Staredown with the Taxman at LJ

[Kahouna]

I had been watching the wave forecast the last couple days and decided it doesn't get any better to take out the kiddo. We get there a little before one and didn't even have to wait for a good time to go. We just got in and headed out.

After a quick mac minute at the bouy, we saw one of the cattle boats drop anchor on the NW corner and lines started flying. We decided to just get a little north of them and drift in. I had just put my line out and decided that I wanted to bounce the bottom so I reached for my other rod when I see the shape form in the water. He approached us with his dorsal out of the water and angled towards the front. I reeled in my line and realized that I just brought a mac three feet from his nose. I saw him drop down and come up on the other side about twenty feet out and turn towards us. I alerted my buddy about 100 yards away and he starts paddling (he has the gopro). That was when Mr. Taxman stops about four feet from me and we have an intimate eye-to-eye moment. He turns and scans the yak again coming alongside. That is when I get an idea of his size as he is about two feet shy of my outfitter. He drops underneath again to check out the hull and comes up on the other side. One more turn to look us over, then he turns, slashes his tail giving my daughter a shower and is gone.

It only lasted about a minute, but my brain will be seared with the seconds for a while. After the initial shock, I realized how close I was to a rectal cleanse. I have no idea what he saw in us, but he looked "interested" in us for something. We finished out the day with nothing to show, but I am satisfied with meeting an apex predator in his inviron so close I could have touched him.

My daughter was freaked out (she's 9) but didn't want to go in just yet. It was the cold that broke her and sent us in around five to a repeat cruise onto the beach.

[StinkyMatt]

Wow what a day! I was nervous just reading this thing.....

Mommy! Mommmy! Guess what we saw today in the Ocean?


Shhhhhhhhhh baby, lets get some candy for you......How about we don't tell Mommy about our secret little friend Mr. Sharkeeee.

Pinky swear, Mommy NEVER finds out about this....

[Rav3n805]

11 ft taxman? Dude I would have gone home You got some gut!

[dorado50]

Its when they go down and you don't see them, thats the time to brace yourself!!! I'm thinking it was just curious.... I'll be in a boat the next few days thankyou!!

[the dude]

did your buddy get any footage on the gopro? I'm impressed that you stayed out after that. I think I'd have a 30 foot rooster tail behind my yak on the way in...

[sharonkayak]

I think i would of peddled in very quickly after that!

your daughter got one priceless experience today.

[Fiskadoro]

Wow!!!

11 feet must be 1500 lbs, plenty big enough to scare you


Jim

[yaksailor]

That's some serious stuff, there. I wonder if those swimmers ever see anything between the shores and the cove?

[sdfisher]

amazing report, glad you and your daughter were able to witness a magnificent creature so close and came away unscathed with a awesome story!

kind of makes me nervous about going out at 4am tomorrow

[flydigital]

Thanks for sharing...

Sounds like a nice big one. 4ft distance away, incredible encounter! Glad you and your daughter took it all in stride. I've heard of a few similar stories in LJ... not too uncommon after all. Plenty of harbor seals and sea lions in the area to whet their appetite!

[addicted2sp33d]

Wow... you must have some serious testicular fortitude.

[Aaron&Julie]

Originally Posted by yaksailor

That's some serious stuff, there. I wonder if those swimmers ever see anything between the shores and the cove?

Kahouna, did you bother reporting this to Lifeguards, Coast Guard, or anybody?
Not to start a panic, it's just that we as kayak-fishermen, would prefer to know one has been spotted recently. For one thing, we'll leave our life preservers on all day, which we usually take off and sit on during daylight hours. If one GWS was to flip you some how, that extra buoyancy would be an asset.
If we were swimmers/divers, we'd want to know that information, too.
We couldn't imagine if we didn't report it to some authorities, and then found out a swimmer, diver, etc, was attacked because they were ignorant of the fact a GWS was spotted in the area recently. Not reporting it, would haunt us forever.
We know no one would ever post such information on the theory of reducing the number of kayaker on the water, eh?
We didn't see anything in the news, yet.

[Kahouna]

Good point A&J. Who would a person notify? I wondered about it bit figured he is ever present in his waters, we just borrow the area for enjoyment.

[wolfman]

Some of my buddies were free diving out there, I am sure they would like to know.

[dsafety]

Originally Posted by Kahouna

Good point A&J. Who would a person notify? I wondered about it bit figured he is ever present in his waters, we just borrow the area for enjoyment.

This brings up a very interesting question. As Aaron&Julie mentioned, it would be very useful for those planning on being in or on the water to know that a big shark had been spotted in the area. On the other hand, as we saw with the 7 gill biting the diver last week, this kind of report can quickly become overblown and create a panic.

The news media loves sensational stories and what could be more sensational than a guy and his young daughter being drooled over by a large GWS. I think that if this incident had made it to the media we would have witnessed an epic over reaction based on fear and ignorance.

This is a tough one.

Bob

[old_rookie]

Originally Posted by Kahouna

Good point A&J. Who would a person notify? I wondered about it bit figured he is ever present in his waters, we just borrow the area for enjoyment.

Notify here:
http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.co...shark_news.htm