Another HH
 

Paddled out alone from O'Side Harbor around 7 AM this morning. Went directly west for about mile, catching 3 bonita on the way out. For the few of you that I chatted with before launching at the guest slips/SUP launch, I was the guy with the blue Outback.

I normally fish LJ, and am jonesing to fish CBad since I live there. However, decided to try O'Side today. I discovered the launch from the guest slips are awesome :)

After paddling west and looking for life, I got bumped. Not my line, but my yak. I look around for a seal (LJ reaction) and see a 7' - 8' hammer head. Dang - that's a first! For those of you out there, he has a gash or some sort of flesh wound on his back...not from me. Perhaps he bothered someone else who may have poked him?

Lessons learned: I will never paddle out alone again in a new-to-me place. It would have been cool to have a buddy with me...I was a little freaked out because he followed me, bumping and circling me, all the way back to the harbor opening. I guess it was a show for the sporty that passed me as a bunch of dudes were hooting, hollering, and pointing - - while I was hoping this shark would just go away.

Stay calm...and I wish I would have gone out at LJ. :-)

For what it's worth I'm sure the guys on the sportboat would've crapped their pants if they were in your position. Thanks for the report.

How was the swell heading out of the mouth of the harbor?

I did launch from CBad this morning. I'll post a report tomorrow. no sharks spotted there.

Swell was fine...never launched there before. It was cool watching guys surf the jetty as I was going out the mouth...some nice waves coming through. This by far was the easiest launch ever. Put the yak in the slip, mirage drive is all ready to go, hop in the seat and off you go! Swell was a non-factor. Lots of bonito hitting the sabiki and kroc's on the way out. No kelp. Not deep either - the Hammerhead said "hi" in about 60' - 65' water (I think). No greenies or Spanish. No birds. Water was blue eerie.

I'm curious, was your fish bleeding into the water? Or was it hanging off the side at any point? I had a HH shark do exactly the same to me Friday in LJ, and I think he saw my fish as I dipped it in for a few seconds to keep it cool.

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Funny you ask this question, I've been obsessing over the "why" since I got home yesterday, and what I would do differently next time this happens.

First, no fish. I was paddling NW from the harbor, with one Sabiki and one Krocodile...trying to make bait. I caught 3 bonito, one of which I put in my Hobie livewell. The bone was not bleeding, but did die in the livewell. With no blood in the water, I wonder if he could smell a dying bone with the recirculated water from the tank?

For next time? I will definitely wear my PFD "just in case" a shark tips the boat unexpectedly, I can quickly jump in. I was not prepared for that first bump! Coincidentally, I always bring my PFD @LJ, but I never wear it. For some reason, I wore it @O'side yesterday...and I clipped my VHF radio to it. I never use my radio @LJ either, but for some reason, maybe being alone, I had it powered on as I was paddling out. When fishing new-to-me areas, I will be sure to go with a buddy "just in case". There are always other yakkers at LJ in shouting distance - there was NO ONE yesterday. Another lesson I learned, is that I confused the HH a few times when paddling to shore and doing a 180 to face west aiming right at him when he was tailing me - his behavior changed and rather than charging at me, he swam off to the side. However, once I started paddling back to shore, he once again started tailing me, and swimming under me. He hit bumped mirage drive (no bites) a few times as I was pedaling, which was a weird sensation.

It's odd, as freaked out as I was since this was a first for me, seeing a shark circle the yak with a fin out of the water...in addition to being bumped...while it's an uncomfortable feeling, they are such magnificent creatures and it really is awesome to see them so close up. If I wanted to I literally could have reached out and touched him a few times...but I'm a wuss like that. Watching him glide through the water and getting such a close up look is indescribable. Do I want this experience again? Not really...not something to seek out, but I think I will be more calm. These guys caused me much more anxiety than the up close dogs @LJ. Also, I'm going get a GoPro today. :)

PS. My bigger fear is not the Hammerhead after this experience. While I have no doubt he could have tipped me with his torque and strength, not sure this is quite in his nature. Now a Great White launching from below like they do on seals? Hopefully those are just the bigger models in South Africa!

The problem was putting your fish in the livewell. I had the same thing happened to me last year. My buddy was putting his fish in his hatch, I was putting them in my livewell. HammerHead came straight to me, bumped and circled for an hour. He stayed close to me and rarely messed with my buddy.

Weather your bleed your fish or not, once they die a dead fish smell is released and sharks hone in on it. I am no marine biologist but it makes sense.

Thanks octico...I was thinking/assuming the same thing...makes sense.

That weird HH shaped head has evolved like that for a reason. Not to eat humans for certain. I think they are curious and like any animal are looking for a quick free meal.

I think they are drawn to the outflow of the bait tank... that might explain the bumping from the rear. (in my encounters no fish hanging over side but dead bait present on deck)

I don't know how to shake a shark once they are on your tail. The poking with the paddle is a good suggestion. They don't want to get hurt or be harrassed either.

The key is to stay calm. I agree best to have a buddy (hopefully a slower paddler than you). If not, PFD and VHF radio are my must haves.

So far I have not read a post about a HH attacking a kayak.

GWS on the other hand....:eek: those will freak you out.