Given the recent tragic events at Gracetown, should the new wet suit technology developed here in WA be made mandatory for Ocean going sports ie Surfing, Kiting and Windsurfing. I know that some will say that is freedom of choice but any measures that can lessen the chances of an attack should be looked at in the cold hard light.
no, of course they shouldn't be mandatory???
should we all be made to drive cars with airbags in every corner? no.
how many people die on the roads compared to people in the ocean due to sharks?
I'll take a large thanks and a long arm short for the summer, probably a better way to spend my hard earned tax payers money instead of wasting the money on fuel chasing around looking for "the Shark" if they are going to do that then just bring back a really "big one" but seriously I think we are onto something here.......
Wear what you want.That wetsuit is more hype than proven scientific research...gets more govt. Funding....20 years ago in the states fluoro orange wetsuits was the flavour of the month for shark repellant.More people in Australia are killed by horses.bee stings and dog attacks than shark attacks...However any shark attack is always truly tragic.
No should not be mandatory.
. 
I heard once that annually more people worldwide were killed by coconuts than by sharks. However that is cold comfort whilst thrashing around in the ocean 1km offshore.
www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/20-things-that-kill-more-people-than-sharks-every
We better ban sausages, bath tubs, txting, sleeping in a bed, vending machines should be scrapped. All ants, dogs, deer, hippos, and jelly fish need to be culled. no one is allowed to shop on black Friday, all aircraft should be decommission.
DAMMIT! stop eating so many pies you fat bastaaard.
Lastly kitestig. You better back off the auto erotic asphyxiation. That is some dangerous shiz.
Over in the surfing forum they're discussing shark repellant technology.
ocean-guardian.com/
surfsafe.net.au
Has anyone tried this kiting? What type did you use?
As I said over there, I have a mate of a mate who does commercial diving in a team. They believe the shark shields actually attract sharks to the area as they are inquisitive, but then are repelled when close. Potentially putting people around you in jeopardy??
Heres a letter of praise on the shark shield website which seems to back up the claim: ocean-guardian.com//blog/can-electronic-shark-deterrents-save-the-surf-and-dive-industry/46 GW
close call while abalone diving off of the California coast
By Adam Farrow, California USA on 20 November 2013
Nearly two weeks ago, I was abalone diving off of the California coast in an area known for Great Whites and attacks. I have had several encounters with GWs in the past so I purchased a Sharkshield and mounted it inside my dive tube with the tail going through a hole in the bottom of the tube. In the middle of our trip a large white, about 18' came straight at me, it was viewed by the people in the boat, not me. They warned me about the shark, I thought it was farther away from me than it was so I continued diving. they eventually said the shark had left the area, I had great confidence in my safety because I knew my shield was on and working and that there has never been an attack on a person with a Shark Shield. Later I found out that the shark came within 3 meters of me and the shield and then made a left turn to avoid the shield. Just wanted to say thanks.
Dont get me wrong.... I still want one! Particularly if other people in the area are unknowingly attracting the buggers!
Another:
Paul Hosie was diving at the HMAS Swan wreck site just off the coast of Dunsborough on Sunday when he noticed a big black shape go past him just 10 metres away.
"When I looked at it there was no doubt what it was; it was dark above with white below, just the enormous bulk of it and a massive tail fin."
The unmistakable sight of a great white shark would leave most people swimming in the opposite direction but Mr Hosie was fascinated by the sight and wanted to get closer.
"After about five minutes of observing it, I decided that I wanted a closer look. A lot of people would say that was a foolhardy stupid thing to do but I had a shark shield and I know the behaviour of these things.
"People are taken from the surface, that's how these things feed and attack not at depth, not normally."
Mr Hosie is an ex-Navy member who has been recreational diving for 18 years and was diving with his fiancee Christie at the time. He says he has seen many sharks over the years but this was by far the largest shark he has seen while diving.
Mr Hosie and his partner were wearing an 'electronic shark deterrent' at the time, which is a device that straps around the ankles with an antenna hanging below the diver which emits an electric field that induces spasms in a shark's snout.
However, the effectiveness of the device was about to be tested by Mr Hosie as he swam down away from the wreck and down to the ocean floor, the same level as the shark.
"It actually did take an interest in me because something had moved into its space and it swam straight towards me from about 20-30 metres away.
"At about 10 metres away when it was still heading straight towards me and I established eye contact, that's when I thought, 'maybe this wasn't such good idea'.
"But I had faith in my shark shield otherwise I wouldn't have been wearing it and about 5 to 7 metres away, it turned away from me."
Mr Housie has been wearing the electronic shark deterrent since a fellow diver was killed by a great white in 2008 at Port Kennedy, a location that Mr Hosie frequently dived.
I think this is a great idea to keep people safe. The cost of screen printing the wetsuits would be minimal. I'd say a low on the spot $80 fine if you dont wear one, to stop the reckless punks who think they can do whatever they want and ruin it for everyone else. I'd recommend a 5/3mm full suit for Perth summer to prevent coral scratches that turn to infections, that cost the aussie government millions of dollars a year in tax payers money.
This is the first sensible post I have read here for many years. It has got me thinking about the idea of a license to kite, like a driving license where you can get points taken off for bad behavior like not wearing shorts over a full wetsuit, or doing dangerous trick/ stunts within 2km of any beach that could injure innocent bystanders.
Select to expand quoteiandvnt said..
I think this is a great idea to keep people safe. The cost of screen printing the wetsuits would be minimal. I'd say a low on the spot $80 fine if you dont wear one, to stop the reckless punks who think they can do whatever they want and ruin it for everyone else. I'd recommend a 5/3mm full suit for Perth summer to prevent coral scratches that turn to infections, that cost the aussie government millions of dollars a year in tax payers money.
This is the first sensible post I have read here for many years. It has got me thinking about the idea of a license to kite, like a driving license where you can get points taken off for bad behavior like not wearing shorts over a full wetsuit, or doing dangerous trick/ stunts within 2km of any beach that could injure innocent bystanders.
haven't posted in a while - but that was gold!
heard on jjj this morning that another recent study has shown that more people have died in rips at aussie beaches, not to mention aus floods, bushfires and cyclones. there certainly is something primordial about shark attack that gets us as humans searching for control again - but imo, entering the great unknown is part of the appeal.
a big no to someone ever telling me what i have to wear/use surfing, kiting or free diving - i'll make and take my own risks thanks.
From the ABS:
In 2009 there were 215 recorded deaths in Australia directly attributable to Obesity
Since 1791 there have been 200 fatal shark attacks in Australia
So cut out on the pork life you fat ba$tards
Select to expand quotejunglist said..
From the ABS:
In 2009 there were 215 recorded deaths in Australia directly attributable to Obesity
Since 1791 there have been 200 fatal shark attacks in Australia
So cut out on the pork life you fat ba$tards
And what are the percentages for those figures?
Bit of a brain wave, why hasn't anyone researched the effectiveness of preventing attacks by placing 'eyes' over strategic parts of a wetsuit - ala the deterrent used by locals in India for the bengal tigers by wearing a face mask on the back of the head. The tigers when hunting prefer the element of surprise, and are fooled by the eyes therefore taking away the element of surprise.
If sharks thought you could see them, may prevent attacks.
www.artofmanliness.com/articles/man-knowledge-a-history-of-man-eaters/
PS - bank account details will be provided for 300k guvy grant.
also some good tips here;
www.artofmanliness.com/2010/05/04/how-to-survive-a-shark-attack/
mandatory shark suits for anyone seen or heard discussing probability
Almost 100% of people that were born, died.
and off topic - just leave fat people, smokers, people that won't wear shark suits, and etc... alone I reckon
one more word about "the cost to society..."
PS (windy and at work so.... bit cranky)
Select to expand quotePlummet said..
[ How many people in that same location have died of drawing? obesity? car accidents, falling out of bed...... etc.
/quote]
]Plummet said..[/b]
I would guess that about the same number of people have died in car accidents on Caves Road as have been killed by sharks along the same Cape-to-Cape stretch. Given the high number of drivers relative to surfers, the risk of being killed there by a shark is perhaps 100x higher than the chance of a fatal accident while driving to the beach.
Or do you mean a wetsuit soaked in burly so as to attract said
munchers away from your buddies!?!? Very honourable gesture
personally I blame krill oil
freaking greenies spend all their time loving whales while factory ships are wiping out the base of the food chain.
Wake up ocean terrorists or whatever the hell you are called, it ain't the Japanese killing the oceans,
IT IS US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Select to expand quoteRails said..
mandatory shark suits for anyone seen or heard discussing probability
Almost 100% of people that were born, died.
and off topic - just leave fat people, smokers, people that won't wear shark suits, and etc... alone I reckon
one more word about "the cost to society..."
PS (windy and at work so.... bit cranky)
Almost 100%?
You know Connor MacLeoud or something?
