great white shark in La Jolla

[freediver7]

The seals at La Jolla children’s pool have finely attracted a mid sized white shark. I get reports of a 15 to 17 ft great white shark in La Jolla every other day. He buzzes free divers, steals tuna from fishermen, he cruses the inside and outside of the kelp forest, and he likes to eat seals. He is acting just like white sharks from Isla Guadalupe.
Well we finally have our shark. I predict a local shark attack on a human within two years, because of the dumb seals.

I heard these reports last night. Two free divers were buzzed in the kelp hospital point, the got out of the water. A large white was munching hooked yellow tail from the charter boats on the outer edge of the La Jolla Kelp, a mid sized seal bit was bobbing in the kelp.
I am used to diving with man-eaters, (Ano Nuevo, point Reyes, Samona…..) no problem, but this one bothers me.
Be careful out there.

[feign]

I am used to diving with man-eaters, (Ano Nuevo, point Reyes, Samona…

Ano Nuevo? I thought this was a big no-no for divers....brave soul.

You mentioned freedivers buzzed in the kelp? Do whites move into the kelp. I watched one documentary that suggested they do this more than previously thought.

Lee

[freediver7]

I thought whites didn't like kelp eather.

I was a bad boy diving at Ano Nuevo but the abs were plentiful in the 1980's. When diving in sharky waters, I try to stay shallow (under 10 ft) or in the kelp. I don't know if that is going to work with this shark.

[feign]

Good luck and safe diving to you guys in that area. Anyone use a shark shield down there. I know some of the guys in No Cal use them now, after the passing on R. Fry. He was only in 15 ft of water diving for abalone. Take care,

Lee

[freediver7]

Thanks,
I rather depend on skill and experience to avoid Mr. White.

[Spaniard]

La Jolla? Isn't that where Robert Pamperin got taken by a GWS whilst abalone diving a few years ago?

[Nikoman]

Guys let us not forget we are playing in their turf. I did lots of diving in Guadalupe for a documentary on the white shark (By the way Hollywood and mass medias are the reason we call them "Great" and gave them the man-eater nickname). Let say you are in the middle of Africa camping and know lions are around , you pay attention. Same thing with white shark,if you hunt and know they are around you know you are taking risks, if you are just freediving just PAY attention and exit the waters. Once again most of the shark attack are from tigers and bulls not whites. Abs diver in Isla de Guadalupe have been diving with white sharks for years and never got attacked,got buzzed like I did but never attacked. Finally if you are not comfortable with having white sharks around, read books on the subject (please stay away from anything from Peter Benchley!!!) watch documentary that are not using the "Jaws approach",learn about them, as knowledge is the best weapon against fear. It is all about facing ones fears,aren't we as Freedivers the best types of individuals to deal with fears as the essence of the discipline is based on that principle.

[Nikoman]

I forgot one last point...an important. Let's also take responsibility of our acts as we live in a society where liability dodging is the main sport. We know we all take risks the minute we set foot in the Ocean. That is probably why we all like it somewhat...it make us feel very much alive more than that nine to fiver job...but that is another debate. Cheers,

nico

[bluecape]

Great Whites and Kelp. mmm. Thats a debate which makes many capetown divers a little uneasy. Many hours are spent spearfishing in the Kelp forests, and relative shallows, in the belief that the whites will follow the 'channels' between the kelp.
Still no clear answer, but some big great whites have been seen off fishhoek beach in 2 meters of water, with bellies dragging on the bottom, and I know a spearo who jumped off a ledge at Capepoint ( Rooikrans) into the kelp, and virtually landed on the back of a big great white...he said he didnt know who got the biggest fright, him or the shark??

[Tahoe Diver]

Regardnig learning more about white sharks in order to dispell rumors, etc., check out sharkdivingunlimited.com. This is Mike Rutzen's website. He's f**cking nuts, but he's really beginning to show how much we don't know about the white shark.

Safe diving!

- Tahoe Diver

[bluecape]

With all due respect to Mike, his diving with GW's has taken place in conditions that have been hand selected to be near perfect, days that come around once in a blue moon.
Chatting to the GW operators, and looking at pattern of attacks etc etc, most people will agree that the only predictable thing about a GW is that it is totally un-predictable.

people watch, film, note and eventually say that this and that is what the GW does or does'nt do, the only problem is, nobody tells the GW, and he just changes all the rules>

Dive with max caution, and then some, and if there may be a white in the area, do'nt expect anything, or try to predict anything, ever.

Jeff

[Tahoe Diver]

In an interview, Mike Rutzen said that it took nearly eight months before the perfect first day came along to get into the water, unshielded, with the GWS.

He also stresses that unpredictability is the only predictable thing with the GWS, but at least he's breaking ground. I remember seeing footage many years ago with another diver standing off with a GWS. The footage was amazing and it goes to what Mike Rutzen also said about standing your ground with a passing GWS, in order to not resemble its natural prey as much. I have no idea what my first response would be after seeing (or feeling) a GWS, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be to stand my ground. It's an interesting theory and one that I'm sure science will delve into in the future.

Until then, we have to simply respect that we dive in foreign territory and that sometimes the natives will try to eat us.

- Brandon Grundy

[freediver7]

Nicely phrased Nico. "Let us not forget we are playing in their turf."
Lets keep the risks in perspective. Sharks are only one of the many risks we encounter while free diving, getting run over by boats, submarines, black out, getting tangled in the float line,....

I am not too concerned about the shark I can see it’s the one I can’t see that I worry about. I don't know if the two free divers were in the thick of the kelp or if they are on the edge. I heard it from a buddy who was diving the same day and area.

[IB Boyd]

This is some pretty scary stuff, for La Jolla. Shark rumors do crop up from time to time, but it is pretty unusual to have this many sightings in a short time period, in our neck of the woods. The thing that makes this a bit spooky is the water conditions. The water here does not have 50 foot plus clarity, like out at Guadalupe. La Jolla divers spend a lot of time creeping along the edge of the kelp hunting WSB. Vis in La Jolla is ussualy about fifteen feet, give or take five foot. If they decide to give us a curiosity bite, we wont even see it coming. Anybody have a shark shield they want to sell?

[Shadowkiller]

Its always nice to see nature returning to its past glories.