Healthy ocean, yes?
Yesterday, the Western Australian junior surf titles fled a hundred k’s north after a fifteen-foot White announced itself by breaching during a second round heat.
The White breached “multiple times” about fifty feet from twenty teenagers at Avalon beach in Mandurah, an hour’s drive south of Perth.
Understandably, Surfing WA packed up its contest tents and the event was relocated to Trigg Beach, one of the few reliably rideable waves in Perth.
From the press release:
Surfing Western Australia’s first and foremost priority is to provide our members and competitors with the safest and fairest conditions possible. We’re not confident in light of today’s events is that Mandurah is that place.
“All authorities were contacted and no authorities bothered attending. The shark then stayed in the area for a few hours at which point parents became frustrated that the beach had not be closed or a helicopter or drone sent out or fisheries sent to inspect.
“The beach was eventually closed around four pm after many phone calls to authorities from multiple parents. One of the guys involved in resuscitating Ben Gerring (the surfer who was killed two years ago by a Great White nearby) was informing people as they turned upon after work to go for a surf. The shark was still being sighted in the area at five pm.
“The new government shark mitigation strategies are a shambles, No technology will stop a five-metre GW except a hook.”