An interesting shark/diver story...

[Linda]

Yikes!

news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070123/sc_nm/australia_shark_dc_3

[shackle]

I saw that. He was diving for abalone and I wandered if he was free diving or wearing scuba. I don't recall the story really mentioning it.

[scubadiverbob]

I posted on aol msg boards on this (search for scubadiverberry). Put down I hope he heals quickly so he can return to the ocean!

[scubadiverbob]

Thanks, Linda for your post ... the news seemed alot more accurate than aol's watered down version .. like far better coverage.

[YankDownUnder]

The story is not entirely accurate as you must have guessed. Sharks are not all protected in Australia, but the Great White and a few others are protected.

The commercial abalone divers here usually use hookah, and Air Dive is the most common brand. See: www.airdive.com.au/ . Some use a bcd, but are required by law to carry a small bail out tank and a back up regulator with them.

The area where he was attacked was the site of a fatal attack a few years ago. A Great White went for a woman who was on her honeymoon and decompressing with her dive group and husband. The husband pushed her aside and he was taken by the shark.

This shark was rather small by comparison with others in the area. A 6 meter (19 feet) shark was reported off a pier near Phillip Island (famous race track near here) a few days ago. Eden is where warm water begins and the White Shark tends to end it's coastal patrol. Tigers are found up north instead. The Tiger Shark is located in both warm and cold water.

Here in Victoria we have not had too many attacks. In fact we went for 7 years without one. That respit has ended with a surfer attacked last season at Flinders, where I dive, and another recently at Bells Beach. A marine biology diver was killed last year in South Australia by a Great White, and a charter boat operator was killed in Western Australia as well. I had one swim nearby, but didn't even know it. I was told after I got out of the water. However, that was a long time ago.

Great Whites usually patrol from 1000 to 5000 yards off shore and cover about 1500 miles along the coast before returning and starting again. They usually are found around the seal areas during pup season, a place most of us avoid.

[JES]

From the article here's the second most important piece of information (if you live in Florida):

The U.S. state of Florida annually records by far the most shark attacks.

Between 1990 and 2005 there were 341 shark attacks off Florida, according to the U.S.-based International Shark Attack File, www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Sharks/ISAF/ISAF.htm.

Over the same period, Australia reported 74 attacks, South Africa 72, Brazil 62 and Hawaii 57.

[Captain]

Get a law degree, sharks don't bite lawyers, professional courtesy you know.

[YankDownUnder]

That shark attack in New South Wales was rare in that, the victim was attacked head on. Australian divers have a fatalistic approach, saying there is not much likelihood of being attacked, and if you are attacked, the shark usually comes from behind.

Australia has a land mass equal to the contiguous 48 states, but only 20 milliion people. Only 13% of the country is inhabitable, but most people live near the sea. Additionally, there is no Mexican or Canadian border, so there is a greater coastline. Shark attacks are therefore low, compared to the USA. I think it's just the sharks can't seem to find us. There seem to be a lot of Bull Sharks in Florida, which may account for a number of attacks. I have never heard of Bull Sharks here in Australia, but there may be some.

Captain, I don't know any lawyers who dive here. That agreement might be a local thing.

[swimjim]

"I think it's just the sharks can't seem to find us. " I think this explains why Aussie swimmers do so well in the Olympics. ( ;
I've often thought that one of the great things about diving Lake Michigan is that there is nothing that will eat you.

Jim