summer99

we have been talking to a few people in new zealand who live aronud the costal area's and they have told us that between november and april is shark season but is'nt that summer time ? .can anyone shed any light on this as we are moving to dunedin on tuesday the 26th august next week and dunedin is on the east cost ?

PhilS

Hi there. I was in NZ in Dec / Jan and stayed in New Plymouth for a while. Lots of stuff in the paper about the "Taranaki Terror", a white shark spotted off the coast. Don't get many of them in the River Trent in Nottingham, that's for sure!!

Am Loolah

Hi summer99, don't know about Dunedin but we had several shark sightings over last summer here in the Mount and Papamoa. Didn't stop the kids jumping in the ocean at every opportunity but I must admit it made me a bit of a scaredy cat! I know another family who's son saw a shark just behind him in the ocean and sadly now he won't get back in it. Bit of a bummer when you live by the beach ...

I'd heard they were more prevalent last summer due to the higher air and sea temperatures we experienced? We also had an influx on those horrid little blue Portuguese man of war jellyfish too.

So assuming last summer was a one in 10 year high we should be ok for the next 9!!

luvwelly

I can count on one hand the number of times I've been in the sea since seeing Jaws as a child in the 1970s! Doesn't stop me enjoying the coast here though..I just don't go in the water! The kids just paddle with Dad! Walking along the beaches here is fun because they are so uncommercial and desert-islandish.

love30stm

Yep must admit I would not go in the sea just a paddle will do me....and its great to walk on the beach with just a couple of people on it...awesome.

psa2570

Hi, my OH (j19fmm) has loads of cousins on North Island and quite a few of them are in to diving and surfing. One cousin in particular has seen a few Great White's in his time, amongst other sharks, but has never let it bother him and he continues to surf and dive in his 50's.

I have to say he's a braver man than me. To quote Billy Connolly I'd be through the water like a polaris missile if I saw one and keep swimming right up the beach till I hit a car on the main road

nic.gem.soph

Hi, have you seen his 2004 "Too Old To Die Young" tour of New Zealand? I have it on DVD and it's hilarious My OH said it's a better guide to NZ than some of other TV stuff and books he's read!

sorry, this is off the subject...

nic

psa2570

Not seen that one, but we've got the World Tour of New Zealand and that is very "informative"

Fooferfish

We have lived in Dunedin for over 3 years now, and i have been in the sea only a couple of times, there are shark nets off St Clair beach and the main problem that scares the poo out of surfers we know are the Seals, they harrass the surfers no end, i spoke to the Dive club and they told me the only big Great White they have seen is the one called KZ7 he is about 8-10mtr long and comes up and down the coast from CHCH eating seals, he rarely bothers humans as there are so many seals on the coasts down here.

The beaches are manned by life saving teams all summer, if you want any pics on Dunedin or advice then PM me, we can help with allsorts of things , if you need a lift from the airport and a friendly person to meet you all off the plane, i have picked many up from airport and taken them to their rentals, or if you fancy a trip around town and the area to get your bearings then we can arrange that, at least you will be arriving at the end of winter.

Nige and family Dunners since May 05

j19fmm

It's one and the same honey

scrubbedexpat094

My golden rule when swimming in the sea is not to be the furthest one out , seems to be working so far. I'm still alive & have the full quota of limbs

kiwinow

You don't hear of many shark attacks in NZ, even when there are sightings. They don't usually come very close in to shore so attacks are usually on surfers rather than swimmers.
In Dunedin the water will be too cold to go out very far much of the time, so wouldn't let it worry you.

Fooferfish

When i go in the water my wotsits turn into shrivelled up raisins, and you know why the sharks dont bite any one down here is because they cant get through your 4 inch thick wet suit that you need in these cold waters

I hope the weather gets better for the one who is landing in Dunedin on Tuesday, because at the mo you cant see the city because of the foggy drizzle, nice ay?

Kiwiprincess

Just remember, if you are trying to outswim a shark you do not need to be the fastest person.

All you need to do is beat the slowest person

Browner_

Sharks are out there all right, but no-one I know has been eaten by one yet.

To get things in perspective you have far far more chance of being taken out by P-smoking lunatic knifeman or 160kph boy racer than you do a shark!