[KD17]

Just read this article in the NZ Herald, allegedly people are seeing sharks in the waters around PN way. Anyone know anything about this?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10367118


Keith & Debby

[Diny]

There's been one or two sightings of sharks of late around the lower north isalnd.

Diny

[sarahw]

One of our friends saw a shark from Plimmerton beach & Pete Lamb - the local fishing charter has reported seeing them off the Paremata coast - swimming in the Hutt River is looking all the more apealing at the mo!!

[ruthyroo]

I have been told by the pest control guys here that there are actually more sharks in NZ waters than there are in Oz waters - but there are so many seals and other plentiful food sources around the NZ coast that they rarely bother nibbling on humans...

There is a shark net at St Clair beach in Dunedin.

[GeorgeM]

I have been told by the pest control guys here that there are actually more sharks in NZ waters than there are in Oz waters - but there are so many seals and other plentiful food sources around the NZ coast that they rarely bother nibbling on humans...Thanks for sharing that with us :laugh :laugh

[Smiler]

I have been told by the pest control guys here that there are actually more sharks in NZ waters than there are in Oz waters - but there are so many seals and other plentiful food sources around the NZ coast that they rarely bother nibbling on humans...

Really makes you want to put on a nice black wetsuit and go swimming/diving/snorkeling :no

[Simon & Emily]

Don't forget that the UK has always had it's share of Great White sightings - if they can live happily in the cold waters here, which we know thay can, why should they not be able to live around NZ - it's not too far (geographically) from Australia, after all.

Emily

[Stu]

You're kidding, right? Come on... NZ? Sharks?? Well, duh! Prolific marine environment, that means everything from plankton to sharks, SURELY you cannot be surprised we have sharks here?
Yes, we have great whites. Yes, I too have been close to these marvellous beasts in my many fishing trips. Are there plagues of the pesky varmints bothering swimmers on all our beaches? No, sorry.
A White SHark has been seen off the Taranaki coast. Mate, I assure you, they will be DOZENS of whites out there. There will be hundreds all around NZ. Chances of any of you coming within coo-ee of one? Pretty close to nil I would say.

Insurance however... do not go swimming near seal colonies.
Do not pour 200l drums of blood and guts into the water and then go swimming in the slick to look at all the pretty fishies.
Avoid these two actions, and you will never see (or be eaten by) one. Promise. If anyone here does get eaten by a shark here in NZ, I will personally apologise at the funeral of whatever bits of you they manage to recover.

I mean, come ON people! One bloke here just spent 3 days drifting at sea in his wet suit off wellington after being lost from a dve group, and even then he managed to avoid being eaten by the big Whitely. A few paddlers on the beaches I am sure will be fine....

Cheers all,
Stu.

[ruthyroo]

Well said Stu, I do agree with you. Statistically speaking, anyone that gets in a car and drives to work is more likely to die horribly than anyone swimming anywhere round the NZ coast is to get munched by a shark - and we all get in our cars without a moments thought. The net at St Clair was installed as a reaction to a shark attack in 1971 - there hasn't been one since. And the net itself only goes out in summer, and it has a tendency to catch more sharks on the way out rather than the way in... but it makes people feel safer.

[Paul and Linda]

Hi all, we've stopped swimming in the sea at New Plymouth (Taranaki) because of the shark (6m) but most of my friends have not. They have grown up with this always in the background and accept that the stats are really in their favour (ie unlkely to get bit). It's all part of being here to throw away any useless ideas and ideals that we have brought from the UK and adopt useful new ones.

I have to say though, when we were surfing before christmas most people were riding back in and spent most of the time facing the beach, there's a lot of people out there at the mowho spend a lot of time scanning the horizon........must be all the brit tourists!

[Moorf]

Personally I'm more wary of the jellyfish than sharks :uhoh - the beach was blue with them the other day as the tide went out and I remember the same scenario from last year. They're little blue ones - they're pretty common here and I think they're called bluebottles - but don't let their size fool you, apparently the sting hurts.. alot.. heard a few stories from surfers when I worked at the shop, seems vinegar is the thing to use if you're unlucky enough to be stung so head to your local chippie!! :D

I've only seen them on Sumner and South Shore, not sure how widespread they are.

[Debbie]

I always thought you had to pee on them!
the stings that is, I guess it could be the same as vinegar depending on what you've been drinking. Wouldn't recommend peeing on your chips though.
Debbie

[Smiler]

What happened to using good old calamine lotion??????:laugh:laugh

[tigerlily]

The sting of a jelly must be a strong "base" so an acid, like vinegar, would neutralize it?

[Hannah]

On the subject of the Taranaki great white, we spotted a seal on the beach as we were walking along the New Plymouth coast this evening. I thought it was dead until it started wobbling around (as they do!). Maybe it was avoiding the shark he he he...

Seriously, how cool is that - to walk along the beach and see a seal!!!!