Sharks At Middle Head

[amkulic]

Hi,

I go fishing down at Middle Head around Obelisk Bay.

Out of interest i'd love to go have a snokel soon to cheak out the surrounding in the water and see the fish life. (I've seen people underwaterfishing there before)

Does anyone know if there is a danger of sharks there that would be a threat?

Thanks for any info

[justinp]

Mate i sometimes have been known to underwaterfish from chinemans beach and swim almost right around to balmoral, I know its not middle head but its not far from it, I personally havnt seen any sharks their but you be assured that their are the add ones with all the bait in the harbour, espescially when the salmon show up, their was post on a underwateros site last year about a ouple of guys that got buzzed by a white off north head, and good mate of mine who fishes the lanecove and parra river heaps regulary sees bulls and whalers all the time, having said all this, if you think about all the people in the estuarys and the ocean on the eastern seaboard every weekend they must number in their thousands, yet their are only a handfull of reports every year. p.s the snorkelling around this area is fantastic and well worth a look, I found a great whiting spot recently doing this.

[huntman]

Although shark attacks are rare, balmoral has had more shark fatalities than anywhere else in the harbour. Although you're far more likely to die driving there than get taken by a shark. I'd like to get into snorkelling and scuba a bit more, there seems like there's heaps of cool stuff to see under the water, and it'd probably help with your fishing skills to know what the terrain is like down there.

[bobfish]

Although shark attacks are rare, balmoral has had more shark fatalities than anywhere else in the harbour. Although you're far more likely to die driving there than get taken by a shark. I'd like to get into snorkelling and scuba a bit more, there seems like there's heaps of cool stuff to see under the water, and it'd probably help with your fishing skills to know what the terrain is like down there.

I regularly go under the water (sharp, pointy gun in hand) and my opinion is that sharks are everywhere, just cos you dont see them doesn't mean they dont see you. One tip is not to dive in low visability, this way they wont mistake you for something edible.....On the few times i have seen noahs i have enjoyed them as part of the scenery, not as a threat..... Happy diving!!!

Edited May 20, 2007 by bobfish

[davester28]

Here's a comment by "a pony-tailed fishing guide" on sharks in nearby Middle Harbour:

"Dolphins come in[to Middle Harbour] as do big sharks. A 3m bull shark was netted by fishermen at Grotto Point in 1999 in only two meters of water and I have no doubt that it was either on its way up or back out of Middle Harbour. Six fatalities have occurred in Middle Harbour, four well upstream near Sugarloaf Bay and two in the shallows near Balmoral. This makes Middle Harbour the shark fatality capital of Australia. If we could tap into local aboriginal history, I'm sure we could add to this list, as most of the local rock carvings above Bantry Bay feature the unnerving combination of very large sharks and very small bark canoes."

Edited May 21, 2007 by David L