Sports & Fitness Mick Fanning shark attack.

Discussion in 'Living Room' started by Tom Howes, 20th Jul, 2015.

Join Australia's most dynamic and respected property investment community
  1. Tom Howes

    Tom Howes Active Member

    Joined:
    24th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    28
    Location:
    Sydney, NSW
    Yesterday Mick Fanning was attacked by a shark a J Bay South Africa and survived. He was not injured at all.
    I take my hat off to Mick he is one tough customer who moved with family from Penrith to the Gold Coast at 13 and took up surfing to become a three time world champion.
    I hope to hear from other surfers or surfing fans on this forum.
     
    alexm and Perp like this.
  2. Perp

    Perp Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    735
    Location:
    Brisbane
    I'm neither a surfer nor surfing fan, but I've seen the footage and it's absolutely astonishing.

    For those who haven't seen it yet:

     
    WattleIdo and Touristy like this.
  3. MarkB

    MarkB Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    180
    Location:
    .
    For a time the family lived in Ballina and I was in the same school grade as Mick's older brother Ed.

    Ed was a feisty fellow; he was always getting into fights, including one with me one evening in 1992. So I guess the shark and I have something in common - we've both been punched by a Fanning.

    Tenuous connection to Mick Fanning aside, I am glad he is ok.
     
    Perp likes this.
  4. willair

    willair Well-Known Member Premium Member

    Joined:
    19th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    6,776
    Location:
    ....UKI nth nsw ....
    I have had a 4 mts great white go between a mate and myself about 400 mts from the beach at Pottsville nth nsw about 40 years ago,the shark went around us for about 30 seconds then as we both caught a wave in quickly the shark exploded through the same wave,when we both got onto the beach we make a promise to each other who ever dies first the other will carry the coffin and be there,.

    [​IMG]
     
  5. citystar

    citystar Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    19th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    177
    Location:
    QLD
    I was scared watching the footage from the safety of the office monitor... just image turning around and seeing a huge fin right next to you. If I were in his position the only reason I wouldn't pass out from fear would be from the huge amount of adrenaline pumping through the veins... glad both he and the other competitor made it to shore safely.
     
  6. OC1

    OC1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    6th Jul, 2015
    Posts:
    216
    Location:
    Melbourne
    Scary stuff. And the way his mate came after him was touching.
     
  7. Peter_Tersteeg

    Peter_Tersteeg Mortgage Broker Business Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    8,130
    Location:
    03 9877 3000
    As a diver I have a theory about sharks and surfers. It appears that sharks like their meals served on a wafer.
     
    Doncossack and Blacky like this.
  8. alexm

    alexm Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    492
    Location:
    Sydney
    As a surfer, this is always something that's on your mind. Mick handled this situation perfectly, like a true professional.

    I think there's more dangerous sharks on land than in the water.
     
    D.K and Blacky like this.
  9. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    19th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    27,786
    Location:
    My World
    Scary stuff, imagine if it was a great white instead of I believe bull shark????
     
  10. Azazel

    Azazel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    8,091
    Location:
    Brisbane
    That was pretty crazy, I thought he was getting eaten the 1st time I watched it. The camera caught the 1st part then a wave blocked the view when he came off the board.
     
  11. Blacky

    Blacky Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    25th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    2,066
    Location:
    Bali
    Glad he is ok.
    Scary situation to be in. Kudos to the team for getting to him quickly - including the other surfer who paddled out to him. Ballsy move.

    I think the big difference between surfers/swimmers and divers is eyesight. Look a shark in the eye and they will usually move off... usually.

    Blacky
     
  12. Peter_Tersteeg

    Peter_Tersteeg Mortgage Broker Business Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    8,130
    Location:
    03 9877 3000
    That's also been my experience. Sharks are generally quite shy, they often attack out of curiosity but will back off once they know they've been spotted. I've seen this behavior first hand with a very large hammerhead (coolest and scariest moment of my life).

    The other reason a lot of surfers get bitten is they tend to splash around quite a bit, not something that divers do much. Many sharks also attack in an upwards direction (where the surfers and swimmers are).

    I've also heard that Bull sharks are one of the most aggressive species of shark. Certainly Great Whites are larger and thus more dangerous when they do attack, but Bulls are more likely to become aggressive whilst the Whites are taking a bite out of curiosity.

    Mick Fanning probably has the surfboard strap to thank for deterring the shark and avoiding being bitten. Sharks move so effortlessly through the water that if they want to bite a human, there's not much the human can do about it. It's their ocean, we're just visitors and should respect them as such.
     
  13. Depreciator

    Depreciator Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    15th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    1,963
    Location:
    Sydney
    Hard to imagine a punch or two on the back in that melee would have had much effect. He's lucky that boat was there.
    Amazing to read that Layne Beachley said she has never seen a shark while in the water. Imagine how much time she has spent in the water over the last 40 years.
     
  14. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    19th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    27,786
    Location:
    My World

    But seriously how do you do this when you are scared ********, and it's not a gummy shark

    It's a bit like if you get attacked by a croc, poke it in the eyes, really, how do you do this when you are in a roll.

    Or my vet told me if a large dog attacks my smaller dog always carry a stick and poke it up the rear of the larger dog, another difficult one


    MTR
     
  15. Jamie Moore

    Jamie Moore MORTGAGE BROKER - AUSTRALIA WIDE Business Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    3,977
    Location:
    Canberra, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast
    I'm almost certain my heart would just explode.

    Crazy footage. Glad he's ok.
     
    MTR likes this.
  16. wategos

    wategos Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    19th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    623
    Location:
    NSW
    You don't see sharks under the water when you're surfing, I never have but have seen plenty when hang gliding overhead, sometimes very close to surfers. I had a large hammerhead come close while diving but they are fairly timid.

    If a shark ever attacks while I'm on my board I think I'll try to talk him out of it, offer to buy a couple of cows or something instead.
     
  17. moyjos

    moyjos Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    306
    Location:
    Sunshine Coast
  18. D.T.

    D.T. Specialist Property Manager Business Member

    Joined:
    3rd Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    9,189
    Location:
    Adelaide and Gold Coast
    Too early for jokes on this?

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  19. Coota9

    Coota9 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    1,286
    Location:
    Melbourne
    Gives new meaning to a triple fin board...
     
  20. Redwing

    Redwing Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    7,438
    Location:
    WA
    [​IMG]
    Crocs on the beach...and in other news....

    [​IMG]

    Whilst watching the footage I thought oh boy he's in trouble seeing the size of that fin, then another shark

    Glad he got outa there