A Question For The Australians
Since I posted that Chasers video, I'm getting lots of Australian readers.
If any of you happen to be surfers, how big a problem are sharks there... really?
Over Labor Day weekend, a Thresher Shark washed up onshore in Queens, NY. Mr. Murdoch's (an Australian that kind of freaks me out, BTW) local newspaper here, The NY Post posted a large mug shot of the shark with the words, "Jaws Terrorizes The Rockaways."
Meanwhile, Thresher Sharks don't mess with people... but I guess it sold newspapers.
Here's a Thresher... check out that tail!
4 comments:
Hey Dino,
I used to surf before I blew my shoulder up playing rugby. Probably 1 surfer a year goes to a Great White, but in reality, far more chance of getting a glass shoved in your face at the pub afterwards, than being bitten by a shark.
That said, we do see them quite often.
Thanks, Wayne.
So you mean they're around a lot but rarely bother people? That definitely goes against their myth.
What's the water temp there?
-DT
Well, lets put is this way, if we see them, we don't wait around to see what they are going to do. lol
The Great white certainly are aggressive. There are a few other species that can be nasty and give you a bite.. bronze whalers & tiger sharks mainly. And a couple of other that will give you a nip on the ankle if you step on them, grey nurse, wobbegong etc.
Water temps vary. we're a big country like you. Warm, but not much surf in the tropical and subtropical north. Good surf and not bad temps around Sydney and Perth. Getting a bit chilly down around the south coast - Melbourne etc.
The SW can be chilly in winter too. BIG day near a place called Margaret River the other day... I think they eventually got up to 40 or 50 footers.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22344767-2,00.html
Wow, great slideshow accompanied that article. That third pic was scary!
I asked about water temps because I always thought the Great White was a cold-water shark but a friend told me they even breed here. Here the water temp is in the high 60s right now.
As for Australia being a "big country," all I can say is that I hope our education system helps the Asian countries, like South Africa.
-DT
Post a Comment