Shark Attack - Islamorada
jjbl
please take note -
Approximately one week ago, a 25 year old man was diving with some
friends off of Islamorada, when he vanished. His friends searched for
him for several minutes, and proceeded to contact the authorities when
they couldn't find him. When the Marine Patrol failed to locate him, he
was declared missing and presumed dead.
Today, the tattered remains of his wetsuit were recovered. Judging by
the tear in his suit, he was killed by an approximately 12 foot+ long
bull shark. This was in 30 or so feet of water, in an area _____NOT_____
known for shark attacks, or large amounts of shark activity.
I work in Pennekamp State Park, and spend a lot of time reassuring first
time snorkelers that there is little or no danger of a shark attack. I
_used_ to say this with the utmost confidence. Nobody on any of our dive
or snorkel tours has ever been attacked, injured, or killed by 'cuda or a
shark. That's a 30 year record I'd rather not see broken. Today's news
of the fatal (the first this year in Florida - 25th or so overall) attack
_really_ hit home.
I know sometimes it seems like all the dive rules and procedures that
groups like PADI lay out seem excessive and over-cautious. That's
because they ARE. For a good reason.
Shark attacks in Florida have really spiked this year, some claim it's
due to the increased amount of tropical storm activity in the Atlantic.
_Whatever_ the reason is, _please_ take extra care.
I was having a conversation with my father about the # of attacks this
year today, and how it was amazing that A) there were no fatals and B)
none had happened in the keys. I found out I was twice over incorrect
when I got home.
Ok, I'm done preaching.
Chris White
<snip>
>Approximately one week ago, a 25 year old man was diving with some
>friends off of Islamorada, when he vanished.
>Today, the tattered remains of his wetsuit were recovered. Judging by
>the tear in his suit, he was killed by an approximately 12 foot+ long
>bull shark.
>I know sometimes it seems like all the dive rules and procedures that
>groups like PADI lay out seem excessive and over-cautious. That's
>because they ARE. For a good reason.
Okay, I'll "bite":
Just what are the PADI procedures that would have prevented this shark
attack? Basically all I was taught was not to swim around with a seals
or with a pork chop tied around my neck ...
--
Chris White e-mail: chris...@mail.utexas.edu
\\// Live long and prosper.
Dyer Crouch
>> From what I remeber we were supposed to report the incident, send in
$30
>> and we would get a shark specialty badge. ;)
O.K. O.K. I was half asleep and thought I would post a funny. Now I look
back and:
A. People are going to take the joke too seriously.
B. Someone died and that is not funny.
So before you flame me, yes I am stupid and I apologize to anyone who may
be upset about me craking a joke on this thread. It was aimed at the
subject of sharks.
My mouth popped the clutch before my brain was in the right gear.
Dyer
Shane
> >I know sometimes it seems like all the dive rules and procedures that
> >groups like PADI lay out seem excessive and over-cautious. That's
> >because they ARE. For a good reason.
> <snip>
>
> Okay, I'll "bite":
>
> Just what are the PADI procedures that would have prevented this shark
> attack? Basically all I was taught was not to swim around with a seals
> or with a pork chop tied around my neck ...
I believe the standard procedure in dealing with apex predators is to
show them your Advanced c-card...works for me...
Shane
Jane Adcock
attack" is being reported. For example, on the radio today I heard that
the diver had turned off his air in order to make a quicker ascent. Do
you know any divers who would do that?
They also said that although there is no body, "experts" had determined
that the shark first bit off his arm and then attacked his stomach. How
can they determine more than the fact that his BC was ripped and perhaps
had blood on it? Who is to say that the guy wasn't already dead and a
shark ate him?
In this morning's newspaper, it was reported that three people were
diving together and that the unfortunate diver disappeared without the
others noticing right away. Wouldn't they have noticed a real big shark?
I just wonder what's going on. How much of the reporting is shark hype
and diver hype?
KSchanze
scare! If you are a witness to a story that is played out on our
wonderful news cast then you will realize whats going on. To the average
non diver joe all they hear is SHARK ATTACK! There are way to many pieces
to this story that dont make any sense and the a good chance that this
diver was eaten or bitten after he was already dead. Reports last week
claimed that divers had found his tank and some of his gear shortly after
he was reported missing. The cloths were found by divers several days
later along with some shark teeth. My guess is this is how they came up
with the type of shark and size. Since I live down here in the Miami area
I hear about the diving accidents sometimes from people close to it. It
is never what the media reports. We as divers understand the risk and
have the proper training in the sport (well, some of us anyway). Most
accidents come from the most basic instruction we are all tought. We
sometimes forget them for a whole bunch of reasons and this is what gets
us in trouble. Not to say that all diving accidents can be prevented but
most of them stem from us steering away from the priciples we are tought
in our diving training. I remember a diver in lobster season a few years
ago jumping in on a mid nite dive oh he forgot to turn on his air or have
someone check it for him, well he went to the bottom (weighted heavy so he
could crawl around on the bottom for the little guys) They found his body
later on down stream from the current. How many times have we gotten to a
new dive site with a group of our firends, we are busy putting our camera
gear together or even worring about our spouse and we jump in only to find
that our weight belt is still on the boat. come on I know it happens.
If people flew over Hollywood beach they might not never get back in the
water again. If the sharks want us they know where we dive!
==================================================================
KSchanze.aol
Sea Safaris Diving & Sailing Adventures, Inc. 1(800)558-7245
==================================================================
Dyer Crouch
Chris White wrties:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Okay, I'll "bite":
Just what are the PADI procedures that would have prevented this shark
attack? Basically all I was taught was not to swim around with a seals
or with a pork chop tied around my neck ...
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From what I remeber we were supposed to report the incident, send in $30
and we would get a shark specialty badge. ;)
Dyer
gu...@digital.net
>There are a lot of things that are bothering me about the way this "shark
>attack" is being reported. For example, on the radio today I heard that
>the diver had turned off his air in order to make a quicker ascent. Do
>you know any divers who would do that?
Here in Melbourne, Florida the news crews said the diver removed his BC at some point. Perhaps
to a non-diver this means "turning" off his air. The theory was that he removed it to make a
quick exit.
I guess we'll never know, but I thought it possible to remove a BC and use it as a shield, shove
it in his mouth and swim like hell!!!
Jim Wei
Chris White (chris...@mail.utexas.edu) wrote:
: bo...@shadow.net (jjbl) wrote:
: <snip>
: >Approximately one week ago, a 25 year old man was diving with some
: >friends off of Islamorada, when he vanished.
: <snip>
: >Today, the tattered remains of his wetsuit were recovered. Judging by
: >the tear in his suit, he was killed by an approximately 12 foot+ long
: >bull shark.
: <snip>
: >I know sometimes it seems like all the dive rules and procedures that
: >groups like PADI lay out seem excessive and over-cautious. That's
: >because they ARE. For a good reason.
: <snip>
: Okay, I'll "bite":
: Just what are the PADI procedures that would have prevented this shark
: attack? Basically all I was taught was not to swim around with a seals
: or with a pork chop tied around my neck ...
: --
: Chris White e-mail: chris...@mail.utexas.edu
: \\// Live long and prosper.
--
/********************************/
/* Jim Wei */
/* w...@cs.fsu.edu */
/* http://www.cs.fsu.edu/~wei */
/* Dept. of Computer Science */
/* Florida State University */
/********************************/
Haux
night said that by piecing his clothing together, experts figured the
shark bit off one arm, followed by the other arm, and then ripped open his
stomach.
One expert was quoted as totally disbelieving the death. According to
that expert, there have only been two other incidents where a divers gear
and clothing were found without the body - and both were faked deaths.
Who knows?
Pam
writes:
>SHARK HYPE! You bet the local media is making this in to another JAWS
>scare! If you are a witness to a story that is played out on our
>wonderful news cast then you will realize whats going on. To the
average
You must have seen the report and video of the shark on Channel 7, too!
Pam
David Waybright
then I would be surprised. I would tend to agree with the expert unless someone could do some serious convincing to the contrary. D=
oes anyone have more current info than the Miami Herald front page from a few days ago?
Michael Noe
1) Remove knife from sheath
2) Assume an aggressive stance
3) Stab you dive buddy
4) Swim away while shark eats buddy
5) Return immediately to dive boat to be paired with a new buddy.
Mike
-Vitaliy M. Kuleshov (v...@pegasus.bl-els.att.com) wrote:
: In article <Pine.SUN.3.90.950922...@cellmate.cb.uga.edu>,
: Shane <spa...@cellmate.cb.uga.edu> wrote:
: >On 22 Sep 1995, Chris White wrote:
: >
: >> >I know sometimes it seems like all the dive rules and procedures that
: >> >groups like PADI lay out seem excessive and over-cautious. That's
: >> >because they ARE. For a good reason.
: >> <snip>
: >>
: >> Okay, I'll "bite":
: >>
: >> Just what are the PADI procedures that would have prevented this shark
: >> attack? Basically all I was taught was not to swim around with a seals
: >> or with a pork chop tied around my neck ...
: >
: >I believe the standard procedure in dealing with apex predators is to
: >show them your Advanced c-card...works for me...
: >
: > Shane
: As we are learning in PADI class right now,
: the standard procedure in dealing with any potentially dangerous
: (bull sharks included) fish is:
: 1) slow down
: 2) get to any large stationary object (if none available, to the bottom), unless
: it is too deep.
: 3) stop moving, observe, wait until "course is clear".
: And in any case, don't try to catch the damn thing.
: Now, he might have done all these, he might have not. At least it is some
: advice. But the bull shark will never tell us what really happened.
: Vitaly (I love most fish, sharks included, with fries).
Jason Richards
Haux
equipment and chewed up clothing. Looked like he wasn't using a BC.
Report said he was diving alone. A new emerging theory that was stated:
Maybe he died while diving and was "scavenged."
Jim Wei
official cave shark bait. From now on I'll always eat something greasy
before a cave dive and release it downstream during the dive, like the
chicken.
Jason Richards (rch...@ldl.net) wrote:
: har har, caught you cruising the open water divers....
: sharkbait?
: richards
: NSS/CDS 41539
: rch...@ldl.net
Tom Press
JA>.@SUBJECT:Re: Shark Attack - Islamorada
JA>.@N FROM :w...@gate.net
JA>.@N MSGID :<43vcuu$1n...@news.gate.net>
JA>N From: Jane Adcock <w...@gate.net>
JA>Newsgroups: rec.scuba
JA>Subject: Re: Shark Attack - Islamorada
JA>Date: 22 Sep 1995 22:22:22 GMT
JA>Lines: 18
JA>There are a lot of things that are bothering me about the way this
JA>"shark attack" is being reported. For example, on the radio today I
JA>heard that the diver had turned off his air in order to make a
JA>quicker ascent. Do you know any divers who would do that?
Other "Shark Experts" have been reported as not quite believing this
account. Another interesting piece ran in the local paper last week
which I found very interesting. It seems that the "victims" mother has
already gone to court and had her son declared legally dead. This took
place < week after the alleged incident.
#|>( Tom.
---
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