Diver fights off 12-foot shark

[TMHeimer]

Here's my list before the thread is pulled:
1. Is there a thread somewhere where we can complain about the "Haystacks". Maybe there is. And we must complain. This thread is a lot about philosophy about what these guys were doing to one shark.
2. If I were really at risk from a shark, I wouldn't think first about what the boat was doing.
3. I used to feel that as long as fishers/hunters ate what they caught it was OK. But, if only half the big game fish taken in the last 30 years were stuffed and not eaten, we would be much better off anyway.
4. In relating to shell collecting, Queen Conch may not be collected anywhere in Florida (even dead shells). This is because so many eat chonch fritters, not because of true shell collectors.
5. It's only one shark, no matter what their situation/reasons were. See #1.

 

[DixieDolphin]

Just to be clear, many people assume that because a person does not believe the story that just became public, that they are ANTI spear......that is not always the case.

Thank you.

I don't spearfish, but I have no problem with it as long as it's done in an ethical and responsible manner. Heck, I'd be interested in trying it out myself, except that I don't enjoy the taste of fish and can't justify killing something I won't eat. It's the same reason why I don't fish with a rod & reel anymore (I did as a kid) or go lobster hunting.

I appreciated reading what was written by the brother? friend? or whomever it was who personally knows the folks involved before it got pulled. It was also interesting reading the take on SpearBoard. It's good to see another angle presented. However, I personally still remain a skeptical of the motives here, a feeling particularly heightened where the sudden media blitz is concerned.

Regardless of my own doubts, it also concerns me that suddenly after this story aired, I've seen at least three other Breaking News (!!) headlines regarding sharks (like something about a single hammerhead swimming near a huge swimming competition in Australian waters that showed up today).

Sharks don't need more bad press, conservation efforts are hindered by enough already. Regardless of the veracity, tales like this one tend to act as catalysts to further hysteria in the media.

Anyway, that's just my take.

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

From Spearboard and one of the divers involved:
I assume by your involvement here you've read this entire thread, so you have seen my personal account of the events. Therefore you have outright called me a liar.

I have bags under my eyes from staying up all night atoning for this on every forum and blog and even answering the death threat e-mails I've been getting. I turned down Discovery and Animal Planet opportunities. I am doing everything possible for damage control in the most humble and unconfrontational manner I can.

For me to misrepresent this or attempt to benefit from it would be an offense to my entire family, anyone who knows me will attest to my character. Let's be done with this, there is nothing left to say.

I thank all of you who have had our backs on this. I wish with everything I am that the shark would have just kept swimming, but so few have considered what would have taken place if I hadn't turned around when I did.

Ryan McInnis

I wish them luck and hope this finally dies off. We shall see what shows up on shark week this year.

In the end, it was a sad story, I think we have all learned something from it.

Carolyn:shark2:

 

[TGreene]

I read the first 11 pages on Spearboard, and this excerpt from blueh20boy's (kirkconnell) post jumped out at me as quite odd. It's post #29 on pg-2

http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=79873&page=2

if you look real close in the pictures with the shark you can see a little white dot above craigs shoulder.
Thats me swimming around with no fins when i should be running the boat

So apparently from what he has written, while all this drama was taking place, he was dinking around in the water WITHOUT fins when he should have been running the boat... If the threat level was indeed so serious, then why would anyone be in the water without fins, and especially when that person is supposed to be operating the boat..? To be honest, I personally believe that the excerpt that I highlighted is every bit as damaging as the photos, because who in their right mind would be doing that if there was actually a serious threat in the area..?

I'm not posting this for any reason other than to bring to light new questions that arise from what has been written from a first hand account.

-Tim

 

[HateCheese]

I read the first 11 pages on Spearboard, and this excerpt from blueh20boy's (kirkconnell) post jumped out at me as quite odd. It's post #29 on pg-2

Free Diver Wrestles 12ft Tiger Shark - Page 2 - Spearboard Spearfishing Community



So apparently from what he has written, while all this drama was taking place, he was dinking around in the water WITHOUT fins when he should have been running the boat... If the threat level was indeed so serious, then why would anyone be in the water without fins, and especially when that person is supposed to be operating the boat..? To be honest, I personally believe that the excerpt that I highlighted is every bit as damaging as the photos, because who in their right mind would be doing that if there was actually a serious threat in the area..?

I'm not posting this for any reason other than to bring to light new questions that arise from what has been written from a first hand account.

-Tim

Put it together from the photo you posted...

'who in their right mind would be doing that if there was actually a serious threat in the area..?' - Really TGreene?? I can see a large shark in the water. I know it didn't grow up with spears sticking in it. And I know that if a guy is swimming it up, then the sharks ability to threaten someone else is either diminished, or gone. Between the time of not having spears in it, and being brought up to the surface I am gonna guess there was some level of threat.

Implying that there was no real threat because you see an 'after' photo makes absolutely no sense to me.

Damaging, how? The guy running the boat was on the water for hours and hours. Have you ever been on a boat where someone hops in to cool off? Who knows, maybe he wanted to be in the photos or video.

I really don't see what you are implying.

Sheesh, if you want to say your opinion is that they decided that one dive to shoot a shark for fame, then ok. Noone will know either way. But if a photo of a dead shark convinces you there wasn't a threat, then I wouldn't want you on the jury for cop who shoots a guy to save him/herself or another..... well, the photos of the dead guy really dont make me think there was a threat. looks kind of peaceful.

 

[TGreene]

But if there is a struggle in the water coupled with blood, it's highly logical that other sharks could quickly be in the area.

Is it POSSIBLE that he was also in the water when the perceived attack took place, rendering it impossible to get the boat over to the videographer..? Kirkconnell did admit that he was supposed to be running the boat when this pic was taken, so who's to say that the "story" about lines in the prop is actually true and isn't simple a coverup..?

This isn't speculation in any way, just more questions that run through my mind as I read more and more about this.

BTW: I'm absolutely not against spearing at all, and am myself a hunter and trout fisherman.

-Tim

 

[Jeff Toorish]

As I understand it, the boat had a fouled prop --was he in the water trying to free the prop so he could get to his friends.

I've followed this closely and, as I wrote before, I was initially very skeptical but their account of their actions rings true to me. I hate that a shark died that day, but humans kill tens of millions of sharks a year. This one seem sto have died in defense of human beings.

I've spent twenty years as a journalist and in the absence of other evidence, the most logical explanation for all this is the story the three principals have related.

Jeff

 

[HateCheese]

TGreene - you make a point about other sharks potentially being in the area. I am not exactly defending the guy in the water at the back of that photo. if it were me, I wouldn't have been swimming around out there, especially without fins on. The vis looks pretty good to spot other sharks, but even at that I would remain in the boat if it were me.

A coverup because it is possible that he was in the water when the real/perceived attack took place.... Sure, it is POSSIBLE. But possible is a long way from having substance enough to pull out the word coverup.
he could have been:
on a sat phone
on the can
seasick
sleeping
eating
reading
etc
etc
etc
they are all possible. I wouldn't jump to calling it a coverup because it is possible....

 

[TGreene]

Again, I'm basing my latest comments on the rather lighthearted manner in which he posted these words... If he was working to clear the prop or had just finished, that I would clearly call that running the boat as it's an operational procedure.

if you look real close in the pictures with the shark you can see a little white dot above craigs shoulder.
Thats me swimming around with no fins when i should be running the boat

-Tim

 

[dumpsterDiver]

TGreene.. you seem to be so utterly clueless. They took 2 hrs to kill the shark. The ONLY defensive shot was the first one. They would have to go back to the boat multiple times to get new shafts and load the guns to contine delivering shafts to the shark's head. After the shark was shot with one shaft, the danger (for the most part) was over. There was no need to hide on the boat, they were trying to finish the job. Why is there a problem with a guy swimming in the water, cooling off? How is his presence in the water possibly related to having fouled props and hour or two earlier?