G
Sharks (not human)
gary was dropped on his head when he was a baby.
What's the difference between a lawyer and a shark?
One's a bottom feeder and the other is a fish.
:laugh:
G
gary short
Guest
B
batich
Guest
Here in playa Alisia they routinely swim 400-500 m off the shore. And did and do it as well in many other seas. They are very solid swimmers and divers.
Regarding sharks local fishmen told me also that there are lots of them in the water and especially between Sosua and Cabarete where there is a boca with agua dulce and sharks like fresh water for their baby fishes.
Also in Samana when they got back safely to the land some locals told them that sharks routinely hit their boats with their sharks`s heads. And recently they drew a man on his leg under water.
Those who were with him decided not to mess with sharks and left.
It is possibe that they created those stories to impress two beautiful young gringas though.
Look I have been diving for m0re than 30 years and the only sharks I have seen are nurse sharks. Have had stringers full of fish and no sharks. most sharks attacks occur in shallow water at dawn and dusk. Because, the vis is poor. Around calif, many occur to surfers because, they use black wet suits which resembles the dark color of seals. I would not fear anything here.
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gary short
Guest
I know I have been drinking tonight.....but the two women were swimming 300 meters!!!! from shore......WHILE the unattended young child was ALONE on the beach.
does ANYONE here have any idea how long it might take a woman to swim 300 meters back to shore to EVEN check on a child left alone!!!!!..on an Isolated beach
lots of crazy antics in this story
Now I thought there were stories of a boat that capsised years ago trying to get to PR...and that the sharks ate a lot of the people.....the florida poll takers must have missed that one HUH???
bob
does ANYONE here have any idea how long it might take a woman to swim 300 meters back to shore to EVEN check on a child left alone!!!!!..on an Isolated beach
lots of crazy antics in this story
Now I thought there were stories of a boat that capsised years ago trying to get to PR...and that the sharks ate a lot of the people.....the florida poll takers must have missed that one HUH???
bob
You could hardly offend Gary.
Offending is his job and speciality.
You dont "have to" be welcomed, but we are forgetting our manners here, so yes, welcome to DR1, and no, it's not a private club.
In over 11 years living in Las Galeras and fishing the entire area of the tip of the Samana peninsula from the mouth of Samana Bay around to Del Vallee on the north side of the peninsula (some 20 to 25 miles) I've only seen one shark- a 6' bull brought in by fishermen and caught at night off the north side of Cape Samana, far from where any swimmers would ever be. I've also only had several fish cut off from a shark (or barracuda) grabbing them while hooked on my line. And knowing and talking to many fishermen (including local divers who swim a mile or more out from peninsula beaches spearfishing on a daily basis), I've never heard of a shark incident nor of sharks rubbing themselves against little boats. Big sharks will do this to larger boats to rub the marine growth off their backs. Sharks also prefer their natural food over humans and there just isn't that much food left in the area with the locals just about fishing it out.
There are a lot more sharks (bigger and including Great Whites off Florida's northeast coast) along Florida's coastline and in the Bahamas than are around the entire coast of this island. I know, I've swum with them and counted several hundred from a small plane flying a 15 mile stretch up the beach off Daytona one summer day (many among the bathers in shallow water). And I too question the poster reporting swimming 300 meters from shore- that's almost 1,000 feet-a quarter mile-, quite an feat for an accomplished swimmer much less two casual swimmers at the beach with a small child in tow. Maybe the poster meant to say 30 meters, 100', which would be more like it.
And it's true, you're much more likly to be struck by lightning than to be bitten by a shark, even mistakenly which is how most shark "attacks" occur. A nip or a bite is how they identify their prey.
There are a lot more sharks (bigger and including Great Whites off Florida's northeast coast) along Florida's coastline and in the Bahamas than are around the entire coast of this island. I know, I've swum with them and counted several hundred from a small plane flying a 15 mile stretch up the beach off Daytona one summer day (many among the bathers in shallow water). And I too question the poster reporting swimming 300 meters from shore- that's almost 1,000 feet-a quarter mile-, quite an feat for an accomplished swimmer much less two casual swimmers at the beach with a small child in tow. Maybe the poster meant to say 30 meters, 100', which would be more like it.
And it's true, you're much more likly to be struck by lightning than to be bitten by a shark, even mistakenly which is how most shark "attacks" occur. A nip or a bite is how they identify their prey.
B
batich
Guest
And I too question the poster reporting swimming 300 meters from shore- that's almost 1,000 feet-a quarter mile-, quite an feat for an accomplished swimmer much less two casual swimmers at the beach with a small child in tow. Maybe the poster meant to say 30 meters, 100', which would be more like it.
.[/QUOTE]
It is crazy how some people get angry, sarcastic and irritated at anything that they hear.
Just amazing.
There are good swimmers and there are bad swimmers.
And there are VERY GOOD swimmers.
That is it.
My son for instance is an international level competitive swimmer and while in DR swims routinely one-two miles.
These two women can be seen swimming this far away almost every day on playa Alisya. And safely did it in many seas in many countries of the world.
For four days after the incident they stayed away from water that`s it.
Some posters here are really strange.
.[/QUOTE]
It is crazy how some people get angry, sarcastic and irritated at anything that they hear.
Just amazing.
There are good swimmers and there are bad swimmers.
And there are VERY GOOD swimmers.
That is it.
My son for instance is an international level competitive swimmer and while in DR swims routinely one-two miles.
These two women can be seen swimming this far away almost every day on playa Alisya. And safely did it in many seas in many countries of the world.
For four days after the incident they stayed away from water that`s it.
Some posters here are really strange.
I heard that sharks only bite because they are scared. They cannot see well in water which is not very clear (after rain, storm, etc.) and would bite a human or anything else if they don't understand what it is and it comes close to them affecting their safety. So, it is recommended to swim only in clear water in places where there are sharks. This way they will see you from a distance and swim away. Sharks don't bite humans because they are starving, they prefer other types of food. 
Everything practical needed to know about sharks has been mentioned in this thread. However, I feel obligated to add the following, since I take umbrance at the casual mention of doctor George Burgess, a highly reputed scientist in his field, and director of the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) at the University of Florida, as a mere poll taker.
Bob, have you noticed that very few people in the DR know how to swim, much less in dark and choppy seas? Once the boat capsized, the unfortunate passengers drowned almost immediately. Shark attacks on already dead people don't count for statistical purposes.
It is crazy how some people get angry, sarcastic and irritated at anything that they hear.
Just amazing.
There are good swimmers and there are bad swimmers.
And there are VERY GOOD swimmers.
That is it.
My son for instance is an international level competitive swimmer and while in DR swims routinely one-two miles.
These two women can be seen swimming this far away almost every day on playa Alisya. And safely did it in many seas in many countries of the world.
For four days after the incident they stayed away from water that`s it.
Some posters here are really strange.[/QUOTE]
Batich,
Me thinks you doth protest too much. Who's "strange and irritated?" I simply observed that MOST swimmers don't swim that far off the beach and that possibly the distance quoted was a misprint. Even on the "World's Most Famous Beach," all 23 miles of it in Daytona Beach, Florida, the lifeguards won't let you get more than 100 yds off the beach, no matter WHO you are. And if you want to take a one or two mile swim, you swim up or down the beach and not a mile or two offshore. That's insanity. BTW, where is Playa Alisya? If it's in Samana where this shark encounter supposedly happened I've never heard of it.
Swimming off shore, one day I was fishing the seven mile reef off of Clearwater Fl. and, there was this guy hanging onto the bouy. I asked him if he needed any help,water, or to be rescued. No he said I do this everyday. To me that is like jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. There are nuts everwhere.
To avoid drowning, and not swimming, that is the question...
I tell those planning on taking the dangerous treck across the Mona channel on the rickety boats (yolas), to tie a meter-long cord between two empty and tightly capped plastic galon containers, and keep them on hand in case the boat flips over, to be used as a life saving flotation device, by placing the rope under the arms with the galon containers over their shoulder blades once they're in the water. My invention has saved more than one unfortunate from drowning.
I tell those planning on taking the dangerous treck across the Mona channel on the rickety boats (yolas), to tie a meter-long cord between two empty and tightly capped plastic galon containers, and keep them on hand in case the boat flips over, to be used as a life saving flotation device, by placing the rope under the arms with the galon containers over their shoulder blades once they're in the water. My invention has saved more than one unfortunate from drowning.
Sister`s little son was at the beach alone at that time.
..that little tid bit is what allows me to think that the 300 meters might have been a mistake of some form , verbal , typed, what ever.
heck people swim the english channel too, but none of the them leave thier young son on the beach when they do it....
if they look back from 300 meters out and the child is drowning 10 feet from the shore... they cant make it back in time to save him....
and mirador you cant take umberance from me...I dont have any! ha ha ha ha
but rest assured Ill NEVER refer to G.B. as a mere poll taker again!!!!!
GB...has a nice ring to it......
And while not an expert.....I bet once one body was cut....the sharks didnt wait for death to happen....
I thought i read that a politician got a helicoptor and flew out to the site of a boat wreck only to find the waters red with sharks eating people.....you say they were all dead before hand????....Id have to ask you you got that info? from the pol....ah.....er professor? ha ha ha
bob
..that little tid bit is what allows me to think that the 300 meters might have been a mistake of some form , verbal , typed, what ever.
heck people swim the english channel too, but none of the them leave thier young son on the beach when they do it....
if they look back from 300 meters out and the child is drowning 10 feet from the shore... they cant make it back in time to save him....
and mirador you cant take umberance from me...I dont have any! ha ha ha ha
but rest assured Ill NEVER refer to G.B. as a mere poll taker again!!!!!
GB...has a nice ring to it......
And while not an expert.....I bet once one body was cut....the sharks didnt wait for death to happen....
I thought i read that a politician got a helicoptor and flew out to the site of a boat wreck only to find the waters red with sharks eating people.....you say they were all dead before hand????....Id have to ask you you got that info? from the pol....ah.....er professor? ha ha ha
bob
jaws'z
diving and watching the sea with binoculars and just off certain coral cliffs i have seen numerous sharks in the waters here.
they are definatly as far as i have seen as uncommon as winning the lottery.
when the plane went down just off sosua bound for germany 11 or so years ago the waters were packed with sharks.
a number came down all the way from the bahamas for the frenzy,but dont kid yourself EVER,that the waters are relativley shark free.
diving and watching the sea with binoculars and just off certain coral cliffs i have seen numerous sharks in the waters here.
they are definatly as far as i have seen as uncommon as winning the lottery.
when the plane went down just off sosua bound for germany 11 or so years ago the waters were packed with sharks.
a number came down all the way from the bahamas for the frenzy,but dont kid yourself EVER,that the waters are relativley shark free.
B
batich
Guest
I always keep telling her the same thing about the danger of leaving the little guy by himself while swimming this far. Well...