surfer
How offten does that happen?

Shark attacks edged up slightly in 2006 but continued an overall long-term decline as overfishing and more cautious swimmers helped take a bite out of the aggressive encounters, new University of Florida research finds.

The total number of shark attacks worldwide increased from 61 in 2005 to 62 in 2006 and the number of fatalities remained stable at four, far below the 79 attacks and 11 fatalities recorded in 2000, said George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File housed at UF’s Florida Museum of Natural History.

“This was a nice dull year and we love dull years because it means there are fewer serious attacks and fewer victims,” Burgess said. “It’s really quite remarkable when you have only four people a year die in the mouth of a shark and puts in perspective how small shark attack is as a phenomenon.”

Fewer sharks are swarming near the shore where humans swim as larger numbers of shark and other fish of prey are killed each year, Burgess said. At the same time, many Third World countries are making strides in improving medical care and beach safety, while many people are getting smarter about where and when to get into the water, he said.

“They’re starting to see that when they enter the sea, they’re engaging in a wilderness experience as opposed to entering the equivalent of a backyard pool,” he said.

As a result, the rate of attacks has actually declined over the years as human population has increased, he said.

The number of attacks in the United States, the world’s leader, dipped slightly from 40 in 2005 to 38 in 2006; well below the 53 recorded in 2000, he said.

As in past years, Florida was the world’s shark capital, with 23 attacks, Burgess said. This was slightly higher than the 19 cases reported in 2005 but considerably lower than the annual average of 33 between 2000 and 2003, he said.

Elsewhere in the world, Burgess tracked seven attacks in Australia, four in South Africa, three in Brazil, two in the Bahamas and one each in Fiji, Guam, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, La Reunion, Spain and Tonga.

The four fatalities were in Australia, Brazil, La Reunion and Tonga. The Australian victim was a woman swimming with her dog, and the attack may have been provoked by fishermen throwing bloodied fish in the ocean as they cleaned their catch. The Brazilian fatality was a male surfer in waters off the northeastern part of the country. The Tonga case involved a 24-year-old female swimmer who was an American Peace Corps volunteer. The attack off the Indian Ocean island of Reunion was on a 34-year-old male surfing in an area where swimming and other recreational activities are forbidden.

DUKE OF THE DISCS (I like to use CAPITAL LETTERS--and I am NOT YELLING.

Here's my first official post on SG101....(collective gasp.....OMG it's the moderator from Cowabunga, finally showing up!). No, I just had to say thank you for posting this as anybody who knows me, knows that I left the relatively shark free waters of SoCal to move up to the sharkiest place in NorCal....Bodega Bay (read the list....Salmon Creek is on there 3 times!).
Well now I'm headed back home, back to SoCal and I'm watching the news the other morning and couldn't believe the irony....WTF....Solana Beach?!
Oh well....at least if I encounter any of the men in the grey suits south of county line, I'll be warm!

goober
The "official confirmed" account is:

From 1900 to 2005 there were 130 authenticated unprovoked shark attacks reported from the Pacific Coast of North America. The breakdown by state is; Washington 1, Oregon 17, and California 112. There have been 111 shark attacks reported from California between 1950 and 2005, with *10 fatal. The White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias, was either positively identified or highly suspect in all 10 fatalities. Of the 111 reported attacks from California in the last 55 years, the White Shark was implicated in 99.

Since 2000 to March, 2008 non fatal encounters:

Date Victim Activity Location Outcome

29 Sep 2000 P. E. Surfing Mavericks, Half Moon Bay, CA
Survived
4 Nov 2000 C. S. Surfing Bunkers, Humboldt Bay, CA
Survived
31 May 2002 L. F. Surfing Stinson Beach, CA
Survived
21 Sep 2002 R. R. Surfing Moonstone Beach, CA
Survived
23 Sep 2002 G. T. Surfing Cape Kiwanda, Oregon
Survived
28 Nov 2002 M. C. Surfing Salmon Creek, CA
Survived
19 Aug 2003 D. F. Swimming Avila, CA
Fatal
28 May 2004 B. C. Surfing Salmon Creek, CA
Survived
26 Jun 2004 K. F. Surfing San Onofre – Trail # 1, CA
Survived
15 Aug 2004 R. F. Diving Ten Mile River Beach, Ft. Bragg, CA
Fatal
20 Aug 2004 S. L. Surfing 204s, San Clemente, CA
Survived
20 Sep 2004 S. M. Surfing Gold Beach, Oregon
Survived
1 Oct 2004 C. W. Surfing Lifeguard Tower 16, Huntington Beach, CA Survived
2 Oct 2004 B. I. Surfing Pismo Beach, CA
Survived
10 Oct 2004 P. DJ. Surfing Limantour Beach, Point Reyes, CA
Survived
11 Nov 2004 B. K. Surfing "Bunkers" - North Jetty, Humboldt Bay, CA Survived
24 Aug 2005 T. S. Surfing Scripps Pier, La Jolla Shores, CA
Survived
19 Oct 2005 M. H. Surfing Salmon Creek, CA
Survived
21 Oct 2005 C. R. Surfing Mouth of the Klamath River, CA
Survived
2 Nov 2005 J. D. Surfing Ocean Beach, San Francisco, CA
Survived
3 Nov 2005 T. W. Surfing Pillar Point, Mavericks, Half Moon Bay, CA Survived
24 Dec 2005 B. A. Surfing First Point, Tillamook Head, Oregon
Survived
18 Jan 2006 M. L. Surfing Second Bowl, 'The Hook,' Santa Cruz, CA Survived
17 Jun 2006 J. P. Diving Monterey Plaza Hotel Beach, CA
Survived
31 Jul 2006 R. M. Surfing Short Sands Beach, Oswald State Park, Oregon Survived
29 Aug 2006 T. L. Surfing South Jetty, Siuslaw River , Florence, Oregon Survived
31 Oct 2006 T. P. Surfing Siletz River, Lincoln City, Oregon
Survived
10 Dec 2006 R. F. Surfing Dillon Beach, CA
Survived
30 Jun 2007 K. Z. Swimming Will Rogers State Beach, CA
Survived
17 Jul 2007 S. L. Swimming Faria Beach, CA
Survived
21 Jul 2007 "Dan" Kayak Bean Hollow Beach, San Mateo County, CA Survived
22 Jul 2007 V. C. Paddleboard Malibu, CA
Survived
28 Jul 2007 J. S. Surfing Imperial Beach, CA
Survived
28 Aug 2007 T. E. Surfing Marina State Beach, CA
Survived
27 Sep 2007 S. S. Surfing Moonstone Beach, Humboldt County, CA Survived
30 Sep 2007 A. S. Surfing Santa Monica Beach, CA
Survived
7 Oct 2007 S. B. Surfing Venice Beach,
CA Survived
7 Mar 2008 T. L. Surfing Dog Beach - Huntington Beach, CA
Survived

I've been surfing for 10 years and have never seen a shark. That doesn't mean they aren't there. In 1989, a couple kayaking of Malibu/Paradise Cove got hit but there was debate whether a boat hit them and the shark came later.

Whenever you enter the ocean, you potentially enter the food chain.

Anyone who comes to HB for the Aug. 1st SG convention interested in a surf lesson?

Goober

I surfed and paddled for about four hours today. I hereby declare my local spot shark free. However, YMMV.

Check out Rat Surf Radio - Surf Trash Garage Punk PODCAST!
http://www.ratsurfradio.com

mournblade said:

I might be mistaken, but I do not think there is a single documented
case of an orca in the wild attacking a human being.

In 2005, local news in Washington reported an Orca making an attack run and "bumping" a boy splashing in the water--probably mistook him for a seal. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002445380_orca19m.html
But in the same story: "There has never been a documented fatal killer-whale attack on a human. The only relatively well-documented bite was one suffered by a surfer in California in the early 1970s."

The Salmon runs are down from Northnern Cal to Alaska due to commercial and Indian fishing and dams, so much so that sport fishing is closed all along the coast. History aside, I don't think it's a good idea to get too close to "the" apex preditors of the ocean when they might be hungry because natural food supplies are low.

Goob

Speaking of east coast... I used to surf the outer banks a lot and would see hammerheads swimming underneath through the crystal clear waters of Frisco. Never had a clue they could be dangerous at the time.

Yes, I still have all my toes.

td

Sound of the Surf, the movie
Facebook SOTS

Here is some inside information about the shark attack last week. My brother is a member of the San Diego Triathalon Club. This comes from their website. Ken and Anita are personal friends of mine and I'm very proud of their efforts.

http://forum.triclubsandiego.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=31&sid=0e147993e483e70847f60513810aadbb

[http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/04/29/shark.attack.ap/?iref=mpstoryview

This one happened just a couple of miles from my favorite surf break in Mexico. Coincidence? Last time we had a fatal attack around here (Virginia Beach) it was followed by another just a few days later in nearby North Carolina, on the Outer Banks.](http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/04/29/shark.attack.ap/?iref=mpstoryview%3Cbr/%3E%3Cbr/%3EThis%20one%20happened%20just%20a%20couple%20of%20miles%20from%20my%20favorite%20surf%20break%20in%20Mexico.%20%20Coincidence?%20Last%20time%20we%20had%20a%20fatal%20attack%20around%20here%20%28Virginia%20Beach%29%20it%20was%20followed%20by%20another%20just%20a%20few%20days%20later%20in%20nearby%20North%20Carolina%2C%20on%20the%20Outer%20Banks.)

A rogue shark?!

And then there is this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJnxYsZNzwM

www.cutbacksurfband.com