Went for a late surf this arvo , and im still debating with myself weather it was a shark or dolphin.Id just come off a wave pulled my board in stood up and took about three or four strokes and noticed this very large shape speeding right at my board.It was flying and at first i just thought dolphin, their was a guy on a clubbie board a few meters away and i said to him im glad that was a dolphin, he didnt see anything but i was convincing myself it was flipper , so continued on with the session.Went out back to wait for a good set and low and behold another big dark shape emerged from under my board. At first i nearly shat myself because this was massive , after the initial shock realised it was a Manta , one of the biggest i have ever seen , and i used to dive a lot and have seen quite a few. Any way i went in soon after , and im still not sure if it was flipper or not.My board is 9'2 and it was easily as long.I hope it was a dolphin , but its bugging me.Seen a lot of sharks scuba diving , but this was different.

rustle said...

If you are around the bin there have been several sightings of a large striped critter. Luck of the draw I guess. It has crossed my mind when waterstarting out the back on the windsurfer. Apparently paddle swirls in the water attract it.

Dont think it was a tiger , hell dont even know if it was a shark ,it happened really fast.Seen a few sharks in my time but its a bit scarier when its coming straight at you , very quickly.Probably just a dolphin though.

teatrea said...

Went for a late surf this arvo , and im still debating with myself weather it was a shark or dolphin.Id just come off a wave pulled my board in stood up and took about three or four strokes and noticed this very large shape speeding right at my board.It was flying and at first i just thought dolphin, their was a guy on a clubbie board a few meters away and i said to him im glad that was a dolphin, he didnt see anything but i was convincing myself it was flipper , so continued on with the session.Went out back to wait for a good set and low and behold another big dark shape emerged from under my board. At first i nearly shat myself because this was massive , after the initial shock realised it was a Manta , one of the biggest i have ever seen , and i used to dive a lot and have seen quite a few. Any way i went in soon after , and im still not sure if it was flipper or not.My board is 9'2 and it was easily as long.I hope it was a dolphin , but its bugging me.Seen a lot of sharks scuba diving , but this was different.

mate i think it was flipper. i was paddling in the creek late afternoon and kellys paddleboard crew were training too. it's the second biggest dolphin i've ever seen as came through under us. i just about peaked for a second.

the place should be called after rays. the water was so clear and they seemed to be every where- big and small

I was down Currumbin Creek yesterday morning about 5am and there was a dolphin feeding and doing Seaworld stunts right in front of us. This was across from the RSL. I don't think I have ever seen one that far up the creek. Great show Flipper!

I was up at Noosa at Christmas and was paddling along the National Park heading into the wind.

I was judging my speed be looking at the rocks on the bottom and at one point I thought, that's weird, I'm paddling quite hard and I'm making no headway against that giant rock (2m wide) that I'm passing over. After a minute or so I looked across at the land and realised I'd actually travelled quite far. Looking back at the rock I then saw it's tail!

Caught in the river at ballina over xmas and i've seen quite a few whilst paddling around one only 20 metres of a beach where kids were swimming. they're there so just don't dangle your toes for too long!!!

Always there, its just now your standing up you can see them. My dad told me stories about surfing Byron on his mal in the 60's and seeing schools of small sharks and a few larger ones when catching those really long rides. I think there was a meat factory further north in the bay that keep them in the area though.

I often see schools of fish and the thought always goes through my head that something bigger is going be lurking about trying to eat those fish. Keep your eyes about you but don't let it become a paranoia.

Historically, sunrise, sunset and murky water are the danger times. Avoid those and you should be fine.....but no guarantee Got to feel safer standing up then all those guys on shortboards or lids though