shark encounter maui

marybear · Since 06 Aug 2007 75 Posts thehood

hi its marybeth from the gorge kiting in maui
downwinder from paia beach, shark came up to my board like a submarine
just before it surfaced it submerged. the water was so clear i could see how massive it was,im thinking 12foot tiger 5feet away
i called off the downwinder for myself, but a crew from hood river continued
at the airport you have to go a mile out there was no way after seeing that i was going to venture a mile out.

thealohakid · Since 09 Aug 2006 58 Posts MAUI

They are always there. It is not uncommon to see sharks while kiting in maui. Don't get me wrong, it's not like we see them everyday. But don't
think because you didn't see it rise up next to you that it's not there. Rocks and coral should be feared over those big pearly white teeth.

KidCorporate · Since 10 Jul 2007 563 Posts Addicted

Grease down the base of your board with a banana, it works to keep fish away, maybe it would work for sharks too?

Snowy · Since 30 Jun 2007 93 Posts Ocean

Whoooaaaaah!

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1691 Posts I give out bad advice.

I would have cancelled too! I lived in Maui for a year and sailed at Hookipa. There was a guy there who spearfished and had a really long line to put his catch on. I asked him why so long and he told me about the 15 foot tiger shark that would from time to time take his string.

Crazy to think that sharks could just munch you no problem.

Scary stuff! Very Happy

bambam · Since 15 Mar 2005 760 Posts Hood River Photographer

No big kids... I would say I see one about every month... In June I kited right over a 13 footer in about six feet of water about a 1/4 mile off Kite Beach. Went back over him again to just make sure.

So yup, there are here... and even bigger ones on the Oregon Coast. Just don't think about it and enjoy the good kiting is how I deal.

Bam

tinyE · Since 21 Jan 2006 2004 Posts not really an XTreme Poster

pretty crazy if it was a tiger... i'd say good move getting out... they'll come and taste for the heck of it....good thing you didn't need to body drag back to your board!

Shocked

Mark · Tue Sep 04, 07 8:21 am

After lots of dives with sharks around. I'm not very afraid. In fact, I am usually swimming after them trying to get a good photo. They seem much more afraid of me than I am of them.
I would think the risk of being drug accross coral heads would be the big worry.

marybear · Since 06 Aug 2007 75 Posts thehood

apparently there was a man down on the shark down winder,
Jim S something swam for about 30 minutes on a scale of 1 to 10
his threshhold for freakout was a 12! he claimed his kite pretzeled while battling through the washer machine spot! standby mb

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4907 Posts Portland Unstrapped

Vending Machines kill more people than Sharks

Watch out Homer!

http://urbanlegends.about.com/b/a/005445.htm

Unless you kite in Maui, where Sharks kill more people than vending machines (your experience may vary)
Windsurfers taste better than Kiters:

http://www.igorilla.com/gorilla/animal/2000/shark_attacks_man_off_maui.html

More scary shit:

http://www.moolelo.com/shark-attack.html

dcrowe · Wed Sep 05, 07 3:18 am

You are far more likely to die on the way to the beach than get hit by a shark. I swam in from the break at kite beach in Maui a few years ago. I lost the kite (leash broke) and my board. Took over an hour but at least it was warm Smile

There was a young surfer girl who lost her arm to a tiger a few days before I made that swim. If you take it easy and don't panic (thrash around) they'll usually leave you alone. It's still scary as hell though when you see one. Still haven't spotted whitey on our coast for five years of 100+ day riding. Razz

I do hear that you probably won't see a g. white because they come straight up at you. Twisted Evil

Scriffler · Since 03 Jul 2005 581 Posts LYLE Addicted

Way to dominate and liven up this lackluster, noncontroversial, sensitively edited forum MB. I had a scary encounter with a Tiger myself in '97. I was surfing 3-4 foot Turtlebay(next bay east of Ho'okipa) and saw a sizable tiger(6-8'). He or she circled me 2 or 3 times in about 30 seconds. I ended up paddling into shore over dry reef. My heart nearly constricted my 16 year old throat. The scrapes and cuts were minor compared to the bullshit called by the 4 other surfers who didn't see the striped resident:) Maui is a paradoxical paradise, all the goods are equal to the evils(or equalizers) lurking below. I hope the rock at Lobos is equally formidable. According to my best source it is. Smack a lip for me MB Irie Rustigness Wink

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stringy · Since 23 Jun 2006 1726 Posts vancouver XTreme Poster