Beach Alert for Monster Shark - NZ Great White Spotted Again Today!

New Zealand News ^ | 27 January 2006 | Staff

[Mongeaux]

Fresh sightings of a monster great white shark close to North Taranaki's shoreline have prompted a warning to swimmers.

The Conservation Department warning comes after two more close encounters with the shark, estimated to be six metres long.

Fishermen on a charter boat got the fright of their lives when the great white swam directly under them last Friday. And two competitors in a yacht race off Port Taranaki watched in horror as the shark – its fin clearly out of the water – swam between their much smaller craft.

These sightings follow numerous incidents involving a very big shark earlier this summer.

DOC programme manager Bryan Williams said yesterday the latest sightings confirmed there was at least one very large great white patrolling off North Taranaki. "It's obviously on the move up and down the coast. This makes sense, because our fur seal population has just finishing pupping, and no doubt the great white has scoffed quite a few of them.

"We strongly recommend that swimmers at such places as Fitzroy Beach remain aware that there is a very large shark off the shore."

[Mongeaux]

The Fishermen caught this photo of the Great White. They said they left after the shark began nudging their boat too hard.

[Darkwolf377]

They should have talked to it and asked what they did wrong...

[Darksheare]

"We're going to need a bigger boat."

[llevrok]

Huh????

I thought Sen. Kennedy was in Washington DC today!

[CWOJackson]

"We strongly recommend that swimmers at such places as Fitzroy Beach remain aware that there is a very large shark off the shore."

And try to avoid looking like a seal pup.

[writer33]

Not "the bigger boat" line.

:) Good one!

[neodad]

Great White Spotted Again Today

I thought Ted Kennedy was in Washington!

[neodad]

I gotta get a faster connection.

[writer33]

They should have talked to it and asked what they did wrong...

That's right. That greedy, invasive man is invading their space again. Man sucks!!!!!!!!!

:)

[msnimje]

I just think it is unethical and racist to keep calling it a "Great White."

[writer33]

And try to avoid looking like a seal pup.

Good one, Chief. :)

[Mike Darancette]

Sharks used to be bigger.

[writer33]

I just think it is unethical and racist to keep calling it a "Great White."

That's right. We only see shades of gray. :)

[jazusamo]

If I lived down there, I'd become a land lubber real quick.

[Darksheare]

Heh heh.
It's what came to mind the second I saw the pic.

[writer33]

"We're headin' in, Brody."

"Thank, Christ."

:)

[Darksheare]

The guys in the racing sailboats HAD to be near the point of changing skivvies after seeing the shark.

[CWOJackson]

A mean one. Three of us were fishing in a cove near Juneau once. One of our group was from New Orleans and new to Alaska; he worked his way out on a log raft/jam and was fishing from there.

Some Orca's came into the cove and he got nervous. I yelled at him to lay down real quick before they saw him; he did. Then I yelled at him that he looked like a seal and to get back up real quick; he did. Then I told him to wave his arms and yell so they knew he was a human; he did.

When I told him to start singing a particular song (I can't remember what) he figured it out.

Boy was he ticked when he got back on the beach.

[writer33]

I bet those guys were. I would've said, "time to go."

[writer33]

I bet that was priceless. Yell at them so they know he was human. That's good.

Hilarious!