Florida Kiteboarder Dies in Shark Attack

[boarderboy]

www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/02/04/us/AP-US-Fatal-Shark-Attack.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Florida shark&st=cse

BB

[lonbordin]

"...marking the first fatal shark attack in Florida in five years."

"Shark attacks, especially fatal ones, are extremely rare, said George Burgess, a leading shark expert who directs the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida's Museum of Natural History. The file lists 1,032 attacks in the U.S. documented since 1690. Only 50 of them were fatal."

In other news 115+ people died in car accidents in the US today and no one cares.

[Hans]

It was even mentioned on the news here yesterday in the Netherlands. Seems to be a very unusual 'accident'. Attacked by a bunch of sharks, I can't imagine... R.I.P.

[DiveBomber]

well ive never been attacked by a bear on the slopes. maybe they should surf when the sharks hibernate.

[AMK]

when you are in the water things like that can happen....never fun. I was close to die when I saw shark when swimming in Costa Rica, but my friend was well informed and told me to swim back to boat and it's all will be fine because that type of sharks staying away. Well didn't come to close to as again and didn't see it again. I knew some sharks are in the water so ... somewhere....

Sorry for lost of friend and family member that is never easy, on the land or in the water.

[rickythecat]

The good news for me is that the occurance of a shark attack where I kiteboard is even more rare........A frozen lake in Colorado. I guess that would be my ONE advantage over being on a nice warm beach playing in the surf:rolleyes:.

Then again, I did have a dog wonder out and pee on my kitebag today:nono:

Does that qualify as any type of wildlife attack?

[boarderboy]

I probably should have led this as, "Florida Kiter Dies in Shark Encounter."

I neither encourage nor condone the post-Jaws hype and occasional panic that's flowed off and on for the past couple of decades.

But I confess to being fascinated with sharks. And a bit cautious, too, since I'm of an age and condition where a little blood seepage is not out of the question when I enter the surf. (An experienced diver motioned me frantically from the water when he spotted two fins nearby as I roiled the water with my Boogie fins a couple summers back.)

Late summer in Possum Pouch and regional environs is the most "dangerous" time. Bull sharks enter our estuaries then. And other species, normally inhabiting deeper water and the Gulf Stream, venture near shore and, again, into the sounds.

I believe the bull shark is generally believed to be responsible for the highest number of unfortunate "close encounters" worldwide. They're big, potentially aggressive, adapt well to brackish and even fresh water, and are not bothered by turbid conditions where "mistaken identity" is more likely. If I'm not mistaken, the sharks that have populated a couple of Central/South American lakes are bulls.

Many moons ago, I spent a couple of weeks "bumming" on Martha's Vineyard when they were shooting Jaws there. The whole thing - especially the panicked crowd scenes in the surf - was fodder for much derision and lampooning by the local press.

A year later, the flick was breaking box offices records, and Steven Spielberg was a "genius" ...

As for this latest Florida incident, the very rarity of the event makes me wonder, "Why?". A skilled, experienced, and obviously brave waterman dies. What singular confluence of water conditions, shark species, and actions by the boarder caused this? And could/should there have been a way to reach the victim faster than the 20 minutes it took by paddleboard?

Finally, I do care very much about the 150 or so souls who'll perish in cars today. I'm one of the dullest, most law-abiding, and speed limit observing drivers you'll ever find.

Just ask my 13-year-old son, the shark expert. He HATES riding with me!

Here's to the brave men and women who challenge wind and wave every day, and a respectful toast to the very few who don't come back.

mahalo

BB

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0205/Experts-rule-out-great-white-in-Florida-shark-attack

[P06781]

My parents live in St Lucie county just north of where this happened and I have experienced the shark "groupings" that occur along this part of florida. The sharks migrate up and down the the coast in the fall and spring following the changes in the gulf stream of warm water that brings in the fish . In this area of florida the warm water is very close to coast like only 1/2 mile off shore. I have been in the water swimming , surfing when the coast gaurd helicopters have flown by and alerted beach goers of the groups of sharks. The last few years kiteboarding has really taken of here with good wind , good waves , and warm water. I have shore dived of the beach and encontered sharks several times and never felt threatened except once in poor visability water while seeing a hammerhead. I definately feel more freaked out off the coast of Oregon surfing with its known predatory great whites cruising the shoreline.

Jim