FEAR: the lurking of the monsters

I keep on hearing/reading about shark attacks.
The media loves a gory story and any incident (anywhere on the globe) is reported in details designed to reinforce fear into the public.



According to some local paddlers there is always a shark lurking around us when we paddle, waiting for its chance.
Too often I hear comments about sharks when paddling in a group.... usually told by paddlers of limited skill who like to make newcomers afraid.
On occasion, I have been called a total fool for voluntarily wet exiting my kayak in "open" waters to practice rescues.
And I have lost count on how many times people have commented on my unwise choice of paddling locations like Currumbin (commonly know as "Shark Alley").

While paddling takes place in the environment of sharks, I have rarely been lucky enough to actually observe one.



Only on one occasion it was just big enough to possibly pose a threat to me.
The skeptics however tell me: it's not the one you see, it's the ones you don't...

The talk of potential attack has made me think: what is the real danger of a shark attack while sea kayaking?
While tall stories of ferocious attacks and lucky escapes from the jaws of the monster are bandied about, I wonder if the fear of the unseen is bigger than it should be.
The most common question asked by a new acquaintance (once I reveal to them that I am a sea kayaker) is:
"Aren't you afraid of the sharks?"



I often would like to play up the story of narrow escapes and portray myself as a real macho man but instead I just smile and reply:
"My fear is getting hit by a bus..."
Or that 18 wheeler careering down the road in my lane travelling the opposite direction...

To put things in perspective I would like to reproduce this comment:

*WHAT SHOULD YOU REALLY BE AFRAID OF?

Using the most recent U.S. data available, (here is) a list of unsettling threats and their far riskier counterparts.

Murders (2008) - 14, 180
Suicides (2006) - 33, 289

Children abducted by strangers (1999) - 115
Children who drown in pools (2006) - 288

Burglaries (2007 - 2.2 million
Identity thefts (2005) - 8.3 million

Shark attacks (2009) - 28
Dog bites (annual average) - 4.5 million

Americans killed by terrorist attacks around the world (2008) - 33
Americans who die from the seasonal flu (annual average) - 36,171

Deaths by allergic reaction to peanuts (annual average) - 50-100
Deaths by unintentional poisoning (2006) - 27,531

Women who die from breast cancer (2009) - 40,170
Women who die from cardiovascular disease (2006) - 432,709

Fatal airline accidents (2005) - 321
Fatal car crashes (2008) - 34,017

Americans audited by the IRS (2009) - 1.4 million
U.S. Deaths (2007) - 2.4 million

*from: "Parents under fire for letting kids cycle to school " 06JUL10
ww.ABC.net.au reader GregW commnent

NB All images (from respective authors) used under the Creative Commons license

Shark training?

As an avid sea kayaker I often come across other paddlers that use their craft primarily for fishing.
I have fished from the kayak myself (with mixed results) and find it great fun and rewarding.

Vanilla's catch
While not exactly a mad fisherman myself, I know of folks that regularly hit the water in a kayak to go fishing.
They have outfitted their vessel with all sorts of technology to increase their chances of reeling in the big ones.
I also have heard of kayakers using burley to attract their catch.
Observing several kayaks not far away from shore at one of my paddling spots I asked the local kayaker if the fishing was good.
The reply was that most times was great however lately it has been rather hard to land any of the catches.
He lamented the presence of a tiger shark that was stalking the kayakers and snatching the hooked fish before they could be landed on board.
While hearing of sharks taking your fish before it's in your hands is nothing new (most "stink boaties" can confirm that) what is different in this case it the type of craft used on the water.
Admittedly a kayak is much smaller in size and much closer to the water than let's say a "tinny" (small aluminium boat) and its occupant is much more vulnerable to a potential shark attack.
Reports of sharks bumping into paddling kayaks (even not fishing) are not unusual.
There are several cases of sharks actually having a nibble at the craft with teeth marks to prove the close encounter.
My question is: are we training our sharks to associate kayaks with easy food and potentially lead them to attack us (recent Sydney Harbor incident) ?
Would in the years to come this be a real concern for all paddlers in shark habitats?
While sharks have learned to follow ships where scraps are tossed overboard all the time I think sharks will soon learn that kayaks could represent a food source.

PS APR10 this article/video is quite scary