Shark Attack Byron Bay - Would you have had the courage?

[101RRS]

You would have heard in the news about the fatal shark attack on the main beach at Byron Bay.

I just viewed the interview with the person who made the perilous swim out to try and save/recover the shark attack victim.

He is clearly a humble guy who made a very conscious decision to enter the water despite one side of him saying not to do it as the Great White was still circling. He admitted he was in a conundrum on whether to enter the water, yet despite his fears he did the right thing even though the Great White was only 40 feet away.

This guy is a real hero and I hope he gets the recognition he deserves.

I ask myself what I would have done in his place - I don't know - would I have the courage? In my life I have only once been in a similar position, saving a drunk scallop fisherman from drowning but in doing so I was never in any real danger myself.

This is different - would you have had the courage to enter the water to save someone with a Great White circling - I don't know if I would have.

Garry

[Ean Austral]

I have been in the situation of the swimmer who was attacked.. Years ago I was spear fishing and got attacked by a crocodile, my mate swam over whilst it was attacking me and speared it , his actions are the only reason im alive today.


I ask myself often if I would have done the same, and 20 yrs later I still cant answer it. Just pray you never need to make the decision.


Cheers Ean

[justinc]

Ean, what an amazing thing to go through. Makes other issues in life you may encounter quite insignificant

JC

[Ean Austral]

Ean, what an amazing thing to go through. Makes other issues in life you may encounter quite insignificant

JC

My wife was 7 months pregnant with our second daughter, it wasn't the phone call she was expecting to receive believe me.


In all seriousness I wouldn't change places with the guy who saved me, what he seen and did is astounding, to swim over whilst someone is getting attacked is brave , but to have the nerve's and piece of mind to realise that the only place to shoot the croc was in the stomach not the armour on its body is ice cool and nerves of steel. He could have swum off and personally I don't think anyone would have blamed him. I owe him my life no question.


When you go thru something like that experience its puts many things in life in perspective.


We need everyday hero's and you never know who they will be until the split second decision arrives. Easy to say you would, but ???


Cheers Ean

[Barefoot Dave]

I have talked before about our society devaluing the term hero. This bloke IS one.
I remember someone once defining a Hero as "Someone who feels the same fear, but remains master of it for 10 seconds more than the next person."

My thoughts to both families, those who have lost and those who came close.

[101RRS]

I remember someone once defining a Hero as "Someone who feels the same fear, but remains master of it for 10 seconds more than the next person."

Well said.

Garry

[bob10]

This story is a bit close to home, " Murphy " in the story is the brother of a mate of mine, Chris Murphy, currently working off the west coast in oil & gas. Both good Brighton boys. Poor Linda was the cook. Bob


Shark attacks in north Queensland are rare, but in cases like this sharks are attracted to the dead and injured fish that get thrown out from commercial fishing boats.
The Australian movie The Reef is based on the true story where a tiger shark killed several crew of the fishingboat New Venture in July 1983.
There were three crew on the boat; Ray, Linda and Murphy.
Murphy's Law says; if anything can go wrong it will go wrong, in the worst possible place, and at the worst possible time, so maybe Murphy should not have gone out fishing that day...
They were 80 km off the coast of Townsville, north Queensland when the boat was hit by a big wave and sank.
Lots of debris was floating around that they lashed together to make a raft and they started making their way to nearby Lodestone Reef where they knew other fishing boats were working.
While they were paddling along Murphy got pulled under by a tiger shark, and when he resurfaced part of his leg was missing. He understood that now he was doomed, with the blood in the water the shark would not give up so Murphy said to his fishing buddies that they should swim away and Murphy himself swam to the shark in an attempt to save his mates and he was killed.
Ray and Linda swam away from the shark as fast as they could, and continued floating on the raft, but several hours later the shark was back again.
This time it took Linda and then disappeared for a few hours again.
Ray kept paddling like crazy on his piece of foam but just before he reached the reef the shark was back again, but fortunately fishermen on other boats working at the reef saw him and just in time came to his rescue, making Ray the sole survivor of this drama.

[Ean Austral]

This story is a bit close to home, " Murphy " in the story is the brother of a mate of mine, Chris Murphy, currently working off the west coast in oil & gas. Both good Brighton boys. Poor Linda was the cook. Bob


Shark attacks in north Queensland are rare, but in cases like this sharks are attracted to the dead and injured fish that get thrown out from commercial fishing boats.
The Australian movie The Reef is based on the true story where a tiger shark killed several crew of the fishingboat New Venture in July 1983.
There were three crew on the boat; Ray, Linda and Murphy.
Murphy's Law says; if anything can go wrong it will go wrong, in the worst possible place, and at the worst possible time, so maybe Murphy should not have gone out fishing that day...
They were 80 km off the coast of Townsville, north Queensland when the boat was hit by a big wave and sank.
Lots of debris was floating around that they lashed together to make a raft and they started making their way to nearby Lodestone Reef where they knew other fishing boats were working.
While they were paddling along Murphy got pulled under by a tiger shark, and when he resurfaced part of his leg was missing. He understood that now he was doomed, with the blood in the water the shark would not give up so Murphy said to his fishing buddies that they should swim away and Murphy himself swam to the shark in an attempt to save his mates and he was killed.
Ray and Linda swam away from the shark as fast as they could, and continued floating on the raft, but several hours later the shark was back again.
This time it took Linda and then disappeared for a few hours again.
Ray kept paddling like crazy on his piece of foam but just before he reached the reef the shark was back again, but fortunately fishermen on other boats working at the reef saw him and just in time came to his rescue, making Ray the sole survivor of this drama.

I remember that, and thought how brave was the bloke that swam away from the others to drag the shark away knowing what his final outcome would be.
It was my first year at sea and working on fishing boats it was a real eye opener to the perils of the sea.


Cheers Ean

[Bytemrk]

Some incredible bravery here...and Gary a great question.

My instant reaction is , sadly, I don't think I'd be brave enough to do that.

However - I don't believe you can truly know until you are faced with that split second choice.

As Dave highlighted, real heroes ARE still scared too.... I think it's often not a conscious decision..it's like a reflex.

More than once in the past I have found myself involved in something... knowing I am doing the right thing... but thinking 'Hell...why'd I do that! "

With a bit of luck I'll never find out how I fair with a shark attack...but if I do, hopefully, just maybe I'll find something I didn't think I had....

[101RRS]

As Dave highlighted, real heroes ARE still scared too.... I think it's often not a conscious decision..it's like a reflex.

I agree completely but what touched me, was this guy made a conscious decision to enter the water but had the humility to admit that he considered not to do it and despite these fears he still went into the water.