Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Ripsnort on February 09, 2001, 11:18:00 AM
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I used to vacation (and lived for 6 months) in Florida, snorkeling the Boca Raton errosion rock piles off the beach, and visit the Keys now and then...then I saw the movie "Jaws" and found myself doing less and less of this...anyone else affected by that movie?
Today, this press release comes out:
Shark attack reports break record
Thursday, 8 February 2001 12:58 (ET)
Shark attack reports break record
GAINESVILLE, Fla., Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Reports of shark attacks hit an
all-time high of 79 worldwide in 2000, including 10 deaths, the
International Shark Attack File showed Thursday.
The increase was caused primarily by better reporting, particularly on the
Internet. The attacks were the most frequent since the file was established
in 1958, said George Burgess, director of the file.
The figures, compiled at the University of Florida, compared with 58
attacks in 1999 and the average during the 1990s of 54.
The biggest increases were in the United States, where they jumped from 37
to 51, and in Florida where they rose from 25 to 34.
In addition to better reporting, Burgess said the increase was partly a
result of increased intrusion on shark habitat by a worldwide population
that spent more time in the water.
"Attacks are basically an odds game based on how many hours you are in the
water," he said. "Some of these attacks are beginning to pop up in far-flung
corners of the Earth as tourists can afford to vacation in areas they
wouldn't normally have gone to in the past.
"Unfortunately, lots of these tourists gleefully enter waters that natives
-- who learn over the years where to swim and not to swim -- might choose
not to go into," he said.
He said some of those locales were Kiribati, the Galapagos, Fiji and
Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. He said many victims help with the file
by looking for information on shark attacks on the Internet and finding the
file's Web site. He said they often e-mail their experiences.
Internationally, Australia had seven attacks followed by South Africa with
five, the Bahamas with four and Reunion Island, New Guinea and Tanzania with
two each.
The 10 fatal attacks compared with six in 1999, but matched the average
for the decade of 12.7. Three deaths were reported from Australia, two from
Tanzania and one each in Fiji, Japan, New Caledonia, New Guinea and the
United States.
The only U.S. fatality was Thadeus Kubinski, who was attacked Aug. 30 in
St. Petersburg, Fla. He jumped off his dock and landed near a feeding shark.
Other states reporting attacks last year were North Carolina with five,
California with three and Alabama, Hawaii and Texas with two each. Reporting
one attack for the year were Louisiana, South Carolina and Puerto Rico.
Swimmers and waders were the most frequent victims at 46 percent, followed
by surfers and windsurfers with 32 percent, divers and snorkelers at 18
percent, body surfers at 3 percent and people just entering the water at 1
percent.
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I never surf or snorkel unless there are plenty of people around. Anytime there is a shark attack here, it seems that the "bitee" was by themselves, or with only 1 other person.
Jaws didn't effect me, but does anyone remember a TV show called "Cliffhangers"? I still hate anything vampire related because of that damn show (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/tongue.gif)
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Heh, I was going to post about this after seeing it last night, but forgot.
I don't remember when JAWS first came out, latter 70s I think? Anyway, I was less than 10 at the time, and it scared the hell out of me. I grew up in Florida, and was in the ocean all the time, but regardless I have always been a pansy about it, at least in part as a result of Jaws.
I used to do a lot of openwater races, and I was always rationalizing the likelyhood and chances of actually getting attacked (there's a lot to think about swimming alone in the ocean for 10 miles). The absolute worst is when you find yourself running into a school of baitfish. Such a situation for paranoia couldn't be scripted any better (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
When I'm ahead I figure I'll just stir it up and it'll get the ones behind me. When I'm in the pack, I figure it'll get someone else before me, and when I'm behind, figure it'll get someone already by the time I get there, or something like that.
[This message has been edited by Fatty (edited 02-09-2001).]
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I remember the movie every time I go to the beach. Not so much in the Gulf of Mexico as the Atlantic Ocean. Something about losing touch with he bottom between sand bars feels a little creepy (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
Not to mention we used to catch sharks just off the mouth of the St Johns River in the Atlantic, that were longer than the 15' boat my dad, brother and I were fishing out of ....
Certain times of the year, you could catch 1 to 2 foot baby hammerhead sharks by the bushel not 20 ' offshore between the shore and the 1st sand bar. Always wondered where their momma was ....
Eagler
[This message has been edited by Eagler (edited 02-09-2001).]
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All Jaws did was increase my desire to KILL sharks.
Yeager
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I remember right after I saw Jaws a friend of mine took me camping with his family and we went to a lake here in Indiana.
Well late one night we decided to scare the old folks by swimming across the lake and coming in from behind them(their camp site was right next to the water).
Well I got about 1/2 way across when something brushed up against my leg and the first thing I thought of was Jaws. Scared the toejam out of me and I had a problem swimming the other 1/2 way.
We got the the old fart camp but I was still to shaken to scare anyone.
Even today I have a problem swimming in open water.
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Jaws came out in '76 or there abouts. I know that even if I was going into a pool, an inspection for anything big enough to allow a shark in was performed prior to entry.
I'd say it took until about 1990 to completely get over that phobia. I can't think of a single other film that had that kind of psychological impact on me.
AKDejaVu
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"St. Petersburg, Fla. He jumped off his dock and landed near a feeding shark"
ROFL, talk about bad luck.
If you folks ever fly in an ultralight plane over the beach, or weasel your way into being the copilot of one of those planes that tow signs over the beaches, bring along your video cameras and film the water.
You will see hundreds of swimmers on the beach and sharks ALL AROUND THEM. The sharks are there, they are just not hungry or not pissed off.
JAWS? Heh, when I was 14 I was scuba diving with my folks and a group in the pacific ocean near a reef, having fun and stuff, checking out the entrance of a well known oasis cave... poke my head in (was a BIG cave entrance, about 3 meter high, 2 meters wide)... andout comes this Mpotato peeling big tiger shark at full speed and swims away through the whole group.
That day we knew how the schools of fish feel when they are hunted. I think I swallowed my breather that day..!
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Whew! Glad it was not just me!
Mighty, you probably brushed up against a submerged log or tree stump...LOL, so you were going to pull a prank, and the prank pulled you! LOLOLOL!
(Psst...come back to the dark side, miss tanking with you!)
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LOL Mighty!
I've had that experience too. About 200 yards out off Santa Cruz and something brushes your leg. Instant pucker factor. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
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Most divers, when asked "aren't you afraid you're gonna meet a shark?" reply with "No, I *hope* I will.
"Jaws" really made bad guys out of sharks, and led to a widespread hunting and killing of these majestic creatures.
Attacks do occur but are very rare indeed. More are killed by domestic dogs than sharks, and elephants kill more humans yearly.
We must not forget that it is *us* that go into *their* domain - they can be no other place, we can. So if we have to do something, it is stay out of the water because we have that choice.
But in our usual egocentric way, we overdramatize the danger and go out of our way to kill beings that have inhabited the oceans for millions of years.
"Jaws" doesn't scare me, it pisses me off. Common sense removes most of the danger, and the rest is up to us to accept. Wiping out sharks is not the answer.
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Baron Claus "StSanta" Von Ribbentroppen
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"
"If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up space"
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StSanta you're sounding like Jacques Yves Cousteau now (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
True though, ignorance leads to useless slaughter. They are a blast to catch (and release) on rod and reel. Ticks you off though when one bites a keeper kingfish in half as you are reeling it in ..
Eagler
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I've gotten to go snorkling in a 1 acre shark tank...that kinda killed the "Jaws Phobia" for me.
Sharks feel really cool (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
I'm more worried about jelly fish and crabs. I've had to get stichs from stepping on crabs, and been stung more times then I can remember by moon jelly fish...and 5 or 6 times by PMOW's.
It really sucks that you can't see your feet off the coast of Galveston .. the ships stir the water to much. Oh yeah, I once got stabbed by a 4 foot long Red fish. That damn thing was only in 1 1/2 foot of water and I thought the damn thing was a shark, before he jabbed me with his fins.
[This message has been edited by Jigster (edited 02-10-2001).]
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Eagler, lol, I'll take that a great compliment (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif).
I'm a bit of a tree hugger when it comes to the seas, I gather. On land we can sort of control hte population of the animals we consume, but when it comes to the sea, mostly we have no idea of the size of the population and even more frequently, we don't care and just fish away. Not to mention leading untreated sewage straight out into the water and whatnot.
The fishies and other water living animals are our friends, mostly. I think we can have a sensible, yet productive, relationship with the sea. I mean, I enjoy fishing, but I just wish there were as many of them today as there was before our big trawler fleets and industrial age set in :/.
Btw; ever seen the devastation on single trawler can cause? It's amazing. So everytime I dive a wreck and find it entangled in nets, I smile knowing the fisher must be pretyt p'd.
Heh, what's he doing fishing on MY wreck destroying it with his ugly nets? (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
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Baron Claus "StSanta" Von Ribbentroppen
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"
"If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up space"
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Originally posted by Jigster:
I've gotten to go snorkling in a 1 acre shark tank...that kinda killed the "Jaws Phobia" for me.
Sharks feel really cool (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
I'm more worried about jelly fish and crabs. I've had to get stichs from stepping on crabs, and been stung more times then I can remember by moon jelly fish...and 5 or 6 times by PMOW's.
It really sucks that you can't see your feet off the coast of Galveston .. the ships stir the water to much. Oh yeah, I once got stabbed by a 4 foot long Red fish. That damn thing was only in 1 1/2 foot of water and I thought the damn thing was a shark, before he jabbed me with his fins.
[This message has been edited by Jigster (edited 02-10-2001).]
Ugg I hate Galveston, but alas it was the nearest ocean to me growing up so I played there all the time, thoough 90% of the time I wore shoes in the water. I cut my foot on a piece of wood the weekend after hurricane Alicia. It was a piece of a broken peir of a washed out beach house. I used to catch baby hammer heads off the pier at St. Louis pass just W of Galveston, then we'd go swimming in the same damned water. Kids have no sence I guess (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
The worst thing that ever happened to me, besides stepping on that wood, was running into about 100 cabbage head jelly fish. A buddy and me were swimming out to the sand baar abotu 1/2 mile from the beach. There was a good surf that day w/ 3'-4' waves. We were having a blast swimming against them. As one wave crested and we were at the top, starting to get sucked down the back side of the wave I hear my friend say "oh toejam look" I looked and saw this HUGE white/grey mass about 20ft in front of us at the bottom of the wave. The undertow was pulling us right to them!!!!! There must have been 50 or 60 of them all bobbing up and down in the water.
We ended up getting to within 5' of them before we managed to reverse our course. WHEW!!!! that would have hurt and probobly would have caused us to drown had we got mixxed up in the middle of them. I'll never forget that fealing of paralizing fear.
BTW, I haven't been back to Galveston since I went to Jamaca 8 years ago... (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
Udie
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Originally posted by Jigster:
I've gotten to go snorkling in a 1 acre shark tank...that kinda killed the "Jaws Phobia" for me.
Sharks feel really cool (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
I'm more worried about jelly fish and crabs. I've had to get stichs from stepping on crabs, and been stung more times then I can remember by moon jelly fish...and 5 or 6 times by PMOW's.
It really sucks that you can't see your feet off the coast of Galveston .. the ships stir the water to much. Oh yeah, I once got stabbed by a 4 foot long Red fish. That damn thing was only in 1 1/2 foot of water and I thought the damn thing was a shark, before he jabbed me with his fins.
[This message has been edited by Jigster (edited 02-10-2001).]
Ugg I hate Galveston, but alas it was the nearest ocean to me growing up so I played there all the time, thoough 90% of the time I wore shoes in the water. I cut my foot on a piece of wood the weekend after hurricane Alicia. It was a piece of a broken peir of a washed out beach house. I used to catch baby hammer heads off the pier at St. Louis pass just W of Galveston, then we'd go swimming in the same damned water. Kids have no sence I guess (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
The worst thing that ever happened to me, besides stepping on that wood, was running into about 100 cabbage head jelly fish. A buddy and me were swimming out to the sand baar abotu 1/2 mile from the beach. There was a good surf that day w/ 3'-4' waves. We were having a blast swimming against them. As one wave crested and we were at the top, starting to get sucked down the back side of the wave I hear my friend say "oh toejam look" I looked and saw this HUGE white/grey mass about 20ft in front of us at the bottom of the wave. The undertow was pulling us right to them!!!!! There must have been 50 or 60 of them all bobbing up and down in the water.
We ended up getting to within 5' of them before we managed to reverse our course. WHEW!!!! that would have hurt and probobly would have caused us to drown had we got mixxed up in the middle of them. I'll never forget that fealing of paralizing fear.
BTW, I haven't been back to Galveston since I went to Jamaca 8 years ago... (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
Udie
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I've dived in Guam and Hawaii, but never saw a shark. Got my diving certificate in 1976, my graduate year in high school, back on Guam. I liked Jaws so much I bought the 8-track soundtrack LOL!
The movie scared me in one way, but also intrigued me in another. The one time I do look for sharks is when the air runs out, and its a long swim back to shore on the surface.
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65 years ago the accepted scientific axiom was that sharks were harmless to humans (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
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heh, in the words of Ford Prefect from Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy:
"Mostly harmless." (describing earth)
(http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
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Baron Claus "StSanta" Von Ribbentroppen
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"
"If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up space"
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"Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy"
I LOVE THAT BOOK!
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Yeah Wobble, it's my "bible" (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
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Baron Claus "StSanta" Von Ribbentroppen
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"
"If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up space"
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Originally posted by StSanta:
Yeah Wobble, it's my "bible" (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
Look at all the lovey fjordes! (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
Udie
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I wish I still had that book, I dont know what happened to it.
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Modelling your life on Zaphod is a sure way to success.
"Hey yeah?"
(http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
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Baron Claus "StSanta" Von Ribbentroppen
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"
"If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up space"
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about 75 % of all DROWNING victims in Hawaii have shark bites on em
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paint, that is to be expected.
90% of drowning victims here have marks of crabs on them. Seen a body that was in the water for three days, and that wasn't pretty.
Many species of shark will feast on a decomposing corpse, be it human or from another animal species. I think it's asserting too much to suggest that they drowned because they were attacked by sharks; rather, the shark bites were probably put there later.
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Baron Claus "StSanta" Von Ribbentroppen
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"
"If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up space"
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In South Florida sport diving depths, you just don't see dangerous species of sharks in the summer. But when the water gets colder, you might see hammerheads, black tips and reef sharks, but not very often.
I was so elated when I first came to Florida and tasted the salty ocean for the first time. I snorkled off the beach in a massive school of mullet. They formed a tunnel as you kicked along, leaving a space of 3 feet around you. I started seeing large silver sided torpedos streaking through the mullet, and I realized: "Here I am, swimming with a school of baitfish. This is not good!" I later found out that the predators were tarpon and black tip sharks that had herded the mullet into shore and were feeding on them when I decided to go snorkling.
You can see erratic behavior in some sharks here in the winter. I've seen larger hammerheads lolling about on the surface, swimming lazily in straight lines. I have no idea why they do that. On one memorable occasion, I was trolling for King mackeral and saw a large tan colored hammerhead swimming on the surface on a 90 degree intersecting course. I held my course steady, and so did the shark, untill he banged into the side of my boat with his head! It was about 6 foot long. He gave a big swoosh of his tail and went down.
Did "Jaws" affect me? Oh yeah (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif) I don't think I will ever see a great white in Florida, but I know there have been some tigersharks caught. For that reason, I'm uncomfortable in visibility lower than 10 ft, including night dives. Nighttime is the "right time" for lobstering, but I just never got comfortable enough to enjoy it. My reptilian brain tells me that just outside the fan of light, JAWS is there, waiting for the light to dim (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif) If I want those reef-roaches, I'll get them in the daylight or do without (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
Gunthr
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I remember hearing that JAWS had the biggest wide spread physiological effect on people of any movie ever. I could be wrong. I just remember hearing something like that.
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I was born in '73 and I remember going to the movies with my parents to see it....I musta been about 5 or 6 maybe. It scared the crap outta me!!!
The theater was completely full and my parents were sitting in the very last row of seats. I didnt have a seat, so I was sitting in the aisle next to my parents. By the end of the movie I was so damn scared I had wedged my way in between the seats and the wall.
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Originally posted by StSanta:
I'm a bit of a tree hugger when it comes to the seas, I gather. The fishies and other water living animals are our friends, mostly. I think we can have a sensible, yet productive, relationship with the sea.
You and me both Santa... I've done 50+ dives, most at night and I've only seen 1 big shark. That was a grey nurse (harmless). Every time I dive I hope to see a shark as they're the most amazing creatures imo.
Having said that, Jaws scared me silly as a kid. After I saw it I was even worried about going to the toilet (water underneath me = big set of teeth about to latch onto my butt). Once I got a bit older I got over it though.
One of the shark attacks in Perth last year was pretty scary though: a guy was wading in less than 3 ft of water when a large (12ft+ from memory) great white shark attacked him. It tore his leg off and he died of shock and blood loss (not good). All this happened on a weekend when the beach was crowded. People even tried to kick the shark away from him (another guy got pretty badly mauled in the process) but it kept going after the poor guy. Things like that make you respect the ocean and the things that live in it...
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im not to worried about that myself, i grew up on the wast coast, (san fracisco bay aria) and i use to go to santa cruse, and half moon bay, and let me tell you, if you go in the water without a wet suit on you were gonna freizz your prettythang off, even in the summer time, but thats just my experience, so you can say that i went to the beach to get a tan and enjoy the view, (u guys know what im talkin about) oh well later "JATO"
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(http://www.user.shentel.net/vonz/jato.JPG)
[This message has been edited by jato757 (edited 02-13-2001).]
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I was born and raised on Martha's Vineyard and was an extra in the movie "JAWS" After the early scenes were done, I ran a
support boat for the crew, ferrying meals and some of the actors and crew back and forth to the beach. There were a lot of island people involved in various support roles throughout the summer of 1974 and we all had a great time. The entire movie crew were all nice people. Robert Shaw was the best - real down to earth guy, not pretentious at all and fun to be around.
I have always been aware that there are sharks in the local waters here and can only relax in a lake or a pool - dont believe the movie itself had much to do with my phobia tho.
If ya dont wanna swim with sharks, dont go in the water with em
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yah know you easterners have to worry about sharks like us gulf coasters :) Scarey though, you should try swimming in the same spot in a Louisiana rivers that have 15' and larger gators ;)
When I was 10 yrs old at a family reunion in Louisiana us kids were out swimmin in the river. Later on that night my great uncles were talkin about cousin Buford (i never new about him until this) who was killed by a gator back in 1948 when he was about my age at the time, IN THE SAME SPOT IN THE RIVER WE HAD BEEN SWIMMING IN I never got into another river in Louisiana to this day 25 yrs later ;)
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I like being at the top of my food chain no matter where I'm at. :)
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Jaws totally freaked me out too...
Water skiing was an unnerving experience for years afterwards. Sitting in the water in the ocean waiting for the boat to come back around after a fall was terrifying. I would just let the life jacket keep me up and stay as still as possible...I read that sharks were attracted to vibrations in the water and that human kicking motion resembles an injured prey for the sharks. Then I would try hard not to think about that movie. Never worked.
Don't ski much anymore, but I'm willing to bet I'd still be pretty scared out there.
PS It was released in 1975...trust me...I remember it well!
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in the '70s one of my aunts had a huge house out of town with an above ground pool with the deck around it. we used to go there all the time for family get togethers, and the kids would swim. a couple months after jaws came out we had a get together. as usual as soon as the car doors opened me and my little brother bail out and run as fast as we can directly for the pool to dive in.
one of my uncles lives up on the columbia river and does alot of fishing and hunting, so the morning of the get together he was fishing up around the dalles dam and he catches a sturgeon about 7 feet long. so he gets this great funny idea, he lines the truck bed with plastic and puts the fish and enough water to keep it alive in the bed and stopping at almost every station on the way down to top off the water he takes this fish to the party before we get there and dumps it in the pool to keep until it's time to slaughter it.
so here i am about 10 yrs old or so at a dead run to do a cannon ball into the pool, i'm fairly sure my feet had already jumped before i seen the 'shark' in the pool, but some how i stopped in mid-air and didn't make it in. the best part was that i quickly realised it wasn't a shark, stepped back out of the way and let my little brother run past and dive in.
wish i had film of that
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eeek galveston. the thing about galveston is that the water is 4ft deep for like 75yds or more from the beach.
you can get waaaaaay out there and still not be over your head.
i had a giant brownish shape brush me in those murky-ass waters and ran like crazy. i panicked so hard i ran toward the beach at an angle. i could have made it in half the time probably.
i remember looking at my trunks once after galveston and seeing that they were covered in clumps of oil! galveston was pretty gross when i lived in those parts in 83. did they ever clean it up? the whole south coat from port arthur to houston smelled like dogwater back then. i was happy to move. ;)
i just seem to attract sharks. learning to surf in san francisco can put the fear into you too. especially when you are sitting on the board watching seals bob by you knowing you are right in the middle of great white breeding territory.
my firends always tried to convince me the headless and mutilated seals we'd find on the shore were from the cargo ships coming in and out of the bay but......
some people can be confident about it but i am an admitted pansy also in this area.
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Yeh, it was released in 75, but made in 74:D
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Originally posted by mrfish
i remember looking at my trunks once after galveston and seeing that they were covered in clumps of oil! galveston was pretty gross when i lived in those parts in 83. did they ever clean it up? the whole south coat from port arthur to houston smelled like dogwater back then. i was happy to move. ;)
yeah they cleaned up about that time actually, 83 and 84 sucked down there because of Hurricane Alicia. There was an oil spill in the late 70's down by brownsville that fluffied up the texas coast for years. I remember all the oil as a kid. All the shops down there used to keep little pans full of kerosine to wash your feet in before you entered the store.
i just seem to attract sharks. learning to surf in san francisco can put the fear into you too. especially when you are sitting on the board watching seals bob by you knowing you are right in the middle of great white breeding territory.
my firends always tried to convince me the headless and mutilated seals we'd find on the shore were from the cargo ships coming in and out of the bay but......
heh the only time I ever tried to surf was just north of san fran at stetson or stenson beach (can't remember the name) it was near Mt. Tamalpias (wooo many a acid trip motor cycle ride up that mountain :D) I sucked at surfing as was just kind of laying on the board catching waves when i saw some seals. I thought it was the best thing I had ever seen so I paddled my way over to where they were (about 50 yds from me) I was trying to pet or catch one, really just get close to them to check em out. 2 of em swam off when I got near, but one of them stayed about 10 ft. away from me checking me out. I had a really good conversation with him :rolleyes: was really a cool thing to experience at 17 yrs old.
Meanwhile all my friends back on the beach were yelling at me to come back to shore, finaly I did. When I got there they all told me what a dumb arse I was for playing with the seals. I had no clue until that momemt that there were great white sharks in the same water as me, and that the seals were their main food sorce :eek: I would not have even gone in the water had I known great whites were withing 100 miles of the place ;) At least I didn't learn the "really hard way" LOL
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Up above, someone said they didn't worry about sharks in the Gulf of Mexico. Not a good idea. I have seen schools of 8+ foot hammerheads and solo ones up to 15' very close to shore in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Florida. In the surf and amongst people, for that matter. I have seen a 12-15 foot Mako chase down a bait being trolled at 20 MPH, leap out of the water a good 10 foot high, 30 feet behind the bait and land on it, face down and running. These things are killing machines.
Shark attacks are like car wrecks. You can work to prevent them, but there is always the other guy out there that smacks you while you are not looking.
My stupid little brother used to get his kicks feeding them up so he could photo them. Ain't nothing worse than an excited black tip:
(http://www.lizking.com/msshark.jpg)
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That movie kept me out of the deep end of our pool for nearly a year :(
well it wasn't much longer than 18 months really......
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They probably really wanted to make a movie about attacks from Jelly Fish but from what I understand they are really hard to train.
"Attack of the killer crabs" may have gotten an X rating, so I'm guessing that is why they went with the good 'ol honest shark.
Kanth
Originally posted by Jigster
I'm more worried about jelly fish and crabs. I've had to get stichs from stepping on crabs, and been stung more times then I can remember by moon jelly fish...and 5 or 6 times by PMOW's.
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I was fishing down in Mexico near Punta Bonda (On the west coast of Baja) in a small open 12' boat with my Dad when I hooked a Bonita. That is a tuna-like fish about 20lbs and fastern hell. I was reeling in this beast when the line went slack! I kept cranking and hauled in a bonita head. Thats when a Hammerhead went by that was bigger than our boat. Very freaky sight. Needless to say we moved to another spot.
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I was doing a lot of Scuba diving when the movie came out. Didn't deter me at all. Made those night dives more exciting and I did keep my kids on the sand at the beach for a while.
BTW, the book was better. :)
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I was a kid back then, only thing I remember is that I absolutely refused to take a bath that week, I was affraid the shark would come out of the tub.
We used to live in Indonesia back then... I remember seeing sharkfins in the water real close to the water's "dark edge"
I think "Arachnophobia " that came out long after had a much bigger impact on me...I will NEVER go in a tropical forest, EVER!!! :eek:
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I was affraid the shark would come out of the tub.
That would be no less amazing than someone admitting they thought that i guess.
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My grandfather was stationed on a tiny island in the Pacific during World War II. This island had an airstrip so damaged planes could land or refuel here. Anyhow, my grandfather (Who is 90yrs old now btw) tells about the time he waded out on this coral reef. At the end of the reef was a huge dropoff, going hundreds of feet into the water. He said one day he saw an enormous shark swimming in this dropoff so he stood as motionless as possible. Luckily the shark swam away. 2 days later the local natives caught a 23 foot Great White. Question- Do Great Whites live in the warmer parts of the Pacific? Also, could it be possible that my grandfather confused this shark with a Tiger Shark?
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I was shocked aswell by that movie, and for couple of years i resist only some minute in deep waters before jumping back on boat.
Originally posted by Saintaw
I think "Arachnophobia " that came out long after had a much bigger impact on me...I will NEVER go in a tropical forest, EVER!!! :eek:
Saw, can you imagine how i was shocked when zapping on TV happen to me to watch for a while that movie??
Knowing i AM arachnophobic???? :eek:
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Creamy darling, I was 5 or 6 when that movie came out, I'm sure you already had a PHD by then...
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I was 8 and living in Florida when "Jaws" came out. That movie completely screwed me up. (although not as bad as when I saw "the Exorcist" when I was 9)
No more swimming in the ocean and I had to sleep with my legs crossed, so that when Jaws jumped up onto the end of my bed he couldn't reach my feet. Noone could figure out why I was constently suffering from knee pain.
...but, i have seen "Jaws" many times since. I still don't have the balls to see "the Exorcist" again.
f.
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Heh I loved Jaws!! yeah it was frightening at times!
Read the book sometime, its even better.
The only movie that freaked me out since was Arachnophobia!
And well not as scarey.. there is another spider movie coming this summer!! only these spiders are the size of cars +(
might be good for a laugh anyways.
SKurj
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I have dove with 14' Bull Sharks (those things are huge), schools of hundreds numbering over 100, white tips, black tips, and an occassional Tiger Shark. The only shark I would be concerned of being around in the water while diving are Great Whites and Tigers.
While we are not in their food chain, it would be highly unpleasant even if they wanted a sample to taste.
Couple of guidelines to remember...
1. Don't feed sharks and watch it if spear fishing.
2. Don't frolic in the surf at night (they come to feed then).
3. Don't grab a shark or bother them, just watch.
Sharks have been often misunderstood. They are an important part of the marine ecosystem. Some I believe are threatened.
P.S. Kill every spider you see :D
Rogue out
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Ah Aquaphobia or whatever you call it .. I have it bad.. I used to ride a jet ski all the time.. not anymore. I'd ride on Folsom Lake out here in the Sacramento area. Near 5pm the water would be like glass, you could see about 5 ft down inro the water. Everytime I was out there I'd just stare into the water while riding imagining seeing some Jaws type shark surfacing right infront of me... I'd wipe out fly 5 ft from my ski and in a total panic swim like crazy, hop on and full throttle it back to shore all the time my heart pumping like mad. Even though I knew it was a freshwater lake I couldn't get over my fear. God knows what would happen if I fell out of a boat in the ocean bobbing up in down in a life vest. ...shiver :eek:
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Heh when i was in my teens, we would go down to the pier. There was a diving board on the pier 20ft high into about 15ft of water. We spent our summers on that pier!
In the day all was fine... after dark.... especially when the pier was deserted....
I can recall jumpin off the board, hitting the water and sinking.. and sinking... all was black, but where was the SURFACE!!! Swimming up, and up and up it seemed where is it??!!
Break the surface and swim like a madman, finally relaxing when on the ladder...
I won't forget that, silly yes... worst thing we had to fear was either a snapping turtle or broken glass on the bottom. It was Lake Huron +)
SKurj
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I was maybe 4 or 5 when I saw Jaws. It gave me one nightmare. I got over it. I've lived here in Florida almost my entire life. Never been worried about going into the water here in the Gulf. I know sharks are out there. I've seen 'em. Still, I'd be on the board with the feet dangling in the water, goofing off while waiting for the next wave. Guess I just figured the chances of a hungry shark picking my foot out over some bait fish were basically nil. A kid got his leg bit off (maybe it was his arm, I don't remember) last August here. I think I posted on this board about it. Anyways, the kid is slowly making progress last time I heard, at least showing some slight signs of being aware of his surroundings. That isn't want keeps me away from the beach though. It's the frickin' sun. I'm very fair skinned and I have been sunburned enough in my life. ;)
as for movies that freaked me out... Alien freaked me out a lot more than Jaws did while watching it. I guess 4 year olds shouldn't watch Alien by themselves at night! Hell, Orca freaked me out a lot more than Jaws did. I think it was because I had been to Sea World, and those pretty killer whales were supposed to be kind and gentle. Then I watched Orca and the killer whale eats that guy... oops, instant nightmares. (I actually don't remember this directly, but my mom told me about it. I do remember having the dream about Jaws, but it ended nicely.) Nightmare on Elm Street gave me bad nightmares (I guess that was the point) for months after seeing it. Of course in the movies where they die for real when they die in their sleep doesn't help a kid's mentality about having nightmares. The dreams finally stopped for me when in one, I just got fed up of running from Freddie and waking up scared so I told him "go ahead and kill me!" He put the knives right between my eyes, everything went red in my dream, then black... then I woke up and was, of course, completely ok. Never had a scary dream about Nightmare on Elm Street again.
edit: oh yeah, I remember as a young kid at the beach here in Pensacola, that we had little tar and oil globules on the beach. It sucked stepping in them. I guess they might have come from the spill in Texas. I always figured they just came from offshore rigs. *shrug*
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Originally posted by Furious
I was 8 and living in Florida when "Jaws" came out. That movie completely screwed me up. (although not as bad as when I saw "the Exorcist" when I was 9)
No more swimming in the ocean and I had to sleep with my legs crossed, so that when Jaws jumped up onto the end of my bed he couldn't reach my feet. Noone could figure out why I was constently suffering from knee pain.
...but, i have seen "Jaws" many times since. I still don't have the balls to see "the Exorcist" again.
f.
Furious....ditto on The Exorcist...
I watched it and then went to stay overnight at a friend's house...I was 8 years old. My friend fell asleep right away....I remember lying there expecting him to sit up and start yelling devil stuff, the way the girl did in the movie. I couldn't sleep at all and was terrified.
I woke up his mom and slept with her that night...
For the benefit of Animal and SOB - "SLEPT"...nothing else guys! (I was only 8).
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Originally posted by rogwar
3. Don't grab a shark or bother them, just watch.
Gee ya think? Man, I'd be too busy trying to deceide whether to toejam or go blind if I saw a shark in the water with me.
I saw Jaws when I was 9 years old. I was living in the Philipines and a friend of mine's older brother worked at the Video store on base. Anyhow... That pretty much ended all the fun I was having snorkling, or swiming, or doing pretty much anything at the beach. But it also led to a fascination with Sharks that continues to this day. I read everything I could find about the bastards. Even considered marine biologoy in school. But I never have been able to get comfortable in the water since then. I tried to take up Surfing in Monterey, California. That didn't last more than an afternoon. Just sitting out there waiting for a wave made me want to chew my own legs off to save the sharks the trouble.
-Sikboy
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My reaction to sharks reminds me of that movie where Richard Prior is in the water with the Pirhanna's.....screams, jumps up and runs on the surface of the water!
Up here in Maine, we hear of sharls wandering this far north. So far, the only really interesting thing that wandered anywhere close to where I live is the Red October. Its rumored to have been hidden up here in the Penobscot River. I've asked a lot of the local military officers...blank looks, act like they cant hear me.
Grr
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Jaws??? The EXORCIST??? OK, they were marginally scairy, but the movie scene that gave me the willies was that Giant Sta-Puff Marshmellow Man in "Ghostbusters." Man I had nightmares for YEARS about that giant fat freak with his freaky-happy smile, slamming down the road bouncing off the buildings, eyes rolling about like they did...(shudder)...
I remember it like it was yesterday. My parents took me to the drive in to see "Ghostbusters." I had an adverse reaction to Mister Sta-Puff and screamed uncontrollably until my parents were forced to leave the movie early. They were pissed off so they stopped at a 7-11 and bought a box of toothpicks and a bag of Sta-Puff Marshmellows and made voo-doo like Sta-Puff Monsters and tormented me for all the way home with their Hellish creations. That was years ago, but to this day when I take my family camping I refuse to allow them to make "Smores" at the campfire.
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Indeed :rolleyes: