Hey, has anyone used the esds (electronic shark defense system)? Is it worth getting? Cons? Pros? Thoughts?
Cheers
I surfed next to my mate yesterday and he had one.
We saw two dolphins, but we were not eaten by a shark.
a less well known, well researched and well endorsed product than the shark shield?
even the shark shield used by government agencies and the subject of many independant tests is not foolproof
Though the technology is proven to ward of sharks, you can never know 100-percent that it will ward off every shark. In February, Peter Clarkson, a spokesperson for Shark Shield, was killed by two Great White sharks during a scuba diving trip off South Australia. There's no proof that he was using the Shark Shield, but if he's a spokesperson, you'd think he'd use the device to protect himself
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/General-Discussion/Chat/The-shart-shield-debate/
I have a Shark Shield, cost about $600-00 (how much cost a prostetic leg?) use it when I go snorkelling, it gives me peace of mind and have never seen a shark.... works well IMO as long as the battery is charged!
Small expense for increased safety, I wear it on me or if I swimm of my yacht with mates I attach it to the boat.
Worth a read:http://www.sharkalarm.com.au/news/86
Excerpt:
"A video recently shot by South Australian researchers show that electronic shark shields don't deter sharks from attacking.
The video was made by South Australia's department of primary industries while testing the effectiveness of the personal protection devices. They found that sharks often ignored the shark shield while offered a tuna bait with the deterrent attached.
The tests were carried out off the Neptune Islands in South Australia and also off the coast of South Africa with the video clearly showing large sharks taking a static bait and even brushing against the deterrent devices. This behaviour is contrary to the claims of manufacturers who state that sharks avoid the shields as they interfere with their senses.
The video was only made public after an application to the Freedom of Information Act was entered by South Australia's Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire. Brokenshire said he applied for the video because thousands of recreational and professional divers relied on the devices.
Lead researcher Dr Charlie Huveneers, from Flinders University, told Adelaide Now the scientists didn't want to release the video because they knew people would misinterpret the results.
Dr Huveneers said there were 116 trials using a static bait at the Neptune Islands, 49 with the deterrent turned off and 67 with it on. "The bait was taken within the 15-minute period in 78 per cent of the trials, with the deterrent not affecting the likelihood of the baits being taken"
"There was no significant difference between the proportion of bait taken when the deterrent was turned off or on," said Dr Huveneers."
^ But Im not a bleeding tuna fillet and I dont look like or smell like one either.
^the best way to test would be to have two pods of seals, one with shark shields attached one without. Introduce a couple of white pointers and see how they go...
wasn't one of the guys who developed a version of these eaten by a shark off Port lincoln a while back?
