I'm with you tiktoman, the risks just don't outweigh the benfits. Staph infection if you have open cuts or worst case scenario hepatitis A, there's a vaccine for it and it generally will not cause any long term damage. However, reassuring yourself with the "it only wants to taste me" theory doesn't work for great whites. They hunt by making making a sudden, surprise, MORTAL wound, let their prey bleed to death, then return to actually eat so they don't get wounded themselves. Mistaken identity or not they aim to kill not nibble with that first bite. Still, lightning would have to strike twice in the same place for me to not stand there.
You’re right, Keith. I edited the post. I’m sorry.
Quote:
I got an “error processing your request” when I checked the calacademy site. Has anybody who participated in the Clean Water Classic been sick? Yeah, there are shark attacks and us dunderheads will go out anyway. Seriously 220 grit, is there anywhere in S. Cal you would not surf because of shark risk? Or central CA for that matter?
Mr. Melville, guess I’m guilty of the R word too, no offense meant.
Again, look at the map:
http://www.calacademy.org/research/aquatic/sharks.html
Like I said, the Channel Islands offer the tasty menu for GW’s. You get up near Pismo and Avila and “there be no mo islands.” Many GW sightings in that area. One poor gal swimming last year noticed a couple of sea lions and fish hauling ass past her. Next thing you know, she’s gone.
I was diving right by a kelp bed on Santa Cruz and I felt this huge “swish” by me. I crapped in my wetsuit as this huge eye, the size of a dinner plate went by me slowly maybe 10 feet away. It was a Great White 25-30 ft long. I have never dived since. My cousin, who was with me, sold his urchin business and moved to Colorado!
Remember that the 100+ viruses that are present in the ocean after a rain gets ingested internally too. Right into the bloodstream. Hello waves, goodbye liver, heart, brains (well, you won’t have that problem :). In an AG area there’s tons of pesticides, animal waste, rattlesnakes, poison oak, dead animals, huge floating logs, you name it. If you want to go surf in those conditions, be my guest. I’m just trying to educate those who have no clue.
What part of Santa Cruz was that 220grit. I had a possible encounter up at 4 mile. I was tired and drifted away from the pack by myself. I was sitting on my board and kind of lost my balance and kicked out with my foot to counter…thud. My foot struck a large heavy submerged object that sent a serious fear shiver up me. I looked over the side to see a light colored object rotate and sink slowly into the murk. The visibility was only about 3-4’ so I didn’t get a good look and really can’t say what it was. Too light colored to have been a seal. I’m still telling myself dolphin but I never did see anything surface. I got my ass into the middle of the pack but kept surfing.
Yep. One great white bite is my whole body. Although, I worry more about getting hit by a bus, or death by a co-worker with the flu, than I do about risk from sea life.
Sandstone Point