Diver attacked by shark in Torres Strait

[WetPup]

This guy knows the difference between tiger and bull shark. If he says it was a bull, it was a bull.

Apparently you haven't followed the timeline of the media reporting too closely. At the time I posted that the only information was "it was a shark". No mention of a bull shark came until the day after I posted that.

Also, I never ever suggested the guy was doing anything illegal. I suggested he was probably spearfishing. I know spearfishing isn't illegal in and of itself - only the capture of certain animals, none of which I ever suggested that he was taking. That doesn't change the fact that spearfishing is a risky exercise to engage in, especially in waters with a known shark population. If that's a risk the guy is willing to take, then that's entirely up to him.

 

[Wingy]

Adding in further to the unknowns.......was he indigenous? If so he wouldve had cultural rights to take species we cant in manners we cant. He may have had a trochus licence for all we know.

The Fisheries | The Protected Zone Joint Authority (PZJA)

For example if I was to feel like a bowl of turtle soup followed by a dugong steak that would be highly uncool and illegal and id feel very sick whilst being fined massive amounts. If he was indigenous its part of his traditional diet and he is free to take these species at will.

Hes not the only aussie who has had multiple bites - as with Greg Pickering these guys know the risks and feel comfortable taking those risks obviously.

 

[Wingy]

[/QUOTE] He is NOT a trawler skipper. Period.

I bolded YOUR response..and yelled back. I said PERHAPS POSSIBLE. I can see discussion here no hate, only your posts seem to be coming swinging from the corner as soon as the bell rings. None of us have said we're happy to hear of him being bitten, none of us have said he is anything other than questions. Nor did I infer that he was doing any fishing spearing or otherwise - I said he may have gone over to look at a fouled prop.

FWIW there are people answering this post who have dived PNG more than once and we are talking torres NOT PNG. Best wishes to your friend, no diver is enjoying hearing of another human being bitten.

Dan T said he would cross Torres off his wishlist NOT PNG - You are most welcome to set up a dive op up there as soon as its up and running and youve had a successful year in business let me know will come up and dive with your operation.

 

[WetPup]

It's funny the assumptions that some people make about where we dive, isn't it?

I periodically work up Cape York. I periodically work in PNG. Guess what? I also dive and snorkel there when I have the opportunity.

Diving in remote locations has enough inherent risk as it is as far as I am concerned, and others will determine their own personal risk thresholds. That is entirely up to the individual. Do I spearfish? No. But that goes beyond my personal risk threshold. I'm not judging anyone else for doing it, as long as it's within the local laws.

But...the whole purpose of this sub-forum is to discuss the incidents and accidents in question. Whether the guy was spearfishing, or otherwise collecting marine life (and NOBODY here has suggested he was doing so illegally) is critical to understanding this incident.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I get the feeling that many people on this forum, love sharks. They are under the impression that it is great to feed them and take pictures and "learn" all about them on organized shark baiting dives. I have to wonder if this attitude is derived from unfamiliarity and very little actual diving with sharks.

These people want desperately to believe that a shark will never attack them and this puts them in a position to denigrate any attack victim. It almost seems like they view spearfishing as an activity that deserves an attack. It is hard for me to really understand.

I have personally known several people (scuba and freedivers) who have been attacked by sharks, some while spearfishing, others were not engaged in spearing at the time.

 

[Wingy]

I think theres a big difference in cultural attitudes re hunting of any sort between US and Aus.

I love sharks, have never done a baited shark dive and never will, I have seen a couple and I know several people who have been bitten. Both my father and my nephew have been bitten - luckily for them by babies. I dont think there is any desperate wanting to believe involved. As WP said there are areas where the risk is heightened and its not a sign of fear to want to mitigate those risks.

I dont dive near the sealion nurseries because the great whites hang there. I dive somewhere else. No biggy. Never had any shark show any signs of unusual behaviour - just another fish.

What perhaps sparked this discussion is the rarity of people diving in the Torres.

 

[Dan]

I completely disagree. This is absolutely the best place I have ever dived in my entire life. If you don't get to PNG you haven't even experienced what diving is all about. Wow. That's like saying, oh gosh Wikipedia said this...so it must be true. PNG is a jewel. The people are wonderful and the diving is world class. Best place ever.

Take a deep breath & calm down, WYO Mermaid. As Wingy said, I was referring to it as the site where the bullshark attack. I posted a link to the Blue Water Mangroves site in Misool, where a diver got bit by a saltwater crocodile. I check this site off my bucket list, but that does not mean I'll never go to Raja Ampat, in fact I have gone to Raja Ampat 5 times. The 6th time is coming up this November, but not in Blue Water Mangroves.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Okay, now we have a little bit more information. For WYO Mermaid, the original reports stated he was attacked at Murray Island and he was the skipper of a boat. Later reports said it was a long way from there.

I am now assuming he was at Eastern Fields which is not what I would term Torres Strait as per the initial reports. We later learnt he was from Cairns, so this was extra to the original reports. Very few people dive in the Torres Strait for reasons previously stated. Also, for Dan_T, Torres Strait is Australia, as the border is right up near PNG, only a few kilometres off the mainland in spots.

 

[Shasta_man]

<<He said the pair had been free-diving at a depth of about 15m when a bull shark of approximately four metres in length came up behind the victim and bit him “several times” on his left arm and his stomach. Despite “severe injuries” to his left arm, said Cameron, “he was able to swim up to safety and back onto the boat with no further damage”>>

Man, those people down there in Australia are tough. JUST bitten by a 12 foot bull shark.

Besides free diving to 45 feet...

Apparently they delete messages from the threads because I didn't read anyone attacking spearfishing.

 

[reefman]

craig de witt, captain/owner of the MV GOLDEN DAWN. i spent 10 days diving on his vessel in PNG 7 years ago. terrific captain; he personally guided over half our dives in the milne bay area. arguably the most respected/experienced dive operator in PNG/eastern fields.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...k/news-story/bd18f89079f93560d6c75671da17a7f3


Shark attack survivor's remarkable story of survival




reefman
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