Palm Beach(QLD) reef

[-Chris-]

Chris, not sure what you mean?? Do you think diving without a shark shield is being complacent and not giving sharks their due respect? If so then 90% of spearos out there are guilty. I don't recall where i said that we should not respect sharks. Not worrying about sharks certainly shouldn't be interpreted as the same as being complacent. My point, that you seem to have missed, was that if you are so worried about getting eaten that you want to wear some sort of electronic shark shield then maybe you should consider another sport. Why don't we all wear scuba tanks so as to avoid the risk of blacking out ?? In fact why don't we just shoot the fish from the comfort of our boats as they school on the surface and then we will never get eaten or drown. The same logic applies.

Nope, I've never used a shark shield whilst spearing. You said in your previous comment that Defore should "harden up" and not wear a shark shield and that a shark shield takes the risk out of spearing. My point is if Defore wants to wear a shark shield then that's his choice and he should not be criticized for it. Not everyone is a hero spearo.

[Badone]

I guess we will have to agree to disagree Chris. I think anyone who uses a shark shield while rec spearing should be criticized. It is one more factor that pushes the odds more in our favour and less in the fish's. I have stopped spearing many times when the fish were on because the sharks became a little too friendly. If I'd had a shield I would have merrily kept spearing without a worry in the world knowing that my shield was keeping the sharks off not my own instincts and knowledge. It is cheating. Just my opinion...

[boney-leg]

Was cleaning some mackerel a couple of years ago and had a 3m hammerhead and some bronzies getting excited behind the boat. Some lads saw the hammerhead's fin and came over to see what was happening. They had a shark sheild on board so they put it on their float line and dropped it down on the feeding sharks. They went a bit white when they saw it wasn't deterring the sharks.

For surfers and snorklers I guess it works well on inquisitive sharks but I'm not convinced when there is blood in the water and they are in attack mode. I don't knock anyone for using them (even though I wouldn't bother personally) but I believe you still need to be vigilant even if you are wearing one.