PA - Sincerely, a tragic loss of life to lose a young bloke to a shark attack.
Emotions aside, it must be asked would a shark patrol have made much of a difference in Nick's or any other victims very unfortunate and sad attack? If only something could have been employed that may have prevented such an attack, and the few other attacks over the past 5 years or so.
There is, as mentioned before, an emotive side to shark attacks and moreso for those who have experienced the loss of a family member of friend in a shark attack. But the question remains, what of the effectiveness of an aerial patrol to very briefly 'clear' an area before moving on. It must be strongly argued that far more effective measures can be employed to protect swimmers and surfers alike from such attacks.
Further, for those with a sense of adventure, like myself, what do we ask for when we go to remote locations and dive or surf or swim? Do we have the entire coastline surveilled just in case? The risk we take in entering the domain of sharks is accepted by us being in the water, just as it is when we take to the air. Sure we can die in any number of ways from countless causes, but we accept it by being there in the first place.
Also, as stated before, the funding aspect comes into the equation. No amount can be placed on a human life - fact number 1. However, there is only so much that can be done with funds that are available and even an aerial patrol service can only activate a siren in a 'reactive' measure if when sharks are sighted. Pitch the cost of an aerial patrol against more long-term and effective measures and surely something can be implemented.
Consider that the aircraft will be overhead any one position for no longer than 10-15 seconds, returns over the same location sometime later on for that patrol before it will return to the airfield of origin and you have a section of coastline cleared for no more than 30 seconds!!! 30 seconds in an entire day does not make me safe, unless I swim only during those 30 seconds!!! Add to this the fact that patrols are mainly conducted on the weekend - forgetting that people swim 7 days a week - and you start to think that there has to be a better option out there.
Thoughts from anyone else - either critical or constructive or otherwise...
Just wanted to add that in no way do I wish to disrespect the memory of those who have lost there in lives in attacks. Sure, I might feel differently if a loved one had perished in such an attack - who wouldn\'t after such an event considering the grief and sense of loss one would feel. But, I would be asking if anything could be done that would be both reasonable and practicable. As a surfer and diver, I just don\'t see the reasonable or practical nature of shark patrols.
