Large Shark Gives Maui Kayaker A Scare

The Hawaii Channel ^ | Feb 02, 2006 | The Hawaii Channel

[reformedliberal]

We stayed at Maui Prince Makena for 10 days in November! There are several areas of rocks and reef between Makena and Molikini full of fish, octopi and turtles. All the turtles we saw were huge! Not bait at all. We saw no sharks, but I just told my husband that if I had read this before booking, I would have had serious second thoughts.

I love the ocean. I am a scuba diver and snorkeler. I am not anxious to meet a shark in the water. I think your reaction was rational.

[SuzyQue]

Ain't that the truth!

[ChefKeith]

How about starting with something useless like poodles.

A Rottie can at least protect somebody unlike the yipping ankle biters.

[Plymouth Sentinel]

Reformed-

Thanks.

My wife teases me big time. She'll get in the water and put her hand up on her forehead like a shark dorsal fin, and paddle toward me, even in a pool, and then she'll near drown while she laughs hysterically, which of course is contagious. My kids are now in on it.

Still, the whole prehistoric animal thing sorta wierds me out.

[xsrdx]

But I just think the kayak was being trailed by a nosy Tiger.

The behavior and size is consistent with a large Tiger shark.

A White shark would not have spent that much time on the surface in the absence of bait or chum.

Tiger and Bull/Zambezi sharks are notoriously curious and subsequently more often dangerous to humans.

[Senator Goldwater]

Do they get a lot of Bulls in Hawaii?

I know they're all over the waters in Florida, particularly the Gulf side.

[from occupied ga]

Might not be a bad idea to carry a .45 in your dry bag to send a "message" to Jaws.

Handguns not allowed without special permit in the Peoples' Socialist Democracy of Hawaii

[willyboyishere]

"A love sick shark.......?"
-----I like your interpretation. There's probably some truth to that.

[Quilla]

My wife teases me big time. She'll get in the water and put her hand up on her forehead like a shark dorsal fin, and paddle toward me, even in a pool, and then she'll near drown while she laughs hysterically, which of course is contagious. My kids are now in on it.

Jeeze Louise. Honestly, I haven't been back in the water since Jaws. About 5 years ago, my husband and kids finally persuaded me to ride out with them into the surf on a float they were pulling around. I apprehensively consented. In a few minutes, they lost interest in me and left me floating out there - ALONE. I looked out toward the horizon and saw a huge black mass headed my way. I was hysterical. The mass came straight to my float, parted, and the school of fish swam away. Nope, never again.

[arizonarachel]

AGH! The husband and I are going to Maui in May! I don't think I'll be kayaking...or snorkling. :-(

[azhenfud]

Bruce just out for a nibble.

[Redcloak]

Tiger shark, probably.

Yup... A Tiger nibbled a few fingers off of a tourist in the same area last December.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Lankheit kept paddling, hoping the 15- to 18-foot shark would tire and stop following him.

Right..... like THAT'S ever gonna happen.... a kayaker out-paddling a swimming great white? Get real.

[Hatteras]

[capitalist229]

Great Whites studied and tagged off SF have been detected in Hawaiian waters especially the large females. This recent book 'Devils Teeth' documents the author's eight month odyssey in the Farallon islands near SF.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/080507581X/qid=1139244820/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-1560505-7835011?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

BUMP

[fish hawk]

Check the Maui phone book under The Waterfront Restaurant and make a reservation. Finest dining and service and you will be on the ocean watching the boats come and go from the Maalaea harbor. MMMMMmmmmmmmm. (5 star rating)

[arizonarachel]

Thank you! I am literally counting down the days until we leave! (108 left!!)

[xsrdx]

Do they get a lot of Bulls in Hawaii?

Not that I'm aware, just an example of another "nosy" shark. Oceanic whitetips are also investigatory, but prefer open ocean.

I think Bull sharks are found primarily in the Indian and Atlantic oceans, certainly GofM and Carribean.

[Plymouth Sentinel]

How perfectly horrifying that must have been.

We really don't belong in the water, do we?

[flada]

They're allowed if you don't get caught.