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The Sun reports that the recent shark attacks in Mexico may be due to sharks in the area acquiring a taste for humans by feeding on bodies dumped in the ocean by the Mexican mob. The Sun reports that local authorities are investigating this theory. Really? The story doesn’t validate whether the Mexican mob has in fact dumped “hundreds of bodies” in the ocean or whether it’s been witnessed that sharks either feed on these bodies or that they have been found with shark bites in them. If there were in fact hundreds of bodies dumped, then you would think that a few would wash a shore or be found by fisherman. On my trip to Zihuatenajo in April weeks ago, I was surprised by the presence of armed Mexican marines in the tiny surf town of Troncones. There were also roadblocks with heavily armed Mexican solders up and down the highway suggesting some issues with the drug trade. But I never heard anything about bodies being dumped in the ocean. You’d think a publication like the Sun would want to check their facts and get real source not a couple of guys in a bar.

Outside magazine published a blog post, suggesting maybe surfers were to blame. In spite of all the media coverage and the hype, the risk of death from a shark attack is pretty much insignificant. Worldwide there’s an average of 2.7/year for all surfers, swimmers, and beachgoers. Pretty slim considering how people are out there in the water.

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If you’re a surf media junkie like myself and your monthly surf video purchase and four surf magazine subscriptions just don’t seem to be enough, Fuel TV has some great surf content. A friend suggested to me last year, and I was blown away by the quality and how much surf related content they have. They’ve got two weekly shows dedicated to surf content: Fins and On Surfari. Fins does a great job with profiles on surfers, photographers, film makers, etc. On Surfari is a travel show by a San Diego-based surf couple, Shannon and Shane McIntyre, who travel the world in search of surf and cultural experiences. Here’s an interview they did with TransWorldSurf Magazine. [Video Clips from Fins and On Surfari after the jump]

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Shark Shield, the once touted solution to our shark fears, leaves us further in doubt about our shark-resistant future. I posted a while back about a test of theirs that went as wrong as it could go when a female white shark swallowed the device whole! (post) In principle the Shark Shield is simple. Sharks use a very sensitive organ in their snout to detect minute electrical fields generated by their prey’s muscle movements conducted through the water (or in our case, the surfer’s muscle movements). Shark Shield emits an electrical field (conducted through the salt water) that would in theory startle and repel sharks. Reasonable thinking. [more after jump and a video on the device]

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I must have read my first article of the promised Ron Jon Surf Park probably in 2003 in Surfer Magazine. They touted the park as right around the corner and the first of many to come. First Orlando, then every other city in the country. We’d be surfing at night, getting a guaranteed 12 waves an hour, and picking between long rolling point waves and getting shacked in a pool. Ron Jon where have been?!

The Surfpark in Orlando touted new technology that would produce a more powerful, longer, and consistent wave that could be altered to different shapes including the elusive tube.  There wasn’t a dissenting voice among the surfing public. But since then, we haven’t heard anything. I did some digging on the Surf Park website and found a recent change of plans and another vague time-line.

In February they announced redesigns  that include a two phase development. First would come a smaller wave pool with rides of 30-40 yards and then a second larger wave pool with larger waves and longer rides (6-8 foot waves and 60-80 yard long rides). They don’t give specific dates.

In the meantime,  a guy named Steve Jones is promising a wave park in London by 2011. So Ron Jon, give us some dates! We’re dreaming of chlorine barrels.

Kelly Slater has had an OK start to the 2008 ASP World Tour by winning 3 of 4 contests so far (Snapper, Bells, and Fiji). He won in insane conditions at Fiji (results). He’s now of course in 1st place in the Foster’s ASP rankings leading Joel Parkinson, Bede Durbidge (huh?), and Adriano de Souza followed by C.J., Taj, Mick, and Andy. What this all means is that Kelly is slaying the tour and on target for his 9th world title!!! Bruce Irons is planning this to be last year on the WCT tour opting instead to surf whenever and wherever he wants and still get sponsored. Seems like a no brainer for Bruce, the free-surfer path of guys like Jamie O’brien, Ry Craike, and Dave Rastovich is well-established and the envy of every surfer in the world.

OK, I promise I’ll get back to surf travel related posts, just one more shark post…

If you wondering whether all the shark-attack hysteria has had an effect on your psychology, it probably has. Beach goers have called in 50-70 shark sightings to lifeguards in San Diego since the April fatal attack on a swimmer in Solano Beach. Compare that with 1-2 reported sightings in the previous 15 years!!! A group of surfers reported seeing a shark last week by 11th street, but lifeguards could not confirm that there was a shark in the area.

Scientists are speculating [link and video] that the recent surge in shark attacks in Mexico are due to La Nina, a weather patterns that results in cooler water in the Pacific. La Nina also causes the boundary of cooler/warmer water to be closer to shore which may be why so many more sharks are in and around the beaches of Zihuatanejo.

Local official in Zihuatanejo have started a study expected to last a year where they will be tagging hundreds of sharks and tracking the sharks via electronic radio device [Reuters link]. Biologists running the study will also also local fisherman to report back on any sightings, catches, or encounters with tagged sharks. Smaller sharks will be tagged with telemetric tags that reports location via radio emitting tag. This is a welcome change in their original response to the fatal shark attack in April where local authorities hunted and killed sharks in the area.

It’s good to see Mexico engaging in a thoughtful and well-design study that will provide useful data for the area and for science in general. Their initial response of hunting and killing sharks was short-sighted and ultimately back-fired as there were two additional attacks after the hunt.

The news coverage of the shark attacks in Zihuatanejo and Troncones, Mexico has been out of hand with pretty much every major news outlet and TV outlet adding to the feeding frenzy! Concierge did a good summary of the blog and news coverage here. It’s especially ironic considering how much a sleepy surf village Troncones is. One thing for sure, the line-ups in Guerrero are going to be empty now. So while scientists and reporter can debate whether global warming is to blame for the increasing global incidence in shark attacks, the fact is you’re more likely to die from a “collapsing sand hole incident” (yeah, I don’t really know what one is either) than from a shark attack (shark attack risk of death). So, if you want to score empty waves, now may actually be the best time to head down to Guerrero, Mexico (check out our guide to surfing the area of Guerrero and Michoacan). Your biggest struggles on a surf trip may more likely be from dealing with the logistics like getting scammed renting a car than with anything in the line-up. Regardless, don’t let it keep you out of the water and from exploring. Go surf!

Bruce Grimes, a Florida surfer, who was recently injured in a shark attack in Zihuatanejo Mexico plans on paddling back on it the line-up after he recovers. Bruce had recently moved to Zihuatanejo and opened up a surf shop down there. He suffered injuries on his arm and received 100 stitches but did not lose his thumb as had been reported. Authorities in the area have responded by spotting at beaches by helicopter to watch for sharks.

“I’ll go right back. Yeah, I’m that stupid,” Grimes said, examining his bandaged arm outside the hospital where he just had his daily cleaning. “I’ll go right back out as soon as I’m able to.”

In spite of over 70 attacks in 2007, there was only one fatality worldwide. Already in 2008, there have three fatalities from shark attacks.

Yes, the UK does get surf and actually gets good surf (see link “Pipeland Comes to Scotland“). Now, one entrepreneur’s vision is to have a wave park on the Thames in London. Steve Jones is planning the The Venture Xtreme project at Silvertown Quays. Surfers will be able to ride 3-5 ft waves all year round by the Thames in a wave park. (Youtube video at end)

The wave park is planned for 2011 and offers 100 m long rides that can break either left or right. For $60/hour surfers would get the chance to ride up to 10 waves. [more after the jump]

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