Damn, this is a bit too close to home - Shark Attack

[Paulkarlsven]

Well I could not believe what I was reading today in the online newspaper. This is our marina where we were going to bring our boat down to from the Gold Coast. In fact in one shot in the video you can see our berth.

I have never heard of a shark atack inside the harbour of Port Stephens before but it happen today. The victim is a young lady who works on one of the tour boats at Nelson bay and my brother-in-law does the catering on the boats there and knows her well. We are all hoping for the best outcome and that the morning will see her with both arms still but it does not look to good at the moment. The full story can be seen here.

 

[Summer Fun II]

WOW !!. I hope she pulls threw without to much loss, :thumbsup:

 

[tdschafer]

My god!! That's brutal. I hope she recovers fully!!

 

[Paulkarlsven]

Well I can report some good news and that is that Lisa came out of a 15 and half hour surgery with both arms intact. They managed to save her arm and for now it has a pulse, lets hope she manages to pull through and the arm does not get an infection or just die in the days and weeks ahead.

Further to the news story, I have been told that one of her colleagues on the boat dived in to assist her when the attack was occuring. It was him that managed to get her back into the boat, now that takes some guts. I think a bravery award should be heading his way at the very least.

 

[tdschafer]

Now that does deserve a medal of honor!! what a brave soul and obviously a devoted friend!! Godspeed to her full recovery!

 

[OldSkool]

It's a shame for this to happen but it is the ocean. Gods speed in her recovery!!

 

[Woody]

Terrible terrible shame. Hope she comes out okay.

I was trying to remember the last shark attack we had in our neck of the woods. Turns out there never has been one. I knew I loved our sweet water oceans for some reason. Although, the Asian Carp may decide it likes people more than plankton, stay tuned...

A couple years ago I was talking to a couple old(late 80's) great lakes fishermen. They claimed to have seen some very strange things in the lakes. Maybe they were just messing with me and had a laugh after:lol:

 

[Woody]

Interestingly, I did some looking into sharks in Lake Michigan, it is plausible that there has been at least one shark in the lake. I think I'm safe to swim in the lake, free of fear of becoming dinner right now, but who knows what the future will bring.

I wouldn't worry about sharks.....It's the other things:wow:

 

[Paulkarlsven]

The experts are now saying it was a Great White that attacked her, now I have seen GWs outside of the harbour but never inside. There are a lot of surface fish at the moment which is obviously bringing in the sharks. This attack is not quite like normal attacks as normally the shark will take an exploratory bite then realise it is not its usual prey and go but this shark came back after the first bite and savaged her some more.

The doctors worked on saving her arm and they managed to piece it back together as best as they could, hopefully she will keep her arm but how useful it will be remains to be seen. She still has to have more surgery to piece back together her shoulder, neck and head injuries.

I think anyone who lives by the sea swims in it with the full knowledge that there are sharks about, Lisa certainly knew of their existance as she works for the tour company in Port Stephens. It is a hazard that you live with and I think in this circumstance it was a simple case of wrong place at the wrong time.