Shark Attacks !!!

Hey yall,

Being a keen kite surfer / diver etc attempting to move to NZ does anybody know where I can find shark attack statistics for NZ waters?

I know what sharks are living in your waters there which sends a cold shiver down my spine but just maybe the stats of attacks will put my mind at ease...

Thanks,
Derek

Here's something to browse through. ? Unprovoked shark attacks in NZ

I noticed in that list of 'unprovoked attacks' that Northland scores a 'O'. The sharks are still there, though. Here's a nice story:-

Tale of lifeguards' rescue by dolphins inspires BBC film

Wednesday October 18, 2006
By Mike Dinsdale


Like many people around the world, English documentary-maker Nick Stringer was fascinated by the story of dolphins saving Whangarei Heads lifeguards from a shark attack.

Now Mr Stringer and a four-man film crew from Big Wave Productions are at Ocean Beach filming a documentary-drama about the story for the BBC's Natural World series.

The rescue made world headlines in November, 2004, after the Northern Advocate published the story of how seven dolphins surrounded a group of lifeguards and slapped the water with their tails to frighten off a circling great white shark.

Whangarei Heads Surf Lifesaving members Rob Howes and three teenagers - his daughter Nicky Howes, Karina Cooper and Helen Slade - were 100m out to sea on a training swim when the dolphins herded them together for 40 minutes, apparently protecting them from the 3m shark.

The shark was spotted by Mr Howes and Matt Fleet, observing from an inflatable rescue boat, but none of the teens were aware of it while they were in the water.

The BBC crew will start filming at Ocean Beach today and are likely to take up to a week.

So why did these dolphins risk themselves to save the lifeguards?

"That's what's so fascinating," Mr Stringer said. "We hear lots of stories of dolphins coming to people's aid, but there are very few cases where we have so many witnesses.

"This was unique behaviour in circling the lifeguards and slapping their tails on the water. That's very typical of dolphins when they are herding fish [to feed] so they were clearly trying to herd the lifeguards all together, which has never been reported before."

The documentary is due to screen in Britain next September, but is likely to be seen in New Zealand before then.

[cooper_k]

hey! I was one of those lifeguards you mentioned. As a lifeguard we see a few sharks and get the odd shark scare where we have to close the beach but trust me sharks aren't really an issue in Northland :)

[Dawn]

Wow! What a cool story!

Sharks are really scary creatures eh? They are literally just hunting, killing machines and I certainy wouldn't want to be anywhere near one.

I remember Firing1 posting something about sharks in Mt Maunganui? I don't think they're as much as a problem here as in Oz, but honestly not sure. Thousands of people enjoy the sea here though so it can't be too serious an issue.

Not that I'd be out there....