Surfer Attacked near Bodega Bay

[HowardE]

You're right... moved over to the nor cal diver's forum.

That's better.

Now as for the shark attack... This does sound quite typical of a GW attack... They do eat seals, and Surfers look very much like seals...Luckily for us scuba divers... we don't look like food to these sharks.

I hope the person who started this thread isn't trying to scare other people with his apparent fear of sharks? (looked at his website... I think it's his)

If you're not scared of sharks... sorry, no disrespect meant.

 

[ClevelandDiver]

From whence came you? Why here?

MarkRob is the resident shark attack reporter. Who cares what his motives are, just rest assured that if a shark attacks someone he will get the news posted here ASAP.

If you want to get a peek inside his head, check out his home page listed in his profile.
He loves his monsters.

I have a friend like him, she watches all the awful B movies about shark attacks and is terrified about what lurks below the surface. But she clearly loves being scared by it. Of course last time we took our dogs to the lake I pretended to be attacked and held my breath on the bottom for about 30 seconds. She loved/hated it. Good times!

Keep up the good work MarkRob.

 

[archman]

I have a friend like him, she watches all the awful B movies about shark attacks and is terrified about what lurks below the surface.

Yes, I too have an irrational fear of sharks. This is why nobody will ever see me saltwater diving solo, or even wading by myself in saltwater. Blue water dives terrify me.:11:

Contrast that with my near-zero fear of freshwater. No sharks in freshwater, except in Lake Nicaragua. Stupid bull sharks.

 

[zinmaker]

Thanks for moving this post to the nor cal forum. Yes we know there are GW's here on the coast, yes they do think that surfers and ab divers on boogie boards look like food, and yes they keep some of the tourists out of our cold water.

 

[dsafanda]

Either she has LONNNG arms, or that's not what happened.

I don't know...sharks aren't completely rigid.
I don't see why a 14ft shark couldn't have a surfer in mouth while thrashing or turning in a circular manner so that its tail is actually fairly close to its mouth or at least with in swinging distance from the surfer.

 

[mdb]

I don't know...sharks aren't completely rigid.
I don't see why a 14ft shark couldn't have a surfer in mouth while thrashing or turning in a circular manner so that its tail is actually fairly close to its mouth or at least with in swinging distance from the surfer.

Here is the actual information from folks who were there:
www.sfgate.com/flat/archive/2005/10/20/chronicle/archive/2005/10/20/BAGDCFB8G21.html

 

[Ishie]

I don't think anyone was questioning whether the woman put up a good fight...

I think the wording of the article was in question, and looking at your link:

"Beneath the surface, the shark thrashed, whipping Halavais -- who at one point was on the shark's back. She fought the shark, grabbing and hitting it near its tail. Finally, it let go of her and vanished."

I've seen a few articles on the attack, and this is the MOST clarity I've seen, and even it seems to still be a little misleading. Others simply claim that the shark dragged her under and she beat on its tail until it released her.

If she was on the shark's back, she could have grabbed and hit it near the tail, which may have inspired it to try for easier prey and end the attack; however the wording "let go of her", "released her" and so forth imply that the woman was beating on and grabbing the shark's tail WHILE in its mouth, which, on a 14' GW, unless it was twisted into an "O" shape, would be something of a feat. It is also unlikely that the woman was on the shark's back AND in its mouth at the same precise moment in time.

By the article, she was in its mouth while on its back, and beat on its tail until it released her. This seems to require a woman who is between 9 and 14 feet tall. My guess is these events happened in some sort of sequence that is not being well-reported.

If she's claiming that while in its mouth, she was beating on its tail, it's also possible that she was grabbing and hitting at its dorsal or pectoral fins, which would be closer to the mouth, which might inspire it to "let her go", and she might have simply been mistaken, which would be understandable considering she was struggling for her life, not doing a dissertation on shark anatomy.

I suppose the shark could have also been twisted in a strange position, but would it have its tail sufficiently close to its mouth to have it beaten on, and would it continue to hold its tail near its mouth?

I'm not questioning the size of the shark, or the powerful struggle of the woman or, from the news story, the bravery of her friend and boyfriend. But since according to the news, sharks are vicious man-eaters, an uneven tan will get you bitten, and divers wear oxygen tanks, it's fair to assume the reports might be a bit off.

 

[JustinW]

Ishie, are you ready for the November Nor-Cal Scubaboard dive/crab feed fest in Bodega in just a few weeks!!!.

FYI, for everyone that isn't familiar with the area, salmon creek is a seal haulout. Why anybody would get in the water at that particular beach is beyond me!

 

[KelpCoasters]

I don't think anyone was questioning whether the woman put up a good fight...

I think the wording of the article was in question, and looking at your link:

"Beneath the surface, the shark thrashed, whipping Halavais -- who at one point was on the shark's back. She fought the shark, grabbing and hitting it near its tail. Finally, it let go of her and vanished."

I've seen a few articles on the attack, and this is the MOST clarity I've seen, and even it seems to still be a little misleading. Others simply claim that the shark dragged her under and she beat on its tail until it released her.

If she was on the shark's back, she could have grabbed and hit it near the tail, which may have inspired it to try for easier prey and end the attack; however the wording "let go of her", "released her" and so forth imply that the woman was beating on and grabbing the shark's tail WHILE in its mouth, which, on a 14' GW, unless it was twisted into an "O" shape, would be something of a feat. It is also unlikely that the woman was on the shark's back AND in its mouth at the same precise moment in time.

By the article, she was in its mouth while on its back, and beat on its tail until it released her. This seems to require a woman who is between 9 and 14 feet tall. My guess is these events happened in some sort of sequence that is not being well-reported.

If she's claiming that while in its mouth, she was beating on its tail, it's also possible that she was grabbing and hitting at its dorsal or pectoral fins, which would be closer to the mouth, which might inspire it to "let her go", and she might have simply been mistaken, which would be understandable considering she was struggling for her life, not doing a dissertation on shark anatomy.

I suppose the shark could have also been twisted in a strange position, but would it have its tail sufficiently close to its mouth to have it beaten on, and would it continue to hold its tail near its mouth?

I'm not questioning the size of the shark, or the powerful struggle of the woman or, from the news story, the bravery of her friend and boyfriend. But since according to the news, sharks are vicious man-eaters, an uneven tan will get you bitten, and divers wear oxygen tanks, it's fair to assume the reports might be a bit off.

Thank you Ishie, nicely done.
It's clear that some would just prefer to have an arguement than a discussion....

 

[BIGSAGE136]