# OMG...Josh and the Great White



## Astro (Nov 27, 2006)

well here you go peeps, josh has had a close encounter of the shark kind:






and the full story on yakabout


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## rawprawn (Aug 31, 2005)

Is he able to use a paddel on that set up?


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## spooled1 (Sep 16, 2005)

Great footage and a pretty inquisitive little bugger eh... I would have shat myself.
With the water greening up in these parts over the last week and the first run of whales heading back South, I reckon a Sharkshield is a great idea until December at least.


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## Rhino (Dec 17, 2007)

That was sensational Josh.  
The build up with the music was awesome. I was getting nervous just watching it. I can't imagine how you were feeling. :shock:

I would have been great to see more of the shark, but I won't hold that against ya :lol:  :shock: 8)

Fantastic mate.

Thanks for putting it up Astro


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## Maca (Aug 29, 2008)

I had to wear my brown undies to watch the video. :shock: The boys at work loved it as well.

That's the best thing about breamin - the water is only 40 cm deep most of the time.


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## Biggera Yakker (Jan 25, 2007)

Very cool!
No need to panic, just clean the duds closer to shore!!


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## Rhino (Dec 17, 2007)

Oh, btw, what has happened to Josh? How come you have posted the vid Astro?

I checked his profile, and the area where it says "Last Visited" is blank, Also his last post was on June 18th ???????

:shock:


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## onemorecast (Apr 17, 2006)

*Hole - Ley Shit!* :shock: ... I mean $hit...


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## Rstanek (Nov 5, 2007)

G
N
A
R
L
Y
:shock:


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## mcbigg (Jul 14, 2007)

Wow. Certainly would have got the adrenaline pumping!
He stayed pretty calm about it, all things considered.

Loved the bit where the shark swam under the back of the kayak and then turned sharply to follow it.

Hope if I ever have a close encounter of the sharky kind that I'm able to have the presence of mind to film the experience.

Awesome work as usual, Josh.


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## Big D (Apr 28, 2007)

I'm a bit disappointed you didn't get any underwater footage :lol:

Seriously though, that's why I've got a Shark Shield! I reckon it's better to not have the shark interested in you in the first place. A nudge/bite of the rudder is all it could take to tip you over as has happened before, and then I reckon I'd be dying of fear anyway :shock:

Good on you for having the guts to film the action!


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## Swamp (Nov 20, 2007)

Well done you handled yourself well in a tough situation. Great footage. That brings back some memories and get the heart pumping.

I would like to see the 'shark shield' in action but i can understand leaving this part out if there is another part.


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## Del (Jun 23, 2009)

nice work... certainly an eye bulging pants staining expereince!


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## Astro (Nov 27, 2006)

i keep wondering how long it will be before i am in the similar situation...harpoon gun anyone....


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## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

You have BIG BALLS mate.

Very well handled!!!!!!!!

Cheers

Scott


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## blaggon (Jan 14, 2008)

love the way he quickly bailed onto the tramp :lol: 
using the adventure with an outrigger looks damn handy


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## murd (Jan 27, 2008)

Further proof that curious GWS's are attracted/excited by the Hobie mirage drive.


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## mcbigg (Jul 14, 2007)

murd said:


> Further proof that curious GWS's are attracted/excited by the Hobie mirage drive.


lol, still on this crusade I see.

It was more proof that it was curious about moving kayaks with rudders maybe. The shark didn't seem to go anywhere near the mirage flippers.

If you look in Blagoon's avatar pic, there's a great white hovering around a kayak _without_ a mirage drive. It does however have a rudder...


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## shappy (May 29, 2008)

mate that was awsome footage!!!!!!!!!!!!, but i have to say, be bloody careful out there............


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## HiRAEdd (Nov 12, 2005)

That's really freaky considering I've fished out there in a yak and a lot further out too.


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Oh my gosh , Hogans Ghost Josh that was close , he seemed very interested in you and the kayak, they are by nature very curious creatures , but i dont believe they kill out of malice , just hunger , and he looked a bit on the hungry side mate , i would have peddled straight to the pub , wouldnt have even stopped peddling when i hit the beach , just straight over the top and into the bar and locked the doors :shock: :shock: :shock:


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## Shorty (May 11, 2008)

Well i guess every one who fishes the open ocean a lot will have some shark encounters, glad they have turned out O.K for all so far,,the vid stopped at the just over4 minute markfor me,,it took an nearly an hour to watch that far,,does it take every one that long ?(i have broadband).


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## Wattie (Apr 30, 2007)

Shorty, for me about 5 minutes here in Esperance.


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## Shorty (May 11, 2008)

No worrys, i have had computer problems this week but it has always taken forever to watch you tube videos, alays a good 1/2 hour an hour to watch a 4 minute vid, i would like to watch the whole lot,,just need a couple hours to spare,lol

I did see the shark going under the yak, seems to be moving pretty quick ? Never seen them go fast,,just seem to cruise around with all the time in the world.


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## fishnsurf (Jul 20, 2009)

Very well handled Josh. I have often thought of how I would handle an encounter like that. My first response would have been to sit still with the paddle or something in my hand in case it tried to tip me or take a bite too close to me. I would have thought that giving the critter an unmoving and therefore uninteresting object to check out would have made it lose interest more quickly rather than moving away quickly looking more like something it can chase down. I guess its a bit like handling an aggressive dog, standing your ground is a lot better than running. I dont know really but am interested in peoples thoughts. Also I wonder if giving it a poke with the paddle if it came close to the side of the yak would intimidate it or make it more aggressive. Anyone had any experience with this??? 
I havnt had the encounter but my plan would be to hold my ground and be on the aggressive (no that doesnt mean shark wrestling) - use the paddle to try and prevent a tip over and get as stable as possible. I would also have a knife at the ready for worst case scenario of too close an encounter. I dont know but for me I would try an be in control of the situation as much as possible rather than being on the back foot. Then of course once the shark had gone hightail it back to shore and clean my pants :shock: :shock: . I know the best would be to get a shark shield but given that Port Phillip Bay is not too sharky water and I dont really expect a close encounter I am unlikely to invest in one. Just thinking about worst case scenarios. What are other peoples thoughts?


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## Swamp (Nov 20, 2007)

I think unknownly/unintentionally turned around and paddled at the one that followed me. 
Once i saw it my plan was to stay calm and be as uninteresting as possible by continuing to paddle at the same rate.

Josh's is a baby compared to the one i saw.

I also recall that scott paddled straight at it when he saw one.


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## Orange (Aug 31, 2008)

OK that's it :shock: :shock: Where can I get an M16?? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Georgia ;-)


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## madfishman (Dec 10, 2007)

As always Josh your vidoes are great to watch and when i saw this i sharted, yes, sharted... :twisted:

Great to see it was a happy ending.. :twisted:

Cheers


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## mtfisho (May 30, 2009)

Great Stuff,
Your game mate.

Mitch


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## Guest (Aug 22, 2009)

> Very well handled Josh. I have often thought of how I would handle an encounter like that. My first response would have been to sit still with the paddle or something in my hand in case it tried to tip me or take a bite too close to me. I would have thought that giving the critter an unmoving and therefore uninteresting object to check out would have made it lose interest more quickly rather than moving away quickly looking more like something it can chase down. I guess its a bit like handling an aggressive dog, standing your ground is a lot better than running. I dont know really but am interested in peoples thoughts. Also I wonder if giving it a poke with the paddle if it came close to the side of the yak would intimidate it or make it more aggressive. Anyone had any experience with this???
> I havnt had the encounter but my plan would be to hold my ground and be on the aggressive (no that doesnt mean shark wrestling) - use the paddle to try and prevent a tip over and get as stable as possible. I would also have a knife at the ready for worst case scenario of too close an encounter. I dont know but for me I would try an be in control of the situation as much as possible rather than being on the back foot. Then of course once the shark had gone hightail it back to shore and clean my pants :shock: :shock: . I know the best would be to get a shark shield but given that Port Phillip Bay is not too sharky water and I don't really expect a close encounter I am unlikely to invest in one. Just thinking about worst case scenarios. What are other peoples thoughts?


You're not the first to tell me thats how they would have handled the situation and I wouldn't disagree that this may work better in some situations. Remember though that I was pedalling towards it, so I was moving in when I approached it. Moving in to it's territory (if that's what it was) and just stopping there seemed like encouraging further aggression to me. For all I knew I was invading it's feeding ground (birds were working for a reason I reckon) so sticking around seemed rude. Hauling ass seemed like the appropriate thing to do in this situation. I may play dead if I was drifting or anchored and one popped up, but not if I was trolling. Not all encounters are going to be the same, so whatever gut instinct tells you at the time is probably best. That shark did give up on me pretty quickly, so I'm stick to my guns and say that I did the right thing. I'm still here, and my yak didn't get a scratch on it.

Also remember that because I have that outrigger there, thoughts of tipping out simply aren't going through my mind. I don't need the paddle for emergency balance. I figured the pole was of more use to me than the paddle. It's got a steel-tipped spike on it. And because I do have the outrigger the pedals are notably faster than the paddle as well. I wanted out pretty quickly, so again, another reason to use them.


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## Danw (Jul 9, 2009)

Hey, i have to admit, you handled that encounter like an absolute champ!

I picked up my yak today and going out at Wello Point in the morning practice paddling around etc... After watching this, im not feeling as excited anymore!

(anyone know of any shark sightings at Wello )

Dan.


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## Guest (Aug 22, 2009)

> I picked up my yak today and going out at Wello Point in the morning practice paddling around etc... After watching this, im not feeling as excited anymore!


Keep it in perspective mate. It's taken an awful lot of yak fishing and time on the water before having an encounter like this, and I did paddle up to it. You're safer out there than you are behind the wheel. Honestly, in a way I reckon kayakers should be looking at this and taking some comfort in it. After all, it's yet another example of what invariably always happens when a kayaker meets a shark - he lives to tell the tale.

Besides, the vast majority of shark encounters are more like this:


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## Danw (Jul 9, 2009)

Yakass said:


> > I picked up my yak today and going out at Wello Point in the morning practice paddling around etc... After watching this, im not feeling as excited anymore!
> 
> 
> Keep it in perspective mate. It's taken an awful lot of yak fishing and time on the water before having an encounter like this, and I did paddle up to it. You're safer out there than you are behind the wheel. Honestly, in a way I reckon kayakers should be looking at this and taking some comfort in it. After all, it's yet another example of what invariably always happens when a kayaker meets a shark - he lives to tell the tale.


Yeah im glad i actually saw the video...If it ever happened to me, I Think id just paddle away from it (with knife between the teeth). If it started nudging, id paddle even faster 

You know what worries me the most... two of the Hall of Fame SHARKS have been caught from Wellington Point and Tingalpa Creek. (My 2 fishing destinations haha)

1st Place AJD 1.32 metre Bull Shark 24/1/09 Location : Tingalpa creek QLD 
3rd Place 92cm Black Tip Reef Shark 7/2/09 Location: Wellington Point

Wonder where their big man-eating mothers are...Cant be far by...

Dan.

Dan.


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## fishnsurf (Jul 20, 2009)

Yakass said:


> You're not the first to tell me thats how they would have handled the situation and I wouldn't disagree that this may work better in some situations. Remember though that I was pedalling towards it, so I was moving in when I approached it. Moving in to it's territory (if that's what it was) and just stopping there seemed like encouraging further aggression to me. For all I knew I was invading it's feeding ground (birds were working for a reason I reckon) so sticking around seemed rude. Hauling ass seemed like the appropriate thing to do in this situation. I may play dead if I was drifting or anchored and one popped up, but not if I was trolling. Not all encounters are going to be the same, so whatever gut instinct tells you at the time is probably best. That shark did give up on me pretty quickly, so I'm stick to my guns and say that I did the right thing. I'm still here, and my yak didn't get a scratch on it.
> 
> Also remember that because I have that outrigger there, thoughts of tipping out simply aren't going through my mind. I don't need the paddle for emergency balance. I figured the pole was of more use to me than the paddle. It's got a steel-tipped spike on it. And because I do have the outrigger the pedals are notably faster than the paddle as well. I wanted out pretty quickly, so again, another reason to use them.


Mate I agree it all depends on the situation and the fact that you came out without a scratch says your approach worked and seriously well done. I looked at the stats of death from shark attack in aust over the last 20 or so years and in all cases it was a swimmer/diver or surfer. No known record of a yakker. Realistically it is very low prob and I agree your encounter gives comfort because it says yak vs shark = yakker gets to fish another day.


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## BOXINGKANGAROO88 (May 20, 2008)

i am heading back inshore bream and flathead will do me just fine ..only small bronze whales in there .....
great work .....you have balls of STEEL 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)


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## Guest (Aug 24, 2009)

> Realistically it is very low prob and I agree your encounter gives comfort because it says yak vs shark = yakker gets to fish another day.


Xactly. It looks scarier than it really is, and thats what I had at the back of my mind throughout that encounter, and is probably one of the reasons I appear to be relatively calm. I wasn't planning on being eaten alive, so all I really had to do was concentrate on staying on the kayak and getting out of harms way.


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## Swamp (Nov 20, 2007)

Yakass said:


> > Realistically it is very low prob and I agree your encounter gives comfort because it says yak vs shark = yakker gets to fish another day.
> 
> 
> Xactly. It looks scarier than it really is, and thats what I had at the back of my mind throughout that encounter, and is probably one of the reasons I appear to be relatively calm. I wasn't planning on being eaten alive, so all I really had to do was concentrate on staying on the kayak and getting out of harms way.


Its alright when it is only a baby one ;-)


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## Guest (Aug 24, 2009)

> Its alright when it is only a baby one ;-)


Can't argue that, but can't say I'd handle it any differently though. Heart would beat faster, etc, but the outcome would likely be the same.


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## shappy (May 29, 2008)

it may have been a young shark, but it could of been a stubborn young shark. he came in pretty fast and seemed pretty agressive too, if you did give him a jab with a paddle or stick there's no guarantee he will bugger off. most other white incounters i'ved watched (when being inquisitive) they cruise in and circle around, turn on there side and have agood look at things, but this one had a bit more bounce in his step, or should i say tail!!


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## roller (Jun 18, 2009)

Great Vid, IMO with the popularity of Kayak fishing world wide, reported shark encounters will undoubtedly increase. Be preparred I say, fitting a shark shield is a very good idea. But like Josh says you have more chance getting hurt behind the wheel...............


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