Thread Of Positive Awesomeness

I'm pretty sure it is the way you fall off.

 

Card VIII of the Rorschach test?

 

Kin ell...MotoGP Austria

 

I remember that race, it happened that fast he couldn’t have reacted even if he had wanted to. Luck was with him that day for sure.

 

I love sharks. I even braved a 40 hour boat ride to Cocos Island to dive with them about 10 years ago. But this woman REALLY loves sharks. She is amazing and has done such great work in the Bahamas around protecting them and educating folks. I hope you enjoy this video as much as I did.

 

Sharks, probably the most misunderstood species on the planet.

 

No @Pegscraper, that would be wives…

Sharks are the second most misunderstood.

 

Maybe that's why I feel such a kinship with sharks.

 

Lived w/in a couple miles from the ocean most of my life. Been diving since I was 15. Seen quite a few in the wild. Reef Sharks, Spinners, a couple Hammerhead, and of course lots of Nurse Sharks. Never really felt uncomfortable in the water w/them(venomous snakes don't bother me either). You can kind of read their body language and if you can see them, chances are it's because they're letting you. They're often simply inquisitive and will hang back like curious alley cats just assessing you and your activity. They'll calmly follow you too. I've turned my back on them many times as I could tell they were no threat. Nothing could prepare me for cage diving with Whites down in S.Africa a few years ago.

We had maybe 20' vis and 2'-3' chop with gentle rolling swells so as we couldn't see them until they were right on the bait, they couldn't see us… or the bait(20+ lb chunks of Tuna). They came in like surface-to-air missiles straight up vertically, homing in and hitting with extreme violence of action. Just looked like a horrifying gaping mass of triangular teeth fading in from the depths They'd give the meat 3 ot 4 explosive slashes side to side to rip it apart and then ghost. When their heads impacted the cage it was like a shockwave coming off an artillery or rocket strike(which I have experienced). The salts running the boat said in calmer, clearer waters they usually meander about then calmly close in to grab the bait in a less frantic manner. What we basically saw was classic shark attack nightmare fuel. IIRC we had a 12, a 14, a 17 footer, and they were PISSED OFF. Apparently they don't like murky, choppy water either. They can't say no to bloody prey so poor, rougher conditions agitates them.

They say a full grown Great White is about as intelligent as an adult rat. That is not to be underestimated.

I'm still on the road, but when I get back east I'll try to dig through my external drive and post a couple pics. I considered myself somewhat jaded at the time of this dive, still do, but that encounter SERIOUSLY impressed me.

Anyhoo… that's my Great White Shark story. Beautiful, terrifyng beasts. A half hour in the water with them can change you.

 

Yeah - people start to call you Stumpy…

 

If you’re stupid enough to exit the cage in anything other than absolute pristine conditions I can assure you the mere loss of limbs will be your least concern.

 

My son's stoner 2 men band.
I like it, I share it
https://soundcloud.com/user-139913811/hunters
https://www.instagram.com/hunters_band/

 

It was a joke. I totally understood the experience you had. I’m slightly envious as I was a club diver with BSAC and felt they taught the science and safety of diving whereas Paddy focussed on getting people wet at any cost(risk). BSAC have changed their advancement system so I have not ideas where I got to - I taught novices, taught them boat skills. Radio skills, and planned and led dive outings. I ran (with help) the diving club at a university.

But my joke was ‘30 minute with a shark will change your life’… I’m sure it could!

Sorry you didn’t appreciate the wit.

 

We were shown shark educational films (amongst others) when I was just a lad at school in Cape Town. Fishermen were still going out in boats fishing with grenades on spears in those days. We'd go ask for shark teeth of off the guys who hung the big sharks by their tails on trailers to show them off. We'd keep the teeth in those tobacco tins every kid had for those special items.
Never really thought about the danger. When the days got really hot the tar on the edge of the roads used to melt. We'd go nick a sheet of corrugated iron off of some building site (loads for hoarding and roofs were used then) bend the ends up onto a short piece of wood and use the tar as a sealer on the joints at each end. The resulting heavy and unstable canoe was carried to the beach and one or two would paddle out as far as we could until it sank. The water was so cold it would make your chest hurt.
Arguments would ensue as to who held the record for the greatest distance out.
I'm glad my mum never found out ..... I don't think she would have seen the funny side.

 

Talking of tar.
I found these alongside a brook near here.



Very old and rusted away steel barrels that contained tar.



Loads and loads of them buried and laid out alongside a dry stone wall adjacent to the brook.



They've obviously been there for years, and, as the local stories go, were dumped there by the US Army after WW2.



The stories are most probably bollox as I've since found that there was a massive Victorian factory a few miles down the river that produced coal gas. The barrels are of WW2 era and the barred looped one looks like it may have German origins but more likely a local business getting rid of it's rubbish.



Typically the council say they can't do anything about it as they don't know who owns the land and there's no danger of pollution as the barrels are empty. But a very pretty picture. No politics please. Over...

 

Here we go again.

Not bad. I've been on a Stoner Rock and Doom Rock tip lately so this will go in the cue.

 

Whatever.