...
Avoid the 400m high speed lure situation at all costs I reckon, unless it's blowing it's knackers off and you can get higher than ruben lenten...

bennie
ACT, 1258 posts
6 Sep 2011 10:12AM
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sharks can catch seals doing mach 10 in the water. What makes you think you could body drag faster than that. The shark wouldn't even raise a sweat chasing you down. I think your best chance would be to get back to your board asap.

poor relative
WA, 9084 posts
6 Sep 2011 8:13AM
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I wouldn't worry about it.
Its the ones you don't see that'll get you.

jwins
VIC, 28 posts
6 Sep 2011 10:28AM
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I had that very same thought after reading Ezza's post. "What would I do?" My first thought as I was reading the post was: "Why on earth would he go back for the board?," but then I thought about the speeding lure situation, and I think he made the right choice. I'd go back for my board, then I'd high tail it outta there, count my blessings, and my toes, and through back a few cold ones on dry land(kinda like Ezza did)...

GalahOnTheBay
NSW, 4188 posts
6 Sep 2011 10:48AM
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Hmm not sure what to do, but I know that if you soil yourself that just attracts more sharks...

ezza
NSW, 561 posts
6 Sep 2011 11:08AM
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Hey jwins, I am a she! ...

Ioz
WA, 491 posts
6 Sep 2011 9:26AM
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Yes - it would be a brave move to body drag back to the board,

but if you manage to get the first power stroke in without being chomped in half you probarly would make it.

Either way you would be a very happy individual when finally making it back to the beach.

I personally love the edge of excitement this whole factor brings to the sport. I think our world is sometimes to controlled and sanitised and i kind of like the felling of not being totally in control.

I would rather be taken out by a shark than a truck !

DaCurls
WA, 134 posts
6 Sep 2011 9:29AM
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look if it happens it happens simple as, there are much more sharky places to kite than brighton, biiiig deep channels, drop offs, reefs etc and im not worried man up

Puetz
NT, 2172 posts
6 Sep 2011 11:02AM
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... what are the chances of being knocked off your board when your going along, by a shark? Its rare enough to see them let alone actually hit one with enough force to knock you off. It would be a chance encounter.

So with that logic, would a shark come after you while your body dragging for your board? Would they, or rather, do they, take the opportunity for food availability and have a go at you? I think they would have a think about it before having a go at you and by then your hightailing it back to land, on your board doing mach 9, praying to the wind Gods!!

cheers for now,

Robbie

Fooosh
WA, 563 posts
6 Sep 2011 10:09AM
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ezza said...

Hey jwins, I am a she! ...


Fooled me too with that avatar pic. Post some real pics of you then! No pic no cred. [}:)]

dafunk
QLD, 559 posts
6 Sep 2011 12:11PM
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maybe a board leash would save some time?
but id put some boots on .

ezza
NSW, 561 posts
6 Sep 2011 12:21PM
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Fooosh said...

ezza said...

Hey jwins, I am a she! ...


Fooled me too with that avatar pic. Post some real pics of you then! No pic no cred. [}:)]


That's me, on my light grey BWS board, with my long hair out the back of a cap. I'm even wearing a pink sleeved wetty, come on!

Jiffrey
4 posts
6 Sep 2011 11:06AM
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Wow another shark thread, wtf

Maybe all kiteboarders that are terrified of the big boogey man sharks should take the time to go snorkelling/diving around the place.

Just see all the tiny edible critters just cruising around in the water without a care in the world. If you are lucky you may spot a reef shark and realise that they could not really give a rats about you or are scared off by you.

Makes it seem a bit silly that a big grown human is freaking out about shark attack while skimming along the surface on a board, with the occasional dunk and drag every now and then.

Enjoy the ocean, treat it nicely but dont be scared people! :)

Oris
WA, 127 posts
6 Sep 2011 5:00PM
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If it's that 4 year old yellow stick oz, leave it for the shark.

If it's your new board grab it, no one wants a board with a chunk missing.


Jr Walks
WA, 284 posts
6 Sep 2011 5:10PM
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Both are good options.

1). If you get back to your board start kiting away the shark could easily push you off again
2). You can't out body drag a shark. Sharks also like thrashing water.

So you're really at the mercy of the shark.

dave......
WA, 2119 posts
6 Sep 2011 5:47PM
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I'd SH%! myself.

oceanfire
WA, 718 posts
6 Sep 2011 6:42PM
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Did anyone see this interesting story?

www.dailytelegraph.com.au/nocookies?a=A.flavipes

TurtleHunter
WA, 1675 posts
6 Sep 2011 7:50PM
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If you came across a aggressive dog would you run or stay calm.
Also heard a story in hedland where a guy did a massive body drag back to his board and as he put it on his feet something smashed his board.( he was suprised how hard a GT could run in to something)
Stay calm and hopefully the shark won't call your bluff

LouD
WA, 641 posts
6 Sep 2011 8:09PM
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Jr Walks said...

Both are good options.

1). If you get back to your board start kiting away the shark could easily push you off again
2). You can't out body drag a shark. Sharks also like thrashing water.

So you're really at the mercy of the shark.


Good advice here from an actual shark attack victim!

Addikt
WA, 551 posts
6 Sep 2011 11:36PM
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I would start crying like a school girl...........

AndreC
WA, 512 posts
7 Sep 2011 12:11AM
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Imagine the shark bites onto you as you power your kite up to get away and you tear yourself in half..as you fly away you think you got away till U look down and Jaws has your legs and is using em as toothpicks...So next question do you go back for legs or body drag in knowing you will never kite again..or do the Can Can.

hamburglar
ACT, 2174 posts
7 Sep 2011 7:05AM
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Addikt said...

I would start crying like a school girl...........


yer but what would you do if you see a shark in the water ?

Ellobuddha
NSW, 624 posts
7 Sep 2011 7:49AM
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I'd go for my trusty squid defence system and hide in my own BROWN cloud of eeerrr ink??

jwins
VIC, 28 posts
7 Sep 2011 9:51AM
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ezza said...

Hey jwins, I am a she! ...


Sorry ezza. My bad.



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"Shark Scenario #1 - Brighton Beach Perth" started by Ioz