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02/07/2004: "JH HISTORY "fathom" magazine shark cover"
In the 1960's spearfishermen had at last a defense against the sharks (they were attracting by spearing fish).
It was the shotgun and later .303 powerhead. Promoted in USA magazines by shark hunter Scott Slaughter (his real name), the original shark hunter who inspired Australians but is rarely credited.
The Australian researchers (Ron Taylor, Ben Cropp, Ted Louis, Dave Rowlings) were experimenting with chemical injections on sharks that were far too slow working. The powerhead had an instant result.
The quest in the sixties was a practical defense for shipwreck survivors, anything better than coloured dyes or plastic bags. Sharks are always a problem under certain unusual circumstances.
In the sixties divers hunted sharks to overcome a fear of them. Grey nurse sharks were for amateurs, and they were not commonly seen. The more courageous free diver sought dangerous species, tiger, whaler and white pointer, but these were rare too.
A single powerheaded shark might be photographed several times, each time with a different person posing for the photograph. It gave the impression a lot of sharks were being killed by divers. A myth.
The grey nurse shark 'myth' in recent years became so over and wrongly quoted it 'snow-balled' into protection for the species. (But who complains about that except a few fishermen? It's good for dive business and is unlikely to 'backfire' with a plague of this quiet species. They were never prolific anyway).
The Sun's news journalist Mike Perry wrote in 1966 "sharks can't tell the difference between brave men and fools".
It was also a time when there were far more dangerous sharks in the sea. In three consecutive summers, three experienced snorkel divers were badly bitten at Aldinga Reef near Adelaide in southern Australian waters, and another elsewhere in Victoria who was swimming with seals (sea lions).
The consolation divers had for decades was "no scuba diver has never been attacked by a shark". This was to change as the sport became more popular and now several have now been eaten. The dive store sales people lost a valueable and often quoted 'line' to help sell courses.
More recently it is surf riders who have become popular targets for white pointers. The fin of the surf board possibly resembling that of a dolphin snack.
Dive stores had always down-played shark hazards until they woke-up it was the 'shark thrill' that attracted business. Today they offer (sell) shark dive courses and tours galore.
This page is a small part of the sharks issue published by Fathom 1971. Main picture is shark bite celebrity Rodney Fox with a large whaler shark he attacked at Point Lookout late one afternoon 1967 with a .303 powerhead (pictured).
Small pictures. (left) Rodney Fox the day after doctors removed his stitches, following a white pointer shark 'mouthing him'; this famous photo by Ron Taylor in December 1963.
(centre) Henri Bource lost half his leg to a white pointer in 1964, he overcame his fear of sharks with self hypnosis, made his 35mm release shark film "Savage Shadows" and became a shark bite celebrity when he wasn't playing sax in a 60's rock band revival. (He was a 1960's rock n roll star with Melbourne's "The Thunderbirds" band).
(right) Wally Gibbins with his 11 foot 1 inch tiger shark from Sykes Reef, (near Heron Island). In 1964 'the biggest and best result' achieved in Australia. It showed what was possible. Not very acceptable today.
See additional FATHOM pages: www.xanga.com/thejhh
