Swimming by the boat? With the sharks?

[BandB]

Wifey B: There have been a lot of reports of shark bites lately, from the Bahamas to Australia. So, do you swim when anchored out? When? Where? Any reservations? Did you and don't now? Never did?

 

[menzies]

Always, at anchor off the ICW and also swimming to shore and back (~1/4 mile round trip) in the Exumas. Nurse sharks pretty much everywhere and a few black tips and large rays, but no sign of the big bad boys!

 

[hmason]

Rarely.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

Frequently, sans suit - oh my, I must be more careful!

 

[dhays]

Very occasionally, ie a few times a year here in Puget Sound. Usually it is just jumping in and getting out as fast as possible.

Last year up in Desolation Sound we swam from the boat daily.

We don't tend to get aggressive sharks in the Salish Sea.

 

[BandB]

We don't tend to get aggressive sharks in the Salish Sea.

Wifey B: So your sharks are better behaved than ours. :lol:

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

Cold water tends to slow them down - if they accidentally find themselves in the PNW

 

[AusCan]

We swim every day when anchored out, even though we live in one of the most prolific white pointer shark areas in the world. I'd be more concerned diving or spearfishing, or even surfing, but casual swimming is a relatively low risk.

There are other creatures of the sea that can be just as fatal, but don't get the publicity of sharks. In Australia we also have crocodiles, blue ringed octopus, beaked sea snakes, cone snails, and stonefish; any of them could kill you while swimming if you wanted to worry about it.
Just enjoy swimming, and be more concerned about your high salt/sugar diet and you'll live much longer.

 

[koliver]

Luckily for us, here in the Salish sea there are only extremely rare sightings of dangerous sharks. Of much greater concern are the Orcas, Sea Lions, and other large Cetaceans, though in over 50 yrs of boating around this area I have yet to encounter anyone who has been seriously threatened. A bear is the most likely intruder that must be avoided.
The downside here of course is the inhospitably cold water temperature, that keeps most of us out of the water, unless wearing a wet suit. Some very hospitable warm spots do exist, but those cant be mentioned on a public forum, as we want them for ourselves.

 

[Portage_Bay]

We don't tend to get aggressive sharks in the Salish Sea.

Your comment spurred me to Google "Sharks of Puget Sound". It turns out we have more than I thought. But as you pointed out, they are seldom aggressive and the water is too cold to spend much time in.

 

[caltexflanc]

We did all the time, all up and down the eastern seaboard including Gulf, Keys and Islands. And still do here in eastern NC.

This is such a favorite activity, we bought a semi custom swim ladder that was a set of stairs that angled out. One of the best things we put on the boat.

If the incredibly remote prospect of getting bit bothers you, I advise never driving a car or walking across city streets either. Much more dangerous!

 

[markpierce]

I won't swim in a pool (consisting of bacterial waters), let alone "wild" waters (with dangerous critters).

 

[Bigsfish]

If the water temp is 80 degrees or high we swim most every day and with a bottle of Joy also shower. Been doing it all my life, never a real problem. Did a lot of diving in Florida and the Bahamas including Cay Sal and have been in a few shark dives. Enjoyable. However I never swim when visibility is not good or at night.

 

[Jeff F]

In Australia we also have crocodiles, blue ringed octopus, beaked sea snakes, cone snails, and stonefish; any of them could kill you while swimming if you wanted to worry about it.

Yeah, but you guys live dangerously on land too. I think Ozzies learn not to worry early in life

The salties really scare me.

 

[BandB]

and with a bottle of Joy also shower. Been doing it all my life, never a real problem. .

Wifey B: A bottle of joy, you shower? What?

 

[Bigsfish]

WifeyB

Shower? I jump in the water, come out and give my body a taste of Joy and jump back in, come out and rinse with fresh water.

Is that a bath or shower?

 

[BruceK]

I`ve never seen a shark in enclosed waters in Sydney, but I`ve seen one tracking towards Broken Bay, where we cruise. They are definitely in Sydney Harbor, a group on a shark tagging program caught far more than they needed to tag. A Mako was caught recently too.
I will swim, but with care, and not at dusk/dawn,that`s asking for trouble.

 

[BandB]

WifeyB

Shower? I jump in the water, come out and give my body a taste of Joy and jump back in, come out and rinse with fresh water.

Is that a bath or shower?

Wifey B: That's a dishwash.

 

[Bigsfish]

WifyB

LOL and I don't have a dishwasher.

 

[menzies]

One our second trip to the Abacos way back in 2003 we started back across the Stream. The water was like glass. I asked everyone if they wanted me to estimate when we were about half way across and I would stop the boat for us to swim. Everyone excitedly said yes.

So we got to the half way point and I slowed down. The water was a deep deep royal blue. I asked if they wanted me to stop and switch off the engines and, after asking me what depth it was and then a pause, the agreement was - let's keep going!

Smart children I have!

 

[BandB]

One our second trip to the Abacos way back in 2003 we started back across the Stream. The water was like glass. I asked everyone if they wanted me to estimate when we were about half way across and I would stop the boat for us to swim. Everyone excitedly said yes.

So we got to the half way point and I slowed down. The water was a deep deep royal blue. I asked if they wanted me to stop and switch off the engines and, after asking me what depth it was and then a pause, the agreement was - let's keep going!

Smart children I have!

It's not the amount of water under you that matters, it's the amount over you. Is there any difference between swimming in 50 feet and 2000 feet?

 

[FlyWright]

I'd swim in shark waters long before I'd swim in alligator infested waters.

I like to think my chances are better with the sharks. Many are quite docile.

 

[Capstan]

I`ve never seen a shark in enclosed waters in Sydney, but I`ve seen one tracking towards Broken Bay, where we cruise. They are definitely in Sydney Harbor, a group on a shark tagging program caught far more than they needed to tag. A Mako was caught recently too.
I will swim, but with care, and not at dusk/dawn,that`s asking for trouble.

Yep!!! Very rare!

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/unheard-of-the-25m-shark-caught-near-gladesville-bridge-20170716-gxcd20.html

 

[Capstan]

PS We actually head out about 4 mile away from the island just to swim with the sharks. They are beautiful.
No we don't feed them.
I love to fish but have an understanding with sharks. I don't eat them and they don't eat me. So far so good!!!
I have been swimming and diving for the last 50 years and only a few times I have seen an agitated shark. That's when you get out! De be da boss!

 

[menzies]

It's not the amount of water under you that matters, it's the amount over you. Is there any difference between swimming in 50 feet and 2000 feet?

Is there any difference in the type of creatures living in 2000 feet of water than 50 feet of water?

 

[Art]

Reason we dock in SF Delta is for often swimming in fairly clear, warm fresh water. This year after extensive rain and snow all winter the delta's water is somewhat murky.

 

[Benthic2]

Shallow water has a much higher nutrient density, and can therefore support more marine life. More marine life = More fish = more predators.

Shark attacks are really really rare. When you think of the millions of people that go in the water in the US, and the fact that the avereage fatal shark attacks per year is about 1... I'm sure we've all seen those posters that list things that kill more people than sharks. ( Falling coconuts, crushed by vending machine, lightning, cow, bee...etc )

By avoiding spearfishing, swimming at dawn/dusk, low visibility water, near baitfish( and diving birds) you can increase your odds to the point where its not worth worrying about.

WifeyB...if all else fails, just swim with your husband. Men are 9 times more likely to be attacked than women! ( for the oversensitive...that was a joke )

 

[menzies]

Men are 9 times more likely to be attacked than women!

Maybe if they cleaned the "hanging bait" more often that would not be true!

 

[BandB]

Shallow water has a much higher nutrient density, and can therefore support more marine life. More marine life = More fish = more predators.

Shark attacks are really really rare. When you think of the millions of people that go in the water in the US, and the fact that the avereage fatal shark attacks per year is about 1... I'm sure we've all seen those posters that list things that kill more people than sharks. ( Falling coconuts, crushed by vending machine, lightning, cow, bee...etc )

By avoiding spearfishing, swimming at dawn/dusk, low visibility water, near baitfish( and diving birds) you can increase your odds to the point where its not worth worrying about.

WifeyB...if all else fails, just swim with your husband. Men are 9 times more likely to be attacked than women! ( for the oversensitive...that was a joke )

Wifey B: Oh, I do swim very very very very very close to him. I was just interested in seeing what the thoughts here were. I can tell you they have a lot of others, including boaters and beachgoers a bit scared right now. Some say it's like when Jaws came out. I don't know because I wasn't born yet.

Most that I've read recently being attacked have been women. Maybe the odds are turning?

I'm sort of with the person who said something about pools. I don't swim often in public or hotel pools, only if it's a place I really trust. Otherwise only at home.

 

[Art]

In eight years we've seen three swimming snakes [one launched out of the water and went between my legs while I stood on swim deck and it dropped in water on other edge], several beavers, three seals.


I don't swim with the seals nor when we see snakes. Beavers are always at night. And,I moved really fast the day the snake rocketed across the swim step... that was about four years ago!