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Freak Out & Remain Calm
By Col Bernasconi | 16 July 2012 |
 The likeness of surfer and seal from underwater is eerily accurate, don't you think? On July 8, Western Australia Fisheries Minister Norman Moore declared there would be a ban on dedicated shark tourism ventures such as cage diving operations in the state. The Minster was quoted as saying, "Western Australia will not be the place for shark cage tourism, like those currently operating in South Australia and South Africa." This put the shark situation in Western Australia, and its spate of five deaths over the last 10 months, back in the news. It's now come to light that around the time of this announcement and the subsequent debate about the impact of things like chumming to attract sharks raged on (especially in places like South Africa where cage diving is permitted), a huge great white, apparently nicknamed 'Brutus', was allegedly seen by local fishermen lurking around the beaches off Lancelin, north of Perth. These sightings had gone officially unreported. Despite the re-sparked debate about how best to deal with and reduce the threat of shark attack, and these sightings, Perth surfer (and by all reports, champion bloke) Benjamin Linden ventured out for a morning session near Wedge Island only to be killed when bitten by a huge white shark said to be four to five metres in length while paddling for a wave. Twenty-two-year-old jet skier and brave witness to Ben's death, Matt Holmes [pictured bottom left], later told The Australian newspaper of the fishermen's experience with Brutus. "They knew but they didn't tell anyone it had been hanging around... The last five days it had been scaring people out of the water, it had been hanging around and scaring people and nothing had been said to police or anyone."
The late Ben Linden rugged up for winter (L), and cutting across a nice green back wave (r). After this latest fatal attack Norman Moore, unaware of these apparent earlier sightings, addressed the media for the second time in a week and admitted that after Ben's death he was unsure of what the solution was to help reduce the threat. One thing that seems glaringly obvious to me is that people, like the fisherman Matt is talking about, need to be obligated in some way to inform fisheries of such sightings near surfing beaches. In fact, all ocean goers should accept a responsibility to do the same. If those cray fishermen had let authorities know that 'Brutus' was lurking around the area for five days a message could've been relayed via social media letting Western Australian surfers know of the possible danger.  Look, my feelings are this. Oceans frequented by the whites are truly one of the last great wild frontiers on earth. And surfers, like the unarmed settlers who once pushed their way into the Comanche Indian territory of the Great Plains in North America in the early 1800s, willingly meander into harm's way. Simply put, like those settlers northwest of Texas and the like, we're putting our lives at the mercy of the rightful owners. But do great white sharks kill indiscriminately or for anything other than an instinctual need to feed? Would they kill to protect their hunting or feeding grounds? Or more likely, in their case, breeding areas? Admittedly I've drawn a long bow in my analogy, and in no way am I comparing a tribe of indigenous human beings with sharks. What I am doing is trying to point out the significant and possibly ultimate risk one may pay when they decide to venture onto – or in a surfer's case – into a wild frontier. If human beings have killed to protect or preserve their territory in the past who's to say a great white shark wouldn't do the same thing? The science has yet to be proven either way, as these magnificent creatures, though studied by many, remain a mystery in so many ways, and for a lot of us, that's why we love them. Unfortunately when the question of whether sharks kill for the sake of killing, be it territory protection, practice or malice, bubbles to the surface, rather than looking at measures we can take to best remove ourselves from the equation, we hear archaic calls for culls and revenge killings of the so-called perpetrator as the simple answer. Rather than give ideas like culls credence, let's ponder my equally absurd analogy of wild frontiers. Join me, if you will, in an imaginary scan around to some of the world's other wonderfully wild frontiers where humans are equally wandering into harm's way with God's good creatures. In the colds of places like Alaska and northern and western Canada brown and black bears exist in numbers and localities that put humans at risk. Those heading directly into harm's way more often than not would equip themselves with rifles and the like. A firearm's a handy accessory for the Alaskan bushwalker. Still, in 2011, there were four deaths from wild bears [two brown, two black]. On most occasions the victim was alone, one exception being the case of 57-year-old Brian Matayoshi who was with his wife when he was attacked and killed by a brown bear in Yellowstone National Park. An investigation later determined that the couple had run from the bear, which was a fatal mistake for Brian. His wife survived after playing dead. The incident was considered to be a "one in 3 million occurrence". Brian's wife's actions proved there is a method of avoiding attack from a bear – with a great white we have no such option. Many lives have been saved in the woods by the use of firearms being used as a way to scare off or kill approaching bears, but I'm not about to suggest surfers should carry firearms. They'd be useless anyway. Surprise is a great white shark's greatest weapon and this lack of warning offers no time for pulling a piece. One possible use of a firearm when surfing sharkey waters may be to have an armed jetski-mounted sentry on hand. If the weekend's attack was anything to go by, having someone watch over the pack would've done little to save Ben's life, but perhaps it could've aided in the retrieval of his body. But the thought of a pairing of guns and surfing is ridiculous. And it's only due to my sadness for Ben's family losing his remains I even considered it. In conclusion my offering is this; there is very little we can do to alter the fact that when venturing into the ocean man risks the possibility of certain death from shark attack. This daunting risk alone is not going to stop those of us who love being a part of nature and experiencing surfing on the outer most limits venturing out into the big blue however. [Example: A surfer was seen surfing alone near when Ben was taken the very next day.] What we can do though surely is learn from the experience and try benefit from the knowledge of those who are in the water everyday and pay head to their warnings if indeed there is a threat. Large shark sightings should be reported to a central body or government department so warnings can be issued. Again, if there was a clear warning that a huge shark (nicknamed 'Brutus' for heaven's sake!) had been spotted lurking around Wedge Island for the last five days you'd think twice about surfing there. These sharks are so big and the risk is too great. And if we chose to ignore the warnings – then whatever happens is on our own head. Are there always going to be sharks in the water when you and I surf? Of course, but 99.9% of the time they want nothing to do with you or I. But surfing smarter and avoiding those times when a large predator is making its presence known is a sure way to reduce the risk. Greg Webber's wave pool can't get here quick enough for some I'm sure. – Col B Note: On behalf of Tracks staff I'd like to offer our sincere condolences to Ben's family and friends. He certainly sounds like he was a good 'un. R.I.P Ben Linden. |
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Dear Troy,
I am emailing you re my growing concern regarding the increasing shark incidents in our immediate waters and what many consider a total misconception of what the real situation is in our area….I have been surfing and diving in this area for over three decades and have not experienced anything like the current status….
Many believe the experts are ignorant to the facts….. are probably not giving a true picture of the current situation.
My colleague pulled the unfortunate boogie boarder out of the water recently after her husband rescued the guy at Boneyards.(Bunker Bay)
The board rider sitting next to her husband said on TV that the shadow that passed under him was the size of a car….that’s probably an apt description as apparently they pulled a tooth from the mans body that supports the shark to be in the 10 metre range….I don’t think Fisheries or local govt want that getting out…may affect tourism a tad! Maybe even prompt Fisheries to look into the cull that people who spend much of their time in the water here are calling for……
Also I believe that Rory Macaulay says that numbers are static and they are not territorial….another colleague of mine was talking recently with a pro fisherman who was a Pro Surfer for a while….and he was reported to have said that at least 60 whites were known reported to be off Rotto….currently……a mate of mine was chased by two at Garden Island whilst surfing three weeks ago…as well.
It would be interesting to know what numbers we have in our area?
Macaulay also said that all sightings were not being reported….I believe that’s true…and surfers and all ocean goers need to do so to get some attention to what guys in our area are saying is out of control….its pretty much a sighting a day at present, if not every second day, and that’s the ones that are being seen!
Two Italian surfers at south point Gracetwon on Sunday….site of Nick Edwards fatality….. had a seal come up to them only to have a two foot high dorsal fin come straight at them…….a close friend of mine saw it swimming off towards North Point…..the other side of Gracetown which was packed with surfers at the time….that afternoon a local had to madly scramble onto the rocks at South Point to get away from a huge shark that was hunting a seal….once again a seal appearing to use a surfer as protection.
Surfers raced out of the lineup at Avalon in Mandurah on Sunday as well with a sighting of another very large White…..
A local paddle ski rider on Friday…another reliable source…..was out paddling at Gnarabup and apparently fell off, so surprised at the size of the shark fin he saw near him….the beach was packed with holiday makers that day…a recipe for disaster….we have had regular sightings here and around Margs since last Spring….and all mainly Big Whites….Boranup, Redgate, Lefties, Margs, many at Grunters…. and its on everybody’s lips……they are not moving on as the experts are saying…………………….. and many here think that there may be a rogue in the area….. at Gnarabup beach… two years ago a 4.5m beached itself and just eye balled the Pengiun swimmers…..same area where a local ski paddler saw an absolute whopper on Friday!! Not good…..it was not reported in the media even though a reliable media source was part of that group..
They do seem to be returning to known food sources…an opinion widely held by many surfers, refuted by Fisheries even though there is wide evidence of tracking individual whites who have set patterns of travel…..surfers love the ocean and what it offers and as a rule respect the ocean and all its creatures……surfers , who spend a hell of a lot more time in the water than predominately office based experts and advisors have I would argue a better handle on what is going on in the area and deserve the attention we are asking for……
I personally nearly fell on one early spring after pulling off a wave at Margs….it was approx. 3 to 3.5 metres with a piece of Tuna in its mouth the size of a big leg of Ham……I managed to get the attention of the other guys in the water and we bailed….there were multiple sightings at Main Break that fortnight and the beach was closed several times as was Lefthanders where Brad Smith’s death occurred.
The belief that they are passing through is “not” widely held in the area by many at all now.
Seal populations have exploded in the area and are found in colonies all over now…local fishermen are saying they have seen nothing like it and in the past they dealt with them as it ruined fishing prospects…..many think the seal population is contributing to the Whites hanging about…and many will agree….on many occasions now, surfers will leave the water when seals arrive, particularly if they are behaving erratic, as the seals were on the days of all three deaths have occurred to date.
All three attacks, Brad Smiths, Nick Edwards and the young fellow at Boneyards all had seal sightings just prior to the attacks, and as with Nick Edwards attack and the two Italian lads at South Point on Sunday, surfers have commented that the seals appeared to be using surfers as a decoy for want of a better term….
I suppose I am sending you this as further support that the government needs to look into what seems to be an escalating problem, which will probably only get some positive action if we are unfortunate enough to have another fatality….with warmer weather upon us…numbers of humans in the water is about to explode, increasing the odds of another attack……..
….I think if there was a survey you would find a heap of support.
I am like Brett Hardy , quoted in Perth Now recently by Liam Bartlett 60 Minutes… up until the last 12 months or so I was of the opinion that we have to live with it…..but there seems to be too much evidence that numbers have escalated as has their habit of being so close to shore and humans.
We should at least be undertaking a significant tag and satellite tracking/warning programme…..I agree personally agree that a cull is overdue….
With tourists and locals saying its safer to travel over seas or over east to surf, or even relocate permanently, that is a true reflection of the level of concern people have about entering the water in our region now and the potential impact on our are could be very negative.
To quote a friend who pulled Nick Edwards out the water at South Point after being fatally mauled….. “ a dog attacks a small child or an adult…you put it down. A bear attacks a woman….you put down the bear and its cubs. A croc attacks a human you track it down and eliminate the problem.
But a shark attacks a human and we just let it swim about checking out what’s on the shelf?”
We all look forward to your positive response.
Research is definitely the way to go. Perhaps there is a scent or smell that puts sharks off that could be incorporated into boards/wetsuits? Maybe look at other marine creatures and isolate the ones that sharks seem to ignore(Are there any?) and apply the same 'natural technology'.
And see the ocean as a "shark's space".
The thing that seems to always happen,more so now due to instant news/the web is the feeding frenzy that the media gets into over "shark attacks".Being that it is a gruesome way to die,it sells well in the media..
Added into this we also get the "conserve vs cull" arguments/debates.
As surfers we know what the risks are,both with sharks and many other assorted creatures in the ocean.Part of the joy of surfing is the chance to interact with nature both in the form of waves and also the wild life.Now i am not saying that sharks are what we hope to encounter, far from it.
Culling is not the answer IMO,there is no way to cull the area of sharks and not have a negative impact on nature.
The "shark tourism",now banned in W.A should have their skill and knowledge put to good use and be part of a tagging and study program,the more we know the better.
All these cage diving companies should be in a tagging and study program.
So say we go with the cull them all idea.............
So you would want to protect the main or most popular surfing spots,right?
My best guess is this would involve some way to attract them to the or near the spots you want to protect,how "baiting & burley"". Then some how kill them,thus removing the dominate animal.Now I am no Dave Attenborough,I would think that another dominate shark will move in,then we kill it etc etc etc..............
There is no simple solution.
The more we learn from tagging and in depth study,the sooner we come up with an idea/system that allows us as surfers to enjoy the waves we desire without the fear of attack.
My sincere condolences to Ben's family and friends.
Maybe a state of the art tagging system needs to be applied so we can learn more about the Great Whites and monitor there movements.
This GW could have been old and a little slow to catch seals and fish, and has identified an easy source of food and no one can/can't prove that this particular shark has attacked multiple victims.
Hope this helps.
When we enter the surf we roll the dice as we do when crossing the road or walking the streets of some of our cities after dark. Predators lurk beneath the surface, out of view and they have the advantage of stealth when hunting.
Unlike some of the human predators, Brutus and co. are just doing what comes naturally and occasionally we end up on the pointy end of the stick.
Leave the sharks alone and wise up. Don't surf at dusk and/or dawn even if the early/late provides the optimum conditions. I haven't tried a Shark Pod but they are looking more and more like a good option when entering the shark zone.
You wanna play you have to pay, and risk is the currency.
We partake in the worlds greatest sport and the arena is a magic place.
Nature is special because of the myriad of creatures that share our oceans, learn to get along with it's occupants.
Due respect to Ben's family and friends in this time of tragic loss.
He went out doing what he loved and despite the circumstances I'm sure most surfers would say NO to the senseless culling of sharks.
And yes indeed, we should notify all and sundry of any sighting.