Received: from hplms26.hpl.hp.com by opus.hpl.hp.com with SMTP (1.37.109.8/15.5+ECS 3.3+HPL1.1) id AA05296; Fri, 17 Jun 1994 10:50:50 -0700 Return-Path: <westes@usc.com-DeleteThis> Received: from uucp9.netcom.com by hplms26.hpl.hp.com with SMTP (1.36.108.4/15.5+ECS 3.3+HPL1.1S) id AA11285; Fri, 17 Jun 1994 10:52:48 -0700 Received: from localhost by netcomsv.netcom.com with UUCP (8.6.4/SMI-4.1) id KAA11652; Fri, 17 Jun 1994 10:46:57 -0700 Received: by usc.com (NX5.67d/NX3.0M) id AA00507; Fri, 17 Jun 94 10:12:59 -0700 From: Will Estes <westes@usc.com-DeleteThis> Message-Id: <9406171712.AA00507@usc.com-DeleteThis> Subject: Re: Shark: more info To: wind_talk@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis Date: Fri, 17 Jun 1994 10:12:58 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: <9406171118.tn54877@aol.com-DeleteThis> from "JefWNDHNTR@aol.com-DeleteThis" at Jun 17, 94 08:23:22 am X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL23] Content-Type: text Content-Length: 2397
'JefWNDHNTR@aol.com-DeleteThis says:'
> I wrote and Will Responded:
> To: JefWNDHNTR
>
> 'JefWNDHNTR@aol.com-DeleteThis says:'
> > A 16 FOOT WHITE SHARK has been spotted off (60ft.) Doran Beach for the past
> > two days. Apparently he has an appetite for slotted fins...so make sure
> you
> > use your pointer fin. Nice fisherman notified mike Godsey of Windsight of
> > whity's location, who told me--jefwndhntr
>
> Where is Doran located? What happened that makes you say he likes slotted
> fins?
>
> Doran is the speed beach at Bodega Bay: off shore high wind (50mph gusts on
> the day of the attack) with no chop. My comment on slotted fins was based on
> the study that the harmonic disturbance caused by slotted fins provokes and
> aggressive response on great white sharks. Hammerheads, Nurse, and Tiger
> sharks did not seem to be as affected as much. Pointer fins have proved more
> effective at repel sharks: they also can be used to attack the shark. Doing
> a chop hop and aiming the tip of the fin directly at the oncoming shark's eye
> seems to deter them rather nicely.
>
> Caost Guard has closed the beach...Whitey killed and ate a 700 pound seal on
> tuesday while peolple were sailing! Jeff
The only problem with that study is that it ignores the eating behavior of
sharks, even White sharks. White sharks don't attack fast-moving objects,
and they don't even attack objects that suddenly appear above them (unless
you have the most unfortunate luck of stopping right next to one and
brushing it, I suppose). Typically the shark will be drawn to an area by a
sound or smell, then it spends about five minutes surrounding and checking
out the prey. Some sharks do this from the surface, but Whites tend to do
it from under the surface.
In any case, as long as you do not sit in the water for five or more minutes
thrashing around, you probably aren't going to be a target for a shark.
The odds that a shark is going to hear a slotted fin and start to follow
the windsurfer around seem pretty far-fetched, although I suppose it might
increase your risk before spilling and spending some extended time in the
water.
Did the study you quote actually expose real great whites to moving slotted
fins, or is this just theoretical speculation based on laboratory
measurements?
-- Thanks, Will Estes Internet: westes@usc.com-DeleteThis U.S. Computer Saratoga, CA 95070
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