Safety

I asked this question in another post "Shark attack on 8 year old. How did this happen?". I think its an issue that deserves it own post.

With this latest tragedy in Florida, it seems the resorts and communities of these areas would want the vacationers to feel safe while visiting and would build a fence a few hundred yards from the beach to protect the swimmers from sharks and other things.

Several other posters stated this would be too expensive and wouldn't work because the ocean floor is sand. Why wouldn't cement work. There are plenty of poles, docks, and other things cemented into the sand that hold. And most cities tax the tourists anyways to build their new stadiums. So what’s a few more dollars to know you children are safe swimming in the ocean.

Another poster said with a fence up, his daughter would have missed the moment a dolphin swam within 10 ft of her. Special moments like that might be missed with a fence up. But what if that was a shark. That would not have been a so special moment for her anymore.

I think this is a worthwhile idea that the resorts should look into. What are your opinions?

puleeeeze

Because most resorts have pools for those faint of heart!

chuck

While we're at it, why don't we build a glass tunnel surrounding the appalachian trail so people can get the impression of being one with nature without actually having that experience.

Sorry to be so glib, but the idea of altering nature for our own recreational or amusement purposes gets under my skin. If you want to swim safely without fear of sharks and other creatures, feel free to jump in the nearby swimming pool. Or do as my wife does--she loves the beach and ocean but is afraid to venture out into it very far. That is, simply look at it, admire it, wonder about it--but do not ruin that amazing environment for its full-time inhabitants.

notreally

Safety you are mistaken. Yours is NOT a worthwhile idea.

Karl

For the same reason there's no interest in constructing biodomes for people to live in, like in The Truman Show (with Jim Carrey); for the same reason we don't want to live indoors, tan indoors, exercise indoors and never touch the natural world.
I don't want everything in my world to be artificial.
If you don't want your kids to be endangered, keep em in the hotel pool.

Jana

Dear Safety, Sorry about some of the other rude replies to your questions, hope this sheds some light on your question.

Most beaches are public beaches even at expensive resort areas. By law in those areas, the resorts are forbiddento claim a strech of beach as their own. Usually anyone can use that beach, but it is the facilities that the resorts offer that are for the exclusive use of their guest.

J T Kirk

I know this had been said already but if you're THAT afraid use the pool!!!

Safety

For everyone besides Jana, what world do you live in? Do all of you live in a tent in the woods to protect nature?

Do you not have a house or apartment that is located where trees, birds and other creatures used to inhabit before man took the land as his own.

Do you not drive a car or use some other mode of transportation and polute the environment?

We are humans. As bad as this might sound, we have destoyed nature in more ways than anyone can explain.

Those resorts we go to at the beach for our own amusement, where not created by God. Man came into those areas and built these buildings and called it "progress".

So for you Chuck, who gets upset when people try to alter nature, I hope you don't stay at any of these resorts or own a car or house to might upset the natural world.

For you Karl, I guess your in the same boat as Chuck. You "don't want to live indoors"? So where do you live Karl?

Even though some people might prefer to tan outside or excercise outside, many of us do go to the tanning saloon. Many people do go to the gym to work out. So these statements you made are illogical.

I am not wanting to live my life through a window. I am not wanting to damage nature anymore than it already is. I thats not what I meant to imply.

I simply wanted to address the issue of safety in the ocean and possibly help prevent other incidents from happening.

The same way we want safer cars, safer airplanes, safer streets, safer homes. Maybe this idea is a impractical because of the finances but don't tell me it is because we don't want to upset nature when all of us to it everyday.

Barbara

There are shark nets on public beaches in Australia, so why not here on beaches where the danger is higher. I'm not necessarily advocating them, but I don't think the subject deserves the derision some of you are giving it.

Chuck: the little boy who was bitten didn't "venture out very far" either.

chuck

Safety,

If you had read my post more carefully, you would have seen that I railed against *altering nature for our own recreational or amusement purposes* You are absolutely correct that humans have significantly altered at least parts of the environment. And yes, I actively participate in that.

But there is a difference between building shelter or modes of transportation and recreation. Also, just because our world--including my own participation--is not perfect in an ecological sense, does not mean that we should simply give up and continue to degrade the environment, especially for recreational purposes.

J T Kirk

Safety, the real issue you have apparently overlooked is that are no guarantees. Do you drive? Do you fly on a plane? Do you ski? Do you walk outside? Do you swim in a pool? How can you expect us to make the ocean safe for people. I mean, come on. It's a BIG area. It's nature. I can't make lightening not hit someone. I can't make a grizzley bear not attack someone in Montana. I can't make a cougar not leap on someone in California. The world is full of dangers. And your answer is to put up a NET. Come on.

J T Kirk

Barbara, Australia's laws and the U S laws differ. Resorts don't "own" the ocean. They can't buid nets.
Plus, the studies I've seen tend to suggest that nets cause more problems than they alleviate.

Jeannie

I have resisted saying this b/c I thought it insensitive to the family of the boy who was bitten -- it's not a good idea to be in any water, whether fresh or salt, around dusk or after dark. Knowing the Gulf of Mexico as I do, the shark would probably been visible were it not for the lack of light. And, on the Gulf of Mexico, most counties and cities prohibit the use of ANY LIGHTS THAT SHINE DOWN UPON THE BEACH. This is to protect nesting sea turtles.
In Florida, no private entity owns property beyond the mean high water line or something like that. You would need permits from the Army Corp of Engineers, the Florida Cabinet, etc. to even think of building a structure into the Gulf. Cities and Counties would incur huge liability and maintenance costs. It is simply not feasible in Florida.

J T Kirk

Thank you, Jeannie. You said it (the part about who owns the beach) much more fluently than I.

Safety

My apologies, Carl, for misinterpreting your post. I agree we should not destroy nature for our own recreational use. But the fact still is that we are. And I’m not saying we should just say f*** it and destroy nature even more.

I understand nothing is guaranteed and sh*t happens. But why can’t we make things safer. Again that’s what we do with cars. Awhile ago there were not any seatbelts. Too many people were dying so they install seatbelts to make driving safer. It did not keep people from having accidents and did not fully eliminate deaths, but it did reduce the number of people who were dying.

Putting up a net or fence will not solve all accidents in the ocean. Obviously due to laws and practicality this might not be the answer. But it could help prevent some tragedies from happening. And no one can argue that you would not want safer waters.

chuck

Safety,

It's chuck, not Carl--but no need to apologize. I probably was a little harsh in my response, especially since your goal is certainly worthwhile. Since we've discovered we're all eco-friends, why not push this in a new direction?

I remember reading somewhere that the Navy tried to develop shark repellants. I guess if that had been successful, commercial development of such products would have already occurred. Perhaps some of you divers out there (JT?) can enlighten us on that possibility.

I realize that a shark repellant, if it existed, would probably not affect accidental *hit & run* attacks. But I understand that those attacks do not do nearly the harm that a sustained attack does.

J T Kirk

I don't think there's a good shark repellant, just like there's no good bear repellant (despite claims every other year for something newer and better). The immediate problem I see with a shark repellant is that is would dissipate in the water too quickly (particularly with the tides and currents). the best I can come up with (and this is something i've been following my entire life) is NOT to go in the water when you suddenly see lots of little fish swimming past in shallow water. Most fish swim in schools. Most sharks follow schools of fish. Also, as has been mentioned numerous times lately -- don't go in the water at dusk.

Barbara

Captain Kirk: I did specify public beaches. I live in California where, as you know, all the beaches are public and cannot be privately owned. I did a search on Google re shark nets. You are absolutely right that they are not very effective and can cause more harm than they prevent.

Jeannie: you're right about when not to be in the water, but very few people know this. I haven't been on a Gulf beach for over 20yrs, so I can't remember, but are there any signs which alert people to this? If not, then maybe there could be.

J T Kirk

Barbara, the problem with posting a sign in Florida is that the sign would never come down. There are that many sharks in the waters. Most of the sharks, however, are sand or nurse sharks, ie, harmless sharks (for the most part).
There are some common sense things people can do as far as the ocean in Florida as I pointed out in an earlier post, just like in California, you get out of the water if, nearby, the sea otters are frolicking in the seaweed.

Cindy

I know that the recent shark bite incident was traumatic for everyone, but let's get some perspective here.

We're talking about disturbing the entire Florida coastline because of an injury to one boy. People and children are killed and maimed every day -- many in accidents that are easily avoidable. Just today, yet another parent let yet another child drown in the bathtub in the Phoenix area. Perhaps our resources would be better spent being a little more careful in our everyday lives rather than constructing a massive firewall to separate ourselves from wildlife during our brief vacation at the beach.