Posted on 01/19/2007 6:49:13 PM PST by Mongeaux
A GIANT shark has forced the closure of one of the state’s most popular beaches.
Water off Cowes, on Phillip Island, was evacuated after the 6m beast was seen yesterday afternoon. People standing at a boat ramp on Anderson St saw the shark and raised the alarm at 5.15am.
Police and a lifeguard quickly urged swimmers to leave the water.
A Lifesaving Victoria plane arrived five minutes later, but the massive creature had already cruised into deeper water.
The shark’s size indicates it is likely to be a white pointer — also known as a great white.
Bronze whalers and other species inhabit water around Phillip Island but none could grow to 6m.
Great whites are known to frequent water off the western coast of Phillip Island, lurking around Seal Rocks, near the opening of Western Port Bay.
In 1987, shark fisherman Vic Hislop landed a 7m great white in the area.
Lifesaving Victoria spokesman Brett Ellis said he had been told the shark was swimming near a jetty at Anderson St.
“It’s a very big shark. It’s probably been hanging around at Seal Rocks. They’re not uncommon there,” he said.
Fisherman Tom Gruschel was another to see the shark while fishing off the coast at Corinella.
Mr Gruschel, 46, said the shark came within 3m of his boat before it breached. “It would have been at least 6m-plus,” he said. “It was bigger than our boat, definitely.
“All we heard was this great splash and then the next thing the whole fish was almost out of the water. My mate and I were just stunned.
The 6m shark was seen by surfers at Flynns Reef, on the west coast, early this week.
(Excerpt) Read more at hairybeast.wordpress.com ...
So, just how many swimmers are at the beach at 5:15 a.m.?
Surfers like to get out there early, which is all it takes to ring the dinner bell. White sharks generally don't eat more than one person at a time. They also prefer to hunt around first light and sunset.
"You're gonna need a bigger boat." - Sheriff Brody
Isn't it always noon somewhere? ;-)
Hehehe, someone ALWAYS posts that when I do shark news...
The bait was too tempting: “It was bigger than our boat, definitely."
The sharks think that too, sometimes, which is probably why the the guards cleared the beach.
Sounds like a Rosie O'Donnell sighting to me. She must be on the move again.
25!
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