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mariosim

are the sharks that big of a deal?
We have some huge sharks here and several are considered "Man Eaters" that one you are refering to was a 6Mt. They have given up looking for remains and the shark after two days. A shark that size could swallow a man whole if it wanted to.

The biggest I have caught and released was a 750lb and he was not considered a big fella for that area Cape York Aust

Deal? Only if you go into their areas

also, i have read numerous articles saying that deadly jellyfish lurk in the coastal waters of australia (lifegaurds using pantyhose as a protective sheild?),

Yes the Stingers they havec very long tendicals these can be over a 1Mt long I beleive there has been deaths recorded from their stings. These are mainly in the Northern warmer waters of Aust. Also warnings are posted when they are around. Vinegar is often placed in boxes in some beaches near Cairns


and that killer octopus species lurk around.
Blue Rings only if you pick them up and they bite you.

is this merely media hype, or do aquatic killers really lie in wait for the unwary swimmer? if true, do you guys take any special precautions when going to the beach?

It is not hype they are there and several more one big fella is the SW Crock.

I have been in areas where you never walk along the same beach in the same direction and the same time at sunset reason Eyes are watching. These big boys are in the creeks and rivers as well. Last Nov a big Crock was at the Cairns foreshore he just came out of a creek to have a look I think it was a young fella looking for a new home.

just curious
Is that enough. Remember it is just as dangerous on the roads if you play there. In all these areas it pays to know all the local conditions and take notice of all the warnings such as see photos.

Keith

keithgh attached this image:


Last edited by keithgh at 21-Mar-2005 04:06[/font]

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Another photo

There are where I go fishing

Keith

keithgh attached this image:


Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Just a baby
Keith

keithgh attached this image:


Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Austalia is home to all things bitey and stingy, that's why we're all trained to wrestle crocs and ride kangaroos from a very young age.

Last edited by Adam at 21-Mar-2005 05:47

Which reminds me, I must book Ryan's classes soon.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

I miss my classes. All my knowledge is going to waste out here in texas. Nothing to wrestle apart from skunks (err, no) or dead armadillo.

Maybe I should go back to the zoo - they've got kangaroos. Yeah, thats what i'll do.

That warning sign about estuarine or saltwater crocodiles is there for a reason.

The Saltwater Crocodile, Crocodylus porosus, is the largest of all living crocodiles. While some of the size estimates of individuals reaching 33 feet are regarded as exaggeration, there are in existence specimens approaching 20 feet in captivity. Some links:

Saltwater Crocodile 1

Saltwater Crocodile 2

The Saltwater Crocodile is unusual in combining both great body length and large body mass (1,200 Kgs for a large male). They are also extremely powerful hunters, with immense jaw pressure, and consequently a large male (males are always larger than females) is easily capable of being a man-eater if one is foolish enough to place temptation in its path. Remember that they are powerful enough to swim in the open ocean between islands, a factor that accounts for their fairly extensive range, and thus swimming in waters where they are known to reside is not recommended.

As an aside, there was, a few years ago, a commercial for Fosters' Lager on UK television, in which one guy asks his companion if there are any sharks in the water as he prepares to go swimming. After being told that there were no sharks, the first person in the commercial turns away to go swimming, while the second says in a low voice, "Crocodiles ate all the sharks ..."

While it is debatable whether or not the Saltwater Crocodile could be a predator on sharks, the fact is that 'Salties', as they are known colloquially, are dangerous animals. They are superbly equipped for a predatory lifestyle, and they usually deal with terrestrial prey by drowning it first. A large 'Saltie' can achieve this with ease, because it has a much greater underwater endurance than the majority of terrestrial animals, and sufficient muscular power to overcome substantial prey. A human being would be easy meat for a big male 'Saltie'.

Relatively few large specimens exist in the wild, because hunting for skins claimed many of the largest specimens, which were targetted preferentially. However, there are some large specimens in existence, and even a medium sized individual (say, 10 feet) is capable of dragging an unwary human into the water. They are very powerful animals. Only the totally deranged would choose to enter waters occupied by these animals (Steve Irwin notwithstanding ... ).

My brother in Australia has encountered these animals. Needless to say, from a safe distance. He describes them, with masterful understatement, as "impressive" ...



Last edited by Calilasseia at 21-Mar-2005 12:16

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

just read another article about a fatal shark attack off the coast of australia. it listed several tragic attacks within the past year.

are the sharks that big of a deal? also, i have read numerous articles saying that deadly jellyfish lurk in the coastal waters of australia (lifegaurds using pantyhose as a protective sheild?), and that killer octopus species lurk around.

is this merely media hype, or do aquatic killers really lie in wait for the unwary swimmer? if true, do you guys take any special precautions when going to the beach?

just curious.

uh ok, I think I've changed my mind about going to Australia next weekAs far as snakes and spiders go we've got our share here in Texas (meriadoc you can wrestle those) We have Copperheads (nice little guys), Water Moccassins (wake up wondering how many humans they will bite today), and a wide variety of Rattlesnakes (my favorite gives you 20 minutes to get to the hospital for the anecdote, and where it is found it can take that long just to get to the main road)...and spidersI've ran over tarantulas, where I felt the bump so folks, you can keep your other creepy crawley, human eating animals...I think I'll stay here with mosquitos that are the size of 747s...heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

forget snakes spiders and stingers, its the dropbears that'll get you! wicked little things.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

World's top 10 deadliest snakes: [link=http://www.reptileallsorts.com/deadliest-snakes.htm]http://www.reptileallsorts.com/deadliest-snakes.htm" style="COLOR: #000000[/link]

Every one of them Australian.

I've been chased by #3 and stood on a live #7 while barefoot.

heidi - our aussie snakes make the rattlers look like child's toys (after all, they rattle don't they?)

*grin*

to this day, I STILL check the insides of my shoes and bag before doing anything. Even though I live in the middle of dallas!!

hey keighth- i was not trying to compare my home waters to a foreign land's. i was merely trying to suggest that most of the recent world's news articles concerning aquatic enjoyment seems to be focused on the dangers of australia's beaches.

my "just curious" comment meant just that- i was just curiuous about the true ocean swimming situation. local newspapers seem to have the nagging tendancy to stretch the truth.

forget snakes spiders and stingers, its the dropbears that'll get you! wicked little things.

Calla! You forgot to mention the hoop snakes

Hoop snakes Too cold for those things in Melbourne!

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.