A White at No Name reef

[Abriapnea]

Had some days off , so my good mate Damien (the great ) White and myself decided to take a dive boat and go to some of the good reefs some 30 km. north . We left around four in the morning , I had an interesting surf launch by moonlight and then we raced full taps through the mist untill the sun rose and burned it clear .
After a productive morning at Doughnut and No Confidence reefs , with a boatload of wahoo and king mackerel we decided to explore some of the undived reefs on our way back .
We found a promising looking reef in around 16 /18 m. , with lots of sandy patches ; ideal jobfish territory . As always I made sure to be ready first , jobbies don't hang around for long .
According to Damien he felt a steady pull on his floatline just as I dove down and looking back saw a great white with his line hooked over its dorsal . It then dove down after me ...
I dropped quietly onto the sand ,lying motionless . Just as I was about to start scooping sand into the water I sensed a movement from behind to my left .

 

[Abriapnea]

Damien had meanwhile decided that discretion was the better part of valour and hastily reimbarked to continue observing proceedings from a better vantage point .
The white was slowly swimming up beside me , so low the pecks were virtually dragging grooves through the sand As it passed it turned in front of me and proceeded to swim down my right side . Passing behind me it doubled back again for a look through the other eye . The white was close enough to touch with my speartip .
Fortunately for me my first sight of the shark gave me such a fright that I went completely limp , not even giving a twitch . At this point the shark lost interest in me and slowly swam away ahead of me . I remained still untill I couldn't see the tail swishing anymore , then very slowly and quietly swam for the surface . The boat was ready waiting to pick me up although the consensus was that floating bits were more likely than a whole unit
After very brief consultation we agreed that the reefs in that vicinity appeared rather poor and we departed for some destination 15 km. away .

 

[Wishbone]

I'm just wondering....

What kind of detergents are you using for wetsuits?

rofl

Great story, but too much of experience for a guy that has never seen a shark in his life!

 

[Iyadiver]

I think If I were Abri, I would have not gone limp but instead jumped out of my position as I always had when surprised underwater....the outcome might be different than.

What if that was me blowing scuba bubbles ? I guess for once in a life time I would be able to apnea for more than 2 minutes, I probably forgot to breath while wetting my pants .

My only scarriest moment was being stared at a bull shark, first time in my life I swam forward while my face was looking backwards all along. I was using a 90cm pneumatic, I was not at all confidence.

Man, great story Abri. Hope no more encounter for you. I still want u to teach me apnea and shooting ur RA next time.

IYA

 

[Murat]

If Iwere u Abri i might be give him a poke with my spear or even shoot his eyes.Is this is a wise thing to do in that situation?I hadn`t seen a shark before also.

 

[Wishbone]

I've just had an Aussie freediver from Bundaberg who visits me every summer here in Bulgaria.

He told me that a poke on the nose usually works, but he had this really nasty experience with a big tiger last year. The poke just didn't work there, even though his buddy stayed in the water and was poking the thing too.

The tiger stood there for some time paying no attention to the pokes.

Then it just swallowed Graham's float together with all the fish on it and swam away....

So I guess you never really know.

But hey, I'm planning to go and spearfish someplace warmer when I become handsome, smart, rich and decently fat! I'd love to hear something more about shark repelling techniques!

Ivan

 

[Abriapnea]

Poking at a shark of 4m. + is not my cup of (insert favourite beverage)
You might just change it's attitude from mildly curious to extremely aggravated .
I have often hit bulls , reefies ect. but will rather leave the water if a big shark gets too excitable , or as a last resort shoot it with a powerhead .

 

[Wishbone]

You always carry a powerhead with you?

That's what my mate said.

 

[Abriapnea]

Actually , no . I used to and had occasion to use them , but honestly prefer not to . Now that I don't carry them my only option is to get out of the water . Am no big fan of killing sharks just for doing what comes natural .

 

[Wishbone]

I guess it would be natural for you too to use the powerhead for saving your life...
I don't know what I'll be doing if I have a rather nasty experience like yours. I am not too much of a hero I must confess...

I'd probably never dive at this spot anymore and I'd allways carry that powerhead with me. Not to mention I'd probably start having those nightmares described in another thread.

My scariest experience ever was when I was still a complete rookie and I got stuck in a cave after a fish. Pure stupidity. I managed to get out only after unbuckling the belt with my shaft. I didn't get into the water for a week after that. And it changed my diving behaviour completely...

With sharks it would probably get even worse...
:hmm

 

[Abriapnea]

Ivan , if you dive around sharks all the time you learn a lot about their behaviour and with time fear gets replaced with respect. Look how few spearing fatalities there are versus encounters .
IMHO killing a shark just because it is potentially dangerous is wrong .

 

[Wishbone]

I completely agree!

What I ment was that you probably should be prepared in case the attack by the shark is inevitable. Just as a measure of precaution. Not shooting around like some mad Rambo in a condom-like suit!

I guess you should be experienced and know the right signs and behaviour the shark gives before an attack - fins pointing down, etc.

But you know what - despite the fact that I consider myself an even above the average level spearo in terms of freediving skills, I'd rather prefer to have someone like you if I ever dive possibly "dangerous" waters. (Now don't go strutting around! ) It's just that I am so used to my own diving environment that I feel spearfishing a place like SA or the Great Barrier will be like learning to walk again, but on another planet where the steps should be made in a completely different way...

 

[Murat]

Spearo Guard

If i were a rich i will able to rent spearo guards(at least 5 of them) for protection from sharks.:duh

 

[Abriapnea]

Funny how everyone always ask about whites ; am personally much more concerned when spotting a mako . Had far worse encounters with these .

 

[Wishbone]

Then we'll wait to hear about those..

 

[Murat]

According to statics Mako Shark is the fastest swimmer of the shark family

 

[Abriapnea]

Yeah , this I can vouch for ... tell you about it some day .

 

[Griff]

they make em tough down south

abri, we must sit around a campfire some day. it sounds like it would be a bomb. us young spearos could sit wide eye'ed while you share your stories as you casually stoke the coals with your...spear. rofl


Mark

ps, anyone watch the game on saterday? that was a moive style finish. if you are auzzie, make it a horror movie

 

[SAFishShooter]

Hi

It was a great game hey. That pass from Bob Skinstad to Big Joe!!
The try that Brent Russell scored !!! The finish. I watched it in Paternoster Hotel on the West Coast. I was there for a spearfishing weekend.

Didn't see one fish though :waterwork

For once I'm glad I'm South-African. If i've been an Aussie I would still be crying:head

Cheers
Reinier

 

[fatboyjim]

mako`s

i think i need to konw more about mako`s then !

I spearfish a couple of spots off cornwall england, there apparently are often mako`s on these reefs, indeed there`s been atleast one big one here this year. Only a handful of spearo`s go out to these spots so i guess an encounter is very unlikely. Is there anything i need to know? i think the sharks are shortfin mako`s? Would they come up from the deep water around the reef (20-30+m) onto the reef 3-10m? & shall i start stringing the bass on a smb?!?!