Big One That's Lurking

(Queensland, Australia) One surfer remarked that he's heard of the big one that's lurking.

A 'MONSTER' great white shark measuring up to 6 metres long is prowling a popular beach after biting another great white almost in half.

Swimmers were warned to stay out of the water off Stradbroke Island after the shark mauled another smaller great white which had been hooked on a baited drum line.

Queensland beaches are protected from sharks by nets and a series of baited hooks (drumline) about 500 yards out. Unfortunately, the protection may be reduced since environmentalists are loudly complaining to the government about the nets capturing whales and turtles.

Mr. Darren Kindleysides, a marine conservationist, and Vic Hislop, a shark expert, acknowledge that the nets are effective but suggest removal to protect the whales, dolphins and turtles. Not mentioned is that removal of the nets would be dangerous to the public and cause a drop in tourism revenue on the Sunshine Coast. Only an idiot would knowingly go into shark-infested waters.

I can't help but have a memorial thought for the crew of the U.S.S. Indianapolis (CA-35), sunk by a Japanese torpedo in shark-infested waters. About 900 sailors made it into the water. About 600 were eaten by sharks before rescuers arrived.