Great whites in OC?

[RydDragyn]

I don't want to start a rush of mad rumors, especially in the wake of what happened at Solana Beach in April, but here's what happened to me on Saturday:

I was freediving/snorkeling with my fiance around the Split rock area of crystal cove park. I had my first speargun - which I got last month for my birthday- and was looking to catch my second fish (first was a sheephead in the same spot). The viz wasn't that great- maybe 10-15 feet, and the water depth was about 10-20 on average. The fish were acting very skittish, so I wasn't having much luck. Around noon, a police helicopter flew overhead and loudly hovered just past the rock - where some boats were hanging out - for about 2-3 minutes before continuing north down the beach. I didn't know what to make of it, and kept swimming around.

All of a sudden, I heard her yell out through her snorkel. I quickly swam over where she was treading water, and she told me she had seen a HUGE, white object of some sort swim rapidly away from her, disturbed by her presence. Not willing to take any chances, we made a beeline for the shore, while I kept the gun pointed out into the general area where it had disappeared. I did not see it myself at any point. We made it shore safely.

We thought we might have overreacted, and so we went back out a few hours later to the same spot. Didn't encounter whatever it was again, although we did see a nice sized giant kelp fish, although not much else. The fish were very skittish, still, so I exited the water empty-handed again.

Anyways, apparently less than 24 hours later there was a report of a 15-foot great white spotted off Dana Point, which is maybe 10 miles from where I was swimming:

Beach Blog » Blog Archive » Great white shark spotted by charter boat 2 miles off Doheny State Beach - OCRegister.com

And on the previous thursday (29th), there was a report of a spearfisherman in San Diego seeing a similarly-sized one as well:

http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.com/pacific_coast_shark_news.htm

I'm not saying with ANY certainty that we encountered one, much less the same shark, but it was still a worrisome experience. Be careful out there...

 

[azapa]

i was told by an old sea dog from the Bahamas (they called him "Mad Max") that the only sharks that will ever give you trouble are the ones you don't see. Good luck and be safe

 

[Bill McIntyre]

There is no doubt that there are great whites off of Orange County. A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine saw seagulls picking at something across the kelp bed. He swam over and found half of a seal pup, still bleeding. He said it was a long swim back to the boat in murky water.

Its times like that when I blow my cover and walk on water.

 

[Bill]

Good one Bill. Always wondered about you fighter pilots.

I just thought of a great idea on days when your 'J' boots aren't working. You could tow the carcass with you until the shark showed up, then drop it and the shark would go for the easy meal so you could swim back to the boat.

Why don't you try that trick some time. Let me know if it works.

 

[blaiz]

When I was living in Solana Beach (from 2003-2005) I think it was this time of year in 2004 when those GW were hanging out around San O and Trestles. Doesnt surprise me one bit. I have also heard that they see juvinile GW off of scripts pear in La Jolla quite often. They are there, we just dont always see them.

In fact up until a few years ago they thought that there were not ANY GW in Hawaii. Now we have video, gps tracking, and photographic proof of numerous GWs in Hawaii! Up until recently almost every shark attack in Hawaii was classified as a Tiger shark attack. I have heard they are starting to rethink some of the attacks might have been GWs.

I still dont really worry about sharks. Ive encountered quite a few sharks in my diving/surfing career (way rather encounter them diving:blackeye). Im convinced, or have conveniently convinced myself, that when we are spearing, sharks can sense that we are another predator and not an easy meal. Sharks are opportunistic hunters. They will evaluate prey and attack what they feel will be easy prey and expend the least amount of energy possible. I definately feal that if you put out that "fear vibe" the sharks sense it and equate that with easy prey. If you go out with confidence I think you might have less of a chance of getting attacked. Plus they are pretty cool to see swimming around underwater!

 

[RydDragyn]

Blaiz- my one worry with the "predator" hypothesis is that seals and sea lions are predators as well - and their hunting pattern resembles ours fairly well. E.g. breath hold, dive down, catch something, return to the surface. Rinse and repeat. So I worry about good ol' George Washington Smith regardless.

That said, it's not scaring me out of the water. I'm just going to only go out in good GOOD visibility water.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

I still dont really worry about sharks. Ive encountered quite a few sharks in my diving/surfing career (way rather encounter them diving:blackeye). Im convinced, or have conveniently convinced myself, that when we are spearing, sharks can sense that we are another predator and not an easy meal. Sharks are opportunistic hunters. They will evaluate prey and attack what they feel will be easy prey and expend the least amount of energy possible. I definately feal that if you put out that "fear vibe" the sharks sense it and equate that with easy prey. If you go out with confidence I think you might have less of a chance of getting attacked. Plus they are pretty cool to see swimming around underwater!

Whatever floats your boat, but I don't buy that fear vibe stuff. I haven't been bitten by a great white, but the very thought of them scares the hell out of me.

 

[blaiz]

I guess your right, you cant really put the Great White in the same realm as a tiger or other reef shark. Im speeking from personal experience which mostly envolves sharks in Hawaii. Luckily I have not had to deal with GW whos main food source are seals and sea lions. I guess we could very easily be mistaken for one of those. Here in Hawaii the tiger sharks main food source are sea turtles.... and what does a bodyboarder look like from under water?

 

[Bill McIntyre]

I've been diving for about 54 years. I was born and raised and learned to dive in Florida. Then with the help of a travel agency called the USMC, I dove Hawaii, North Carolina, Wake, Guam, the Phillipines, and Okinawa.

I've only had to deal with what I considered to be directly threatening shark situations three times. I've certainly always respected sharks, but never let them concern me unduly.

However, I put the great white in an entirely different category. Other sharks almost always give you a courtesy pass so you are aware of their presence. In most cases, the first inkling of a great white that bites you is when you are lifted out of the water in its mouth. That frightens me.

 

[blaiz]

Yeah... pretty scary thought. I dont think tigers are as bad but ,then agoain, I have never had one approach me from the front. Any time I have seen them its been when I turn around and... boo...

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Of course this one did seem to give courtesy passes, but it didn't bite.


[ame=http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=64197]Carlsbad Dive Report Big Shark - Spearboard Spearfishing Community[/ame]

 

[blaiz]

Poor guy... on his first dive? That will either be the best way to start his dive career or the worst. Im curious to see which way it goes!

 

[john141267]

Hi, Sorry I realise this is probably the wrong thread to ask this Q but can anyone tell me if there are good places to spearfish near Los Osos? I'm visiting there in early August from England.

Cheers

John Moorcroft

 

[Jared9191]

I was diving off an Oil Rig, I'm not sure which one. I believe it was one of the two that you can see from HB. Anyway they specifically warned us, because they had spotted a GW there the day before.

Never saw anything, but I can say my SAC rate probably wasn't the best on that dive.