Shark Attack - Seaside Today !!!

when I lived on Guam and went snorkeling / diving every weekend, the cute little clown fish (think Finding Nemo) liked to nip at the hairs on my legs. Every time I swore it was a hammerhead (the most common dangerous shark thereabouts, although not that common) about to take my leg off.

Note to self make sure Barracuda is dead before poseing! Just a thought.

Additional note to self: No matter how wired you become on adrenalin....do not stab knife through fishes eye and consequently, thru bottom of kayak.

Saw this on Ifish...  http://ifish.net/board/showthread.php?p=3918386#post3918386

If this guy can be taken at his word that means, one sighting (newport)  and one attack (seaside) on the same day (Tuesday 6th).   I think they are more common out there than people want to admit..

OK, I'll say it.....

I don't buy it.  I don't think it was a shark attack in Seaside yesterday.  The damage isn't consistant with a shark bite and they're still calling it a "potential" shark bite in reports.  Just my $0.02 

-Spot-

I am more and more happy with my purchase of a Shark Shield every time something like this happens.  Fished the salt yesterday and the "magic box" was on the whole time.  Was I safer?  hard to prove, but it made me feel safer and that makes for an enjoyable day.

When did you pick this up? 

How about doing a writeup on it to share your thoughts, reasons and use of it?

Be mindful of bad vibes, seriously!  Most places that feel sharky are sharky.  Of course that is most places on the Oregon and Northern Cal coast, but still almost every spot from Monterey North where I've gotten spooked badly has had shark encounters.  In 30 years, none of them have produced a death but several have been real bad.  Something bumped me once at Glen Eden while surfing, might of just been a surf perch but I got out of the water.  Not too long after a guy got his board crunched there.  I have yet to see one, for sure but I know I've surfed or paddled with them.

I sometimes hear about GWS encounters that never make it to the media because there was no actual attack. Stuff like having one's board "lightly bumped." One case in point was at Seaside a few years back...a local was bumped and fell off his board. Another surfer saw it and told all the surfers in the lineup. Everybody got out of the water except my two friends who were paddling back out after their rides and didn't see the shark, and wondered why the locals all went in so suddenly. The surf was perfect 6' barrels, so my buddies stayed out. Finally, the locals couldn't stand seeing a couple of invaders from up North get all those perfect waves instead of getting eaten, and paddled back out. One of them asked my friends, "Didn't you see the shark?" "Huh? What shark?" This was never reported to the media, as far as I know.
This kind of thing periodically happens at places like Seaside Point, Short Sands, Cape Lookout, and other sharky Oregon surf spots. These are anecdotal reports from surfers I personally know, and not "officially verified."
I remember reading about an incident at the Ala Moana Bowl (Oahu S shore surf spot) when James Blears, Jr had his ring finger bitten by something as he was dragging his hand on the face of the wave he was riding. He said he thought it might have been a small Barracuda going after his ring.

Be mindful of bad vibes, seriously!  Most places that feel sharky are sharky. 

The one encounter I have had was while night diving alone in BC on my honeymoon.  I was diving for crab for my new bride with a very poor light and something just didn't feel right.  I started heading for the beach but turned around just before surfacing and came face to face with a shark.  It was the the biggest 3 foot dog shark i have ever seen and I immediately got out of the water.  It scared the spit out of me even though I know they can't hurt anything with there little sucker mouth.
But yes I sensed its presence before I saw it.

OK, I'll say it.....

I don't buy it.  I don't think it was a shark attack in Seaside yesterday.  The damage isn't consistant with a shark bite and they're still calling it a "potential" shark bite in reports.  Just my $0.02 

-Spot-

Hmmm. One article I read reported that other surfers nearby said they saw a fin just before the attack. With some of the victim's blood left on the bite mark on the board, maybe her leg got in the way and prevented the shark's teeth from making a circular bite mark on the board itself. I still buy that it was a shark that attacked her.

I would be more likely to believe that the Seaslime Chamber of Commerce paid some shill to cast doubt on shark attacks in that tourist town. What are the credentials of that "expert" that is quoted saying the "angular" bite mark is inconsistent with the circular bite mark of a Great White? And exactly why is it necessary for all shark bite marks on a surfboard to be circular? Does the angle of attack have any bearing on the shape of the eventual bite mark? Especially if a leg got in the way? My plug nickel!

Be mindful of bad vibes, seriously!  Most places that feel sharky are sharky.  Of course that is most places on the Oregon and Northern Cal coast, but still almost every spot from Monterey North where I've gotten spooked badly has had shark encounters.  In 30 years, none of them have produced a death but several have been real bad.  Something bumped me once at Glen Eden while surfing, might of just been a surf perch but I got out of the water.  Not too long after a guy got his board crunched there.  I have yet to see one, for sure but I know I've surfed or paddled with them.

agreed... pay attention to that spidey sense! Seaside area is a known haunt for GWS, but any critter big & bad enough to chomp & leave a significant mark on a surf board would give me pause.
"kayakers can further reduce their risks by avoiding marine mammal rookeries, fishing in groups, and watching for skittish pinnipeds and birds that circle and vocalize, signs that a great white could be in the area." Sean Van Sommeran, Pelagic Shark Research Foundation. http://www.wonews.com/t-FeatureArticle_Libowitz_Shark_120811.aspx

I wonder if I could have my kayak custom painted to look like an Orca
I want to convince any sharks that come along that I am a step above them in the food chain   

Just don't paint it to look like a femal orca 

My yak is "mango." Sharks don't eat fruit, right?

My yak is "mango." Sharks don't eat fruit, right?

I believe the correct name for that color is "yum-yum yellow".   (my yak is the same color)

Just don't paint it to look like a femal orca 

Good point, uou don't want to end up being a "hump-back"