Kayaking, not as safe as it used to be (California)

[JamesKPolkEsq]

Filmed off the coast of Santa Barbara

Growing up in California, we went to the beach all the time. Sharks weren't really on our minds at all.

Seems like they are getting more and more common around Southern California costal waters (my professional surfer friend was just scared out of the water by a Great White a little while back). I don't know if sea temps rising are the reason or what, but it's definitely on my mind when I get in the surf!

This hammerhead, though, seems a little more interested than your typical shark

 

[Chuckmejia]

I enjoy kayak fishing, but i never had to urge to throw my kayak into the ocean. 

 

I always stuck to big lakes in California. San Diego had so many lakes that i never cared to even attempt an ocean kayak fishing trip. 

[garbandz]

even in a lake,a lot depends on the other boats for safety.

An idiot in a ski boat can ruin your day.

The Pacific Ocean?   scary.

[Customsfan]

Speechless

[AlohaStyle]

That video is from 2 years ago btw.  Crazy though. 

[Randy956]

That video is from 2 years ago btw.  Crazy though. 

Still interesting but I too saw it a while ago.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Chuckmejia]

1 hour ago, garbandz said:

even in a lake,a lot depends on the other boats for safety.

An idiot in a ski boat can ruin your day.

The Pacific Ocean?   scary.

I've had a few close calls where speed boats almost flipped me over.

 

luckily most bass boats out there are respectful. I'd always go early before the more wild crowd would appear just so stay away from the fast boats 

[99call]

This is the one that scares me senseless. 

 

[JZBdano]

We used to catch sharks for sport and keep the numbers down to a reasonable level.  Haven't been allowed to do that for a while now they are getting out of control.  

[Jeremy Festa]

28 minutes ago, JZBdano said:

We used to catch sharks for sport and keep the numbers down to a reasonable level.  Haven't been allowed to do that for a while now they are getting out of control.  

Totally! The natural ecosystems were doing such a rubbish job at it! 

 

 

[PatrickEwing]

13 minutes ago, Weaponiz'd1 said:

I caught the sarcasm. 

Let's not forget though that humans are, in fact, a part of the "natural ecosystem".  The difference is, we use science and studies to make most of our decisions on bag limits and population control most times. Whether you believe it or not, the fact that we can create or deter imbalance is irrefutable.

It's the times we use feelings, opinions, or money that species populations go spiraling out of control one way or another.

Apples and oranges here. 

Deer, wolves, cows, pigs, horses, pigfish? Sure. 

Sharks? No. I'd say they've had quite a few years prior to us to get the balance right. 

[Ken Gargett]

30 minutes ago, Weaponiz'd1 said:

I caught the sarcasm. 

Let's not forget though that humans are, in fact, a part of the "natural ecosystem".  The difference is, we use science and studies to make most of our decisions on bag limits and population control most times. Whether you believe it or not, the fact that we can create or deter imbalance is irrefutable.

It's the times we use feelings, opinions, or money that species populations go spiraling out of control one way or another.

not sure i completely understand. if i read this correctly, you are saying that it is the times that we actively try and do something for species, endangered or not, that it goes pear-shaped. is that correct?

in other words, letting humans go open slather on the environment in whatever way they wish is the best way to go?

my apologies if i am reading this incorrectly, but i am struggling to believe that anyone really believes that (perhaps aside from various high level politicians, but i don't want to open the window on banned topics).

[PatrickEwing]

Just now, Weaponiz'd1 said:

Then we'll just have to disagree then.

Being the apex predator in no way provides you immunity from mother nature's checks and balances.

Much like we're seeing with humans and the evolution of different viruses and bacteria strains.

Surely it doesn't. But I wouldn't use the term Mother Nature to describe a phenomenon less than a couple centuries old. 

Apex predators and localized humans lived in some degree of harmony for a long time. Then, interlopers decided sport and population control was the appropriate approach. 

Viruses and bacteria evolving are not unique to any given time frame. I agree the impact may be accelerated by human intervention and ultimately could punish us worse, save timely innovation. 

More analagous and to my point may be forest management in North America. We have been conducting population control and industrial intervention under incorrect assumption for so long that the West is now experiencing some very tough circumstances. 

Nature has been around since the earth formed. Humans have not. Of course I agree that we exist in the greater system and have impact, but I can't sustain that we are wiser than the system itself. 

[Ken Gargett]

1 minute ago, Weaponiz'd1 said:

I do believe you read it wrong, Ken. 

My point was, when science is used in the determination, historically we've had better results with sustaining and harvesting from populations. Where as, when it was for money or due to "feelings", a species reached a point that mother nature corrected in a not so gentle fashion. IE, death due to starvation, disease, and the likes. Then, we have to pull back the reigns on said harvest if our pols will leave our biologists alone and let them do the job we hired them for.

Had the pols heeded sound scientific advice prior, may be wouldn't have reached that point...no?

I've seen 2 significant comebacks here along the Texas gulf coast. Red drum and flounder. 

The drum were flat out over fished in the mid to late 80's. A little science and common sense was used, new regulations installed, we have a healthy fishery now.

Flounder, we didn't let get to that extent. We saw a decline, and adjusted accordingly via scientific data. 

apols. that makes more sense.

emotion and money can also be vital (though that tends to assist the cute/impressive species more than some).

sadly, so often scientific advice is treated with contempt. i guess climate change is the ultimate example of that.

[Jeremy Festa]

Being taken by a shark, to me, is the most admirable way to go.

 

[Jeremy Festa]

8 minutes ago, Weaponiz'd1 said:

A croc or alligator have a sweet death roll

Croc yeah! 

Alligators are just a glorified lizard. 

[SinfullyPatient]

A little off topic but for those in the population control debate, take a look at this video. 

 

[Jeremy Festa]

14 minutes ago, SinfullyPatient said:

A little off topic but for those in the population control debate, take a look at this video. 

 

Thanks for sharing. Beautiful short film. Great story. 

 

[OZCUBAN]

42 minutes ago, Jeremy Festa said:

Being taken by a shark, to me, is the most admirable way to go.

 

A totally free Green way to go zero carbon foot print 

we come from the sea and to the sea we will shall return 

[Fuzz]

18 minutes ago, OZCUBAN said:

A totally free Green way to go zero carbon foot print 

we come from the sea and to the sea we will shall return 

Are you kidding me? You want to ruin shark populations?

You'll be feeding sharks the equivalent of McDonald's (have you seen the latest statistics on human obesity?). Next we'll have obese sharks and have to start giving them Lipitor or Crestor to cut down their cholesterol. Soon they will be too fat to hunt and just want to float there, watching seals swim by with impunity and having whales poke fun at them for being overweight....

[Ken Gargett]

46 minutes ago, OZCUBAN said:

A totally free Green way to go zero carbon foot print 

we come from the sea and to the sea we will shall return 

in addition to what fuzz says, you are likely to end up not so much in the sea but on a plate next to some chips.

[PatrickEwing]

1 hour ago, Weaponiz'd1 said:

Bear with me here Patrick, I'm on my phone trying to respond.

 

"Apex predators and localized humans lived in some degree of harmony for a long time. Then, interlopers decided sport and population control was the appropriate approach. "

At what point was this? We, as apex predators, have never lived in harmony with another. We found they(sharks) were tasty or edible and started harvesting.

"More analagous and to my point may be forest management in North America. We have been conducting population control and industrial intervention under incorrect assumption for so long that the West is now experiencing some very tough circumstances. "

Without stepping too far into a suspension related offense, the "west" doesn't base many of their decisions upon sound scientific and biological research. 

I never stated we were wiser. We make decisions based in sound science/research and sometimes still get kicked in the nuts. There are several species here in NA still on the endangered list. At what point were we introduced to nature, wrecking the entire system?

I appreciate a good debate on such topics, Patrick. You don't disappoint.

Cheers.

Appreciate the discussion!

In this case, I was specifically referring to Western North America and land management going back to the 1910s/1920s. Poor but understandable over-action led to a surplus of combustible material that is now apparently destructive. Man thought they were providing a service but proved a disservice in the end.

 

[99call]

I'm in a weird scenario (probably like most) where Sharks are my favourite animal, but also my number 1 fear.   It's something about being in water clumsily helpless in a world wear something is so elegant and effective, beneath you.   I would gladly offer myself up once old and grey for a shark buffet. 

There must be rules though:

- They are to take my head off, severing my spinal column in one clean painless bite,

- I am not made aware of their presence, ahead of the said dining experience

- No team dining, it's not a free-for-all

- No nibbling, I don't want to be 'tasted and rejected' in my final moments, to then just bleed out, feeling lonely and unwanted. 

Worst death? Komodo dragon? apparantly, their teeth are so ineffective they often eat you arsehole first, whilst your slowly dying from the initial poisonous bite. Lordy!

[Ken Gargett]

10 minutes ago, 99call said:

I'm in a weird scenario (probably like most) where Sharks are my favourite animal, but also my number 1 fear.   It's something about being in water clumsily helpless in a world wear something is so elegant and effective, beneath you.   I would gladly offer myself up once old and grey for a shark buffet. 

There must be rules though:

- They are to take my head off, severing my spinal column in one clean painless bite,

- I am not made aware of their presence, ahead of the said dining experience

- No team dining, it's not a free-for-all

- No nibbling, I don't want to be 'tasted and rejected' in my final moments, to then just bleed out, feeling lonely and unwanted. 

Worst death? Komodo dragon? apparantly, their teeth are so ineffective they often eat you arsehole first, whilst your slowly dying from the initial poisonous bite. Lordy!

we'll draw up a contract with the shark association, shall we!

and i'll bet you don't feel quite the same when you are old.

the poison from the dragons takes ages to take effect so they just shadow you for a few weeks until you are easy prey. it just slowly weakens you. but one assumes that unless you've decided to be a hermit on komodo island, you will get to safety first.

as for the method described, i would not even bother looking up old wives tales because that is so absurd that there is no way anyone would have ever even considered it.

[99call]

1 minute ago, Ken Gargett said:

we'll draw up a contract with the shark association, shall we!

and i'll bet you don't feel quite the same when you are old.

the poison from the dragons takes ages to take effect so they just shadow you for a few weeks until you are easy prey. it just slowly weakens you. but one assumes that unless you've decided to be a hermit on komodo island, you will get to safety first.

as for the method described, i would not even bother looking up old wives tales because that is so absurd that there is no way anyone would have ever even considered it.

It was direct from Sir David. It was a brutal 'wildlife on one" show where the dragon persued (as you said) a waterbuffalo of sort sort for days and days, before eventually eating it alive ..........very slowly...........back door first.

I think to myself, what a terrible end,,,, but then I think........poor bloody dragon Ha!!