Any thoughts on sharks

any thoughts on sharks, bites, surfing, etc.? For an 'opinion' kinda piece in my magazine (Boaters Digest, a regional boating 'lifestyle' mag in the LI/NY/NJ area ...

Need a name and locale to go with any comments ...

Thanks

Gary Joyce

i surf in the waters of california's north coast and i usually try not to think about sharks when I paddle out alone at certain surf spots around here. sharks are ever present, even when they are probably nowhere around at the time. i feel as though sharks are not an enemy, but rather a landlord. we make the choice to paddle out into their domain and accept the chance that we might become a test bite for a hungry shark. it's not their fault and it bugs me that the media and people in general get so upset when there's a shark attack. sharks are one of nature's last secrets and they deserve dignity and respect. it appalls me that people want to go on witch-hunts for 'killer' sharks, especially people who have no understanding or respect for the ocean and the creatures who live there. sharks have been around much longer than we have. like i said, we enter their domain by our own choice. the mainstream public needs to accept that fact and get over the whole 'Jaws' fear. i've had an encounter with a small great white around the sand dunes at ten mile in northern california, and it rattled me. i didn't have a chance to get right back in the water and shake off the fear like a lot of surfers, but the experience didn't keep me from being in the ocean. instead it opened my eyes to how short life can be, and from then on, i didn't even worry about sharks and just went out to surf. that's what i love to do and that's what i will continue to do. i laugh at the people i work with who ask why i would want to keep surfing after having a shark experience, but since they don't surf, they just wouldn't understand and i don't even bother to try and explain it.

Aloha,

My beliefs aren't typical of most surf nuts and lovers of nature. I think sharks taste delicious and are best grilled with onions. I also enjoy eating sturgeon which is kinda like a fresh water shark (no bones just cartilage.) I live (for now) in Central California and have surfed and fished most of the waters around here.I view sharks the same way they view us.......as food.

Bon Appetit.......
http://www.beach-net.com/Sharkrecipes.html

Will Borgeson, you come out of there you geezing gourmet you!!

-Foon (Won't eat shark if they don't eat me.)

I think you should stay out of the water.

-jw, rhode island.

(and don't take the ng too seriously...)

btw, even though I didn't insert the obligatory smiley face garbage after this post, please be sure to point us to the online version of the article when it appears.

I'm sure we'd all like to read more about sharks, bites and surfing!

Thanks!

-jw, ri