Shark Attack

[jadams3]

KED,

Where on Oahu have you been having shark problems? I used to surf Barber's Point when I was a grom and that place was always sharky. I've seen alot more turtles on the South Shore in recent years... even saw one at Queen's in the heart of Waikiki when teaching my wife to surf a couple of years ago. Mokuleia to Kaena Pt. is always uncrowded and I'm sure there's a reason! Never had much info on the breaks off Diamond Head.....only surfed Tong's by the Outrigger Canoe Club. Kewalo's was always suspect but spent most of my time at Kaiser's or Ala Moana with several hundred of my closest friends

[KED]

The stretch of water from Mokuleia to Ka'ena Pt. is known to be a breeding ground during the winter months. Also, at certain times during the year, Spinner Dolphins are drawn to the area right around the corner (Yokohama side) from Ka'ena Pt., which, in turn, attracts gray matter. I've sailed out there during the summer and there are usually LOTS of commercial fishing boats lined up, positioned north to south, right off of K. Pt., also attracting gray matter.
There are several areas off of Oahu that have been dubbed "sharky". Most of these areas are close to fishing harbors or "dirty water" (AlaWai Canal, Barbers Jetty, Kehi Lagoon). This winter has been particularly rainy, causing lots off runoff from all sides of the island. Correspondingly, the runoff has/is attracting a lot of sharks to come close to shore to feed on the abundance of menu items being washed out When the weather clears up, the sharkies will most likely clear out.

[Bud]

"Where on Oahu have you been having shark problems?"

See the first page of this forum posting.

Also I might add............

There have been several shark sightings since the previous attack at Leftovers.
Ehukai beach, Rocky point 2 days ago, Sunset and Back Yards (yesterday).

Sharks come from all over the pacific to the Northern Hawaiian Island atols every spring to eat the fledgling birds that are trying to learn to fly.
It stands to reason that some will pass through the rest of the islands.

Also Hammerheads school (for mating?) out at Mokuleia at this time of year. Packs of several hunderd have been seen over the years.

I once surfed one of the best breaks there going off at 8-10" with one other guy on a Saturday.
As I drove out that way I noticed a lot of cars with boards on top headed away from the area.
When I paddled out there was only one guy.
I asked him why everyone left.
He'd only just arrived himself and didn't know.
We had a great time.

That night the local news broadcasted footage taken from a helicopter that showed a MASSIVE school of the beasts just a mile from where we surfed. (We did notice the low flying heli down the coast during our session)
Apparently the crew in the heli had earlier, allerted the surfers in the area.

Mokuleia is largely less crowded due to it being onshore more often than not. Good days out that way are less frequent.
It does get crowded, but it is still possible to score it minus a lot of people if you get there first when the conditions change to it's favor.

[Shelfbreak]

Tiger sharks are widely distributed off eastern Australia, the Queensland shark contol program reportedly killed 3,246 between 1993/94 and 2003/04. Bull sharks were next most common with 1,281 killed.

The principle is less big sharks less chance of attack. Programs have been very effective.

I also suspect that surfers travelling to Indonesia probably encounter less sharks than they might have years ago due to unregulated fishing to service the shark fin trade. By contrast there is good (if remote surf off our Barrier Reef) however still plenty of big tigers out there.

[jim richardson]

The sharks are always there. They congregate because of the food that has been washed out to sea. It's a feeding frenzy at the river mouth or really any where the run off washes out to. Like any wild animal the sharks just look for the easiest meal. Wether its an young or ingured fish, or a buffalo carcass that washed out to sea or a freckled girl from Canada who just looked like an easy meal.

[K-man]

I posted this thread elsewhere.Another reason for sharks congregating near fresh water is ,that the decreased saline content will kill the parasites that live on their gills rakers and on their bodies.

[KED]

Good post. Appreciate your sharing of knowledge.

[jim richardson]

You know the experts have said, that you are more likely to get struck by lightning than to be attacked by a shark... I think that is why we are fascinated with sharks, also the fact that a shark attack is one of the most terifying ways to die that most of us can conceive. A lightning strike on the other hand all though terrible, it would be instant and lightning does'nt circle around you for a few minutes after the first hit. While you watch in horror as it checks out at which angle to take the next chomp!!

[Shelfbreak]

Good point Jim

Those folk who try and play down the risk of shark attack seem to forget that the risks they compare it to are usually terrestrial. We surfers are not exempt from being struck by lightning or stung by a bee however you cannot be killed by a shark if you don't enter the sea.

[southpeakbrad]

Hey Shelfbreak. Anybody other than the Cardiff Kook is safe from an attack while on land

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[Shelfbreak]

About time he bought it with that stance !