http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?t=254755

I don't know if anyone follows other threads, but there have been a few close calls with sharks and Whales on the Oregon Coast.

be careful, I'm trained to save lives, not trained to risk mine if you get bit!

A quote:
Sharkwatch
Lincoln City, OR — On August 17, 2009 Michael Kirnak was kite boarding at Lincoln City, Oregon. It was 3:30 PM and he had been on the water about 30 minutes. The sky was clear with a brisk 20 knot North wind and a swell of about 5 feet. Kirnak reported the following; “I was kite boarding and saw a number of seals jumping about 50 yards away. I went over to investigate and saw a large shark. I left the area immediately. The shark followed me, even though I was moving quite fast, 15 – 20 MPH. Once I hit the shore break I didn't see the shark again.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

good to know. Just curious, how often are seals jumping and it is good to investigate? Once I start kiteboarding if I see that is it a good time to leave?

We had a bullshark attack a person a few weeks ago in St Petersburg! Tis the season.............aj

generally: August and September is a good time to run and find some nice fresh water to play in. The water at the coast is amazingly warm, sighting all over the place, and these are 12ft+ sized Great Whites Trolling the beach.

this is the first year, i'm actually cautious in the water on the N. strip, you won't see me go down at all this time of year! No body dragging or slogging.

be safe AJ.

So, that makes me not even want to ride my skimmer even in the shore break. galveston tx never gets shark attacks

Quote:

Originally posted by USA_Eli_A The shark followed me, even though I was moving quite fast, 15 – 20 MPH.

that's the scary part, I'd always thought somebody on a board could outrun a big fish!!!!!

Ah, no. Mako sharks have been clocked up to 60mph in bursts. Quick googlemf suggests at least 25mph for a Great White - if they want to see what your kiteboard tastes like, they're going to get it.
Hard to believe that the Great Whites are coming in that close to shore though ... what sort of wild life you got in the water there?

hmmm. so much for the fantasy scenario of outrunning a 25' great white! 60 mph for a mako, eh?

HK we get jellyfish sometimes(tho nothing like the problem they are in australia), red tide usually somewhere around in the summer, and a few sharks, who tend to go for the swimming beaches closest to deep water. kite beaches are usually quite safe here. stone fish are a problem in shallow water.

I spotted a big sun fish and mackerel during a fishing charter 6 miles off the coast in westport washington last friday. Both are warm water fish.

Salmon and tuna are running thick right now. lots of bait out there hopefully the sharks are staying stuffed but remember they follow the food and if you're in the food you might get eaten!

AJ: I didn't realize you're in saint petersburg. I go down there every other year for a conference. this year it was saint petersburg so next year it will be in San Diego.

Anyway I wanted to say the 1 and only time I ever went windsurfing down there i spotted about an 8ft shark. my guess is it was a Bull since I hear those are pretty common down there but I don't know enough about them to say what kind it was. All i know is it scared the crap out of me. I promptly fell in the water trying to do a tack since i was on an intersect course with it. then spent the next hour working my way back up wind to the rental shop paranoid about what might be following me.

the part that got me was that the rental shop refused to believe I saw a shark they told me I was wrong and I saw a dolphine. pretty F'ed up if you ask me. I know the difference between the two and I know what I saw. I guess sharks are bad for business when you run a beach rental shop.

Quote:

Originally posted by Kamikuza Ah, no. Mako sharks have been clocked up to 60mph in bursts. Quick googlemf suggests at least 25mph for a Great White - if they want to see what your kiteboard tastes like, they're going to get it. Hard to believe that the Great Whites are coming in that close to shore though ... what sort of wild life you got in the water there?

Off of the coast of Oregon and Washington there are seals, sea lions (loads of them- They'll even go up the Columbia river as far as the first dam like 100+ miles and bug the heck out of fishermen,) whales, huge amounts of fish, etc.. I had heard of GW sharks out of the mouth of the Columbia, and where there are prey items, there is always something that will eat them.

seals makes good shark food esp. for big ones,

big sea turtles and jelly fish here, see them daily in the summer

and dolphin(mam) and small sharks, skates and rays all the time

big tiger sharks are caught and seen here 10-12ft but they follow food further out

and alligators 12 foot right in the shore break last saturday . unusual but it happens

2nd one this summer

Just an FYI, last time I checked, most shark attacks happen in 3ft of water or less. Not a comforting thought. Just be mindful of what you are doing and pay attention to what is around you. Worse case scenario, put your board between you and the shark and whop it on the nose if you can.