morrie

Did anyone hear on the radio this morning about the shark attack in Perth? It was not mentioned which beach it happened at only that it was in Perth. I would like some info if anyone knows about this. Nearly 3 years ago just a few days before we arrived on our hols there was an attack on Cotteslow where a man had his leg bitten off.:scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:

Siren & Brian

It was in Western Australia and not in Perth. It was at Gracetown which is 3 hours drive south of Perth.

Bordy

Think it was Geraldton, south of Perth, it was mentioned on another thread on here yesterday.

Siren & Brian

Geraldton is 4 hours drive North of Perth

Siren's b/h

Bordy

Geography never was my strong point.

DollyDaydream

This was taken from The West Australian :scared:

Shark rescue boys braved bloody sea

ELOISE DORTCH




Teenagers Cameron Rowe and Mitch Campbell went neck-deep in blood-stained sea to try to rescue a man attacked by two sharks at Gracetown's Lefthanders Beach on Saturday.

But long-time surfer Bradley Adrian Smith, 29, of Shoalwater, known locally as an international surfing legend, was already dead after being badly mauled.


Police were searching for the sharks last night amid controversy over whether they should be killed. Cameron, 16, and Mitch, 17, were surfing with friends Jacob Kaweroa, 18, and Hamish Ross, 17, when they heard shouts of "Shark". They said they saw a surfboard fly into the air 40m further out. Cameron said: "We saw this guy being eaten by a shark and another shark circling around him."

The man was clinging to the attacking shark's dorsal fin.

"He was trying to batter it away but it kept coming back at him," Cameron said. "Everyone was shouting, 'Come on, mate, swim, you can do it'. He was a solid bloke. I saw the shark bite him once more and he was head down in the water. All up it was about 15 seconds."

From the shallows the teenagers saw the victim float nearer shore.

Mitch, who has a bronze medallion in surf lifesaving, said: "I ran out on the reef to get him."

He paddled his board into deeper water, ducked through a wave, came off in water out of his depth and swam to Mr Smith. "He was floating in the foam with his head down," Mitch said. "I was expecting to have to do CPR in the water but when I got to him there was no chance.

"I tried to pull him but his legs came up and I could see what a bad shape he was in, so I let the waves wash him in a bit and tried to put him on my board, but that didn't work, so Cameron and the man's mate came in and they dragged him in by his shoulders."

On the beach it was clear Mr Smith had lost a lot of blood, and there was no pulse.

Cameron and Mitch said the tragedy would not deter them from surfing. Late yesterday, the teenagers met Mr Smith's parents who thanked them for recovering their son.


Shark experts have hosed down fears of further shark attacks in WA waters despite concerns by South-West residents that numbers of the marine predators in the area have been increasing.

Fisheries Department research division supervising scientist Rod Lenanton, who specialises in sharks, said yesterday the odds of another attack were low after the attack on Bradley Smith on Saturday.

Statistics, common sense and regular beachgoers all say there is a greater chance of being struck by a bolt of lightning or killed by a bee-sting than being attacked by a shark.

Fisheries officers are still trying to identify the number and species of shark responsible for the attack on Mr Smith, though it is believed to have been either a bronze whaler, a dusky shark (related to the bronze whaler) or a great white shark.

They have also been ordered to kill the shark which attacked and beaches in the area have been closed while the search continues.

Gracetown and Margaret River residents said they had noticed more sharks in the area recently.

There were reports of up to 14 shark sightings in the popular Prevelly beach area in two months earlier this year.

Margaret River recreational surfers president Jim Ross, 55, said it was possible sharks were being attracted to seals in the area. "The sharks are following the seals and the whales - it's white pointers travelling out there on the highway," he said.

Gracetown surfer Colin Oakes, 38, said migratory patterns were the likely cause of increased bronze whaler and hammerhead shark numbers, while fellow Gracetown surfer John Jakovich said more lobster fishers in the region during the first half of the year was a possible factor as well. The bait used by lobster fishers could attract sharks.

But Dr Lenanton said the probability of another attack in the area or elsewhere in WA was low.

"I'm not saying it couldn't happen again but these are random acts and people are unlucky to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time," he said.

He was supported by WA shark expert Dennyse Newbound, who said there was no evidence to suggest sharks were likely to attack people again after a first attack.

Dr Lenanton said it was unlikely WA waters were teeming with sharks because great white sharks were still protected because of their small numbers and Fisheries was looking at measures to ensure bronze whalers were not overfished.

Dusky and bronze whaler sharks grow to 3.5m in length while great whites can be up to 6m.

D D

morrie

Thank you for the reply.
Dollydaydream that an unusual name. Does it have a meaning behind it?

mlbonner

Think Dollydaydream has given you the story, but it was on a thread here this morning as well

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...hreadid=241421

DollyDaydream

morrie,

No not really, just that sometimes I can be a bit of a Dolly Daydream (a dreamer, have lots of blond moments - apologies to those who are blond!!

D D

Hels

I have so many blond moments that they re-named them at work....to Helen Moments!!

:scared:

mlbonner

I love it

I must say I have my fair share too... keeps things interesting though... the other day at work I shut the fridge door in the staff room and tried to lock it with my car beeper just one of those automatic things, ya know, I'm quite bright really. Honest!!

helinuk

Just been reading this story in the monday edition of The Age OL

hels - my daughter is brunette but is so dippy at times that her maths teacher keeps asking her if shes really blonde!

Hels

~cracking up laffing~

I wonder if the little light in the fridge flashed!!

mlbonner

I dont know - when I opened the door to check it was already on

Hels

Ahhhh, but does it ever actually go off???