Newsletter join now Keep in touch with all the latest surf news, green scene and partner info by joining the Drift weekly update. SIGN UP NOW
What are we made of? Drift Magazine is made from ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free) FSC Certified pulp and low VOC vegetable inks. Studio power by Ecotricity and delivery made using Biopower V100 waste oil.
Monster spotting silly season in full swing
by Howard Swanwick
01/08/2007:// With the school summer holidays well under way, and little else to do but while away the hours in the traditional summer tourist spots, what better time to announce a monster lurks in the ocean praying on hapless bathers.
Any regular ocean users, swimmers, surfers and in particular Cornish trawler men, will confirm that there are many large predatory sharks in UK waters. We all know that these creatures have been here for years, enjoying the relatively clean waters and abundant food chain of the British Isles. As many qualified wildlife specialists have constantly reminded us, we should be asking why Great Whites aren’t here, not if they are.
The Cornish, Welsh and Irish waters are home to many marine mammals, dolphins, porpoises, seals and whales. The fish stocks are relatively plentiful and we enjoy a warm current brought to our shores by the North Atlantic conveyor. All these conditions would be favourable to large shark species. While Great White sharks do not prefer tropical waters, they do like cold to temperate waters seen around the UK. The furthest north confirmed sighting of a White is the Bay of Biscay, while we already know there are an abundance of these creatures in The Azores and Mediterranean Sea. Recent marine researchers tracked by satellite, a White moving from South Africa to Western Australia, an epic migration, on the scale of the large whale species.
So next time you read about “Some-fin Fishy” in The Sun, just remember, Great Whites are nothing new, and have probably been visiting our shores for years. While no one is suggesting we are overrun with them, most marine biologists accept the possibility they are here. Other large sharks have been seen in UK waters, Hammerheads, Makos, Threshers and of course Porbeagles. These sharks are either native to, or have visited our shores, without any press hysterics.
Perhaps the only reason to become hysterical is if you run out of copies of The Sun to read, or perhaps you could roll up your copy and beat the monster over the head with it while it tries to chew your foot off.
Top seeds took control of the ASP World Qualfying Series 6-Star Buondi Billabong Pro Portugal posting big scores and impressive performances in the good three to four foot waves on offer at Ribeira d’Ilhas
Briton Russell Winter's run in the Buondi Billabong Pro in Portugal came to an abrupt end when the Cornishman finished last in his second round heat
The upcoming Boost Mobile Pro presented by Hurley may be the closest thing eight-time ASP World Champion and ratings leader Kelly Slater (USA) has to a home court advantage on the ASP World Tour
Home advantage saw Lee Ann Curren claim top spot in Rip Curl Pro Junior Mademoiselle at Les Bourdaines in Seignosse
The August Bank Holiday weekend saw a hive of activity at the inaugural Quiksilver Skins invitation competition, one of the most innovative contest formats to grace the circuit
Champions tell the story of their success step by step
Skype us
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Surf art 
Surf environment