Discouraging Post

moblvet · Post by **moblvet** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:31 pm

If you can see tail flukes: mammals are horizontal, while shark's are verticle.
The most common species mammals or sharks, around here within 1/2 mile of shore are Harbor Porpoise, they are black on top with grey ventral, and the largest get to about 6', 200 lbs. Usually solitary or small groups. If you're close enough you can hear and see them blow/breathe.
Minke whales are here, and are most confused with great whites in this area.
Having said that, I've seen many great whites here, 23' long was the largest and wider than my suburban. The larger ones remind of an attack nuclear sub making any decision they want to.
Off Bodega head a few years ago, a 17' female great white was feeding on a grey whale carcass, after several days of observing her, she came up to my boat, acted friendly and we ended up petting her.

KillaHz · Post by **KillaHz** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:43 pm

Hello Ed, you know as well as I do that when dealing with Gary Bronson it is best for all parties to be drunk...

KillaHz · Post by **KillaHz** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:49 pm

I've been looking for some other candidates and I think one of yours is a good one and I'm not totally sold on the notion that I've been seeing sharks for the last few weeks this often...there is the possibility of course but the Minke Whale looks like a good candidate...

I've not once seen the tail on the animal I've observed and looking at this photo, makes a little sense that I wouldn't

fearlu · Post by **fearlu** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:52 pm

Vets petting the GWS? Fish-tales are comin' hard and fast now!

Kidding. Anyway, I did know enough to look for the tail (not visible) as well as the dorsal fin-- that, plus the movement, made me think "porpoise". What's puzzling though (since I did some reading too) is that the Harbor Porpoise only gets to be about 2 meters long. Just sayin'...

Bulldog · Post by **Bulldog** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:57 pm

Rail Slide?

I'm not sure I'd want to get close enough to something that big to see its tail. If it happened to flip its tail up while you were above it, you'd get some unexpected big air.

windhorny · Post by **windhorny** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 3:10 pm

adamrod wrote:read the article. I believe it was in national geographic. It had something to do with that they discovered that the sharks were really docile in that location. They practiced with a bare kayak for a while to see what sharks would do.

but yeah, make that 3 votes for crapping-in-pants.

Adam, maybe you can do a poll on if you would crap your wetsuit if you saw a shark. We all know you pee in your wetsuit already :)

adamrod · Post by **adamrod** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 3:18 pm

no way man. i NEVER pee in my wetsuit. at least, not my fullsuit. ever since they came out with those welded seams, the water just does not flush those things.

my guess is that they ARE great whites. we know there are a lot in these parts, as much as we wish they weren't, probability is that they probably are sharks. But remember, just because we can see them doesn't mean that they're any more likely to bite us. Similarly, when we can't see them, doesn't mean they're not there.

windhorny · Post by **windhorny** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 3:24 pm

So when is breeding season again for sharks around here?

moblvet · Post by **moblvet** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 5:03 pm

"So when is breeding season again for sharks around here?"

At Kathy's Naughty Birthday Bash this Sat!

BrianC83 · Post by **BrianC83** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 5:48 pm

If it makes you feel any better, a few years ago i did the alcatraz swim and had the same concern. The guy told us that a shark eating a human is a lot like us going to a nice restaurant and rummaging out back and eating the garbage. They have much tastier things to eat out there than us. And they are naturally attracted fish-shaped things, not cabrinha customs. Still doesnt account for the mistaken identity bites though...

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