Palfrey says sharks were ‘cruising’ through night

| 14/06/2011

(CNS): Open water swimmer Penny Palfrey has hit the headlines the world over following her astonishing marathon swim this weekend. The 48-year-old British-Australian woman from Townsville, Queensland, has set a new record for an unassisted solo ocean swim by completing the more than 68 miles or 108 kilometres between Little Cayman and Grand Cayman. In the water for more than forty hours and forty-one minutes non-stop and followed by white tip-sharks, Palfrey’s swim was not only an incredible feat of endurance but pretty dangerous as she said one shark cruised under her throughout the night.

Palfrey told ABC Radio she was well aware of the sharks, known for their aggression. "One of the white tip sharks, it just shadowed me the entire night – I could see it sort of five feet away, maybe more," she said. "I had the (electronic) shark shield on so it was just outside the range of the shark shield and it was just cruising underneath me all night long."

To qualify for the record Palfrey, a mother of three, had to make the swim without a wetsuit or shark cage and stay in the water for breaks. She finished the recorded breaking ocean journey severely dehydrated with a swollen tongue unable to speak. She was taken to hospital for observation after she collapsed once she had made it to the beach in the East End of Grand Cayman and given the cheering crowd a wave of acknowledgement.

Steven Munatones, a swim adviser and observer for the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, said that the last few miles were tough going for the endurance swimmer. "What Penny did physically and psychologically was beyond incredible," he said. “She was weak and her arm strokes were just slicing through the water … she wasn't moving that fast but she just hung with it." 

Sharks twice came within about 33 feet (10m) of Palfrey, one reportedly as much as nine feet long, and she was also stung three times by jellyfish.

After a much earned rest Penny is understood to be staying in Cayman for the rest of the week and will be taking part in the more sedate one mile Flowers sea swim next weekend.

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  1. Shannon says:

    No sharks were killed on this swim.

    Jeff Kozlovich was on the boat standing next to Norma Connolly (the Photo Journalist who started the shark death rumors) when the shark was hooked.
    http://kozhawaii.blogspot.com/2011/06/penny-palfreys-core-team-member-speaks.html

    Steve Munatones was on the boat as well:
    http://www.dailynewsofopenwaterswimming.com/2011/06/penny-smiles-but-others-do-not.html

    These are the findings of the interview with Ebanks (the alleged shark killer) and the locals who were on the boat crew as well as the Department of Tourismfindings on this matter:
    http://www.facebook.com/notes/bridging-the-cayman-islands/statement-from-the-organizers-of-penny-palfreys-bridging-the-cayman-islands-swim/238834866128494

    Sharks were hooked and dragged away, not good for the sharks… but far better than dying. Read the part of jeffs article where it talks about what Penny and her Support Crew had decided to do about sharks. Ebanks was part of the Boat Crew… there is a difference in the boat crew and Penny's support Crew, the biggest distinction I can find is that Penny hand picked her Support Crew and the Boat Crew came with the boat. If I find that I am wrong about the latter I will post a retraction.

    When all this is put together the gist of it is more "sharks were hooked baited and dragged off by a fisherman whose only reply when he came back was I got rid of them and that was taken the wrong way by the reporter" rather than "3 sharks were chopped up and bleeding in the water around a swimmer thus putting her in more danger"

    No one is saying that no sharks were HARMED (hooks hurt), just that they were not killed.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Don't remember there being so much protest everytime they kill sharks at the sand bar!

    Do they still shoot the birds at the airports?

    Is it ok to kill and eat turtle just because we have a farm?

    The list could go on…….Just some thoughts.

    I think what Penny accomplished here in Cayman is pretty amazing and just maybe articles will be written mentioning Cayman that have nothing to do with secret bank accounts and tax havens.

     

     

  3. Unknown says:

    It has just been confirmed that White Tip Sharks are in fact endangered. Therefore alternative opinions may be formed byf those who are not concerned regarding the murders.

  4. Anonymous says:

    If the dead shark clock was still ticking think about then Approx. 38 MILLION sharks are killed annual only for their fins still alive an thrown back in to the sea to sink to the bottom an drown. If we do the math this averages out to be about 104,000 sharks a day. Since this post has been running about 350,000 sharks have had their fins slice of for some ….word cannot express…"person" who wants them in their soup bowl. The largest exporters of sharks fins and the total product weight in kilograms
    Spain   2,646,442
    Singapore   1,201,236
    Taiwan   990,664
    Indonesia   681,012
    United Arab Emirates   511,197
    Costa Rica   327,385
    United States   251,310
    Yemen   226,738
    Mexico   216,833
    Brazil   200,732

    BUT about 85 countries in all export shark fins including the Uniteg Kingdom and 90% of all shark fins go through Hong Kong for China. So think about the Chinese running around on this island in a few years…Hey Joe you got any shark fin. Obama did say no more finning and the whole shark must be bought in so I guess a lot of dead sharks in land dumps? Nothing we can really do to these countries except focus our anger where the demand is. Don't but anything Chinese.. for a lot of reasons and certainly don't make deals with them to build ports.


     

    • Anonymous says:

      Actually, there is something can be done. Canada has banned the practise of shark finning. Since the trade still continues, however, Toronto has outright banned possession of shark fin in any form. The ban was actually proposed by Chinese councillors, and supported by business leaders of the large Chinese population.

      If the Chinese send a large labour force to Cayman, unless laws and enforcement is enacted we will see the depletion of sharks,  turtles, sea urchins and many other forms of sea life.

      True, these sort of bans result in illegal poaching and trading, just like what goes on with elephant ivory and turtle but the supplies are cut down.

  5. neil burrowes - go deh - to the world! says:

    I am soooo incredibly proud of you and thankful you chose Cayman as your place to attempt/achieve your Guinness book world record. your courage – your stamina – your – your teams support – amazing!!! i wish CNN would come down her and give you the world wide recognition you deserve. 'big up' to the team for protecting her if you "animal lovers" give a damn about animals – donate some money to the movement that fights the 'shark finning' industry – they kill 1 million sharks per year… don't post/tarnish this amazing world record breaking event – the chinese happen to enjoy shark fin soup and your comments would be better placed on other sites. Penny and team – I would like to offer you a free trip to stingray city and a free swim with the dolphins… 

    • Anonymous says:

      Perhaps the reason Cayman was chosen is because there is tacit acceptance of capturing/slaughtering marine life, so the organizers could get away with behavior that would not be tolerated by other countries.

      Re: Shark fins: It is estimated that many million (not one million) sharks end up dying slowly after having their finscut off. Yes, the Chinese  enjoy the soup. It's not the taste as much as a tradition built on elitism. There are 1.3 billion Chinese. A bowl of shark-fin soup costs about $100 in North America.  Do the math, and figure out when Cayman waters will be targeted for this "delicacy."

       

    • Todd says:

      We are not tarnishing the swim, the support team did that themselves by allowing sharks to be killed. I do donate a percentage of my income (from coaching swimming) to Shark Savers, and volunteer my time to them as well. I eat a 100% plant-based diet as an educated endurance athlete with a very good knowledge of proper nutrition for my body; I do not eat dead animal tissue, waste, or secretions. 100 000 000 (100 million) sharks are killed a year, not 1 million, mostly by the demand for Asian markets/shark fin soup – they do not know any better, a team of this talent and scale should know far better. What they did was wrong, on all counts. Very, very wrong. I just got back from a sold-out, standing room only talk by Rob Stewart (SHARKWATER) this evening and am only even more now upset by the killing of these sharks – the person who did this, and people who might have encouraged it have no idea at all the impact they are having, not just on sharks, and the oceans but on MY future on this planet. Educate, learn, evolve. I am left embarrased and ashamed this happened on an ocean swimming event – and goes so against the grain of what I am doing with my own swimming.

    • Vegemite says:

      Your points about the Chinese loving their shark fin soup is spot on and more attention should be said/written about it. However, this point of focus happened in the Cayman Islands, not China. The biggest impact would happen Here and not what one says about other atrocities with earth's living things that are thousands of miles away. Because more of the same happens there, we should not speak out about it here? You think about that Neil. 

    • Anonymous says:

      or ……. show your displeasure/revulsion here, AND with the shark finning industry.

  6. Vegemite says:

    It's a shame the those sharks were killed for such an unworthy cause that benefits no one but the record holder. No benefit to the island as not many people care about such feats, dangerous or not. This type of sport (if you can call it that) requires one to beat the world's record by NOT swimming in a shark cage or the like. What does that tell you? It tells me that no human should be that far out in the ocean, swimming by ones own choice (because of the greater threat than us puny humans, while being 1:1 with the sharks in their natural territory!) Totally unnecessary, all of it.

    Any achievement Penny has gotten is heavily overshadowed by the killing of the sharks in order to "protect" her. Again, her choice, the sharks rules. But I guess Charles saw that differently didn't he?

    This killing of sharks is only a glimpse into what must happen daily when fishermen take to the far oceans for profit. Sharks killed or injured becasue they are caught in the nets, fishing lines (deep, long, hand or rod), hit by propellers etc. I'm sure of it. Very sad, the whole lot that was involved I say, a damn shame.

    "Man's unique reward, however, is that while animals survive by adjusting themselves to their background, man survives by adjusting his background to himself." – Ayn Rand

  7. Anonymous says:

    Where does is it say a shark was killed?! Maybe I've been staring at the computer for too long but I read the article 3 times and can't find it 😐

    • Anonymous says:

      read the monday compass article.  you may also note that no one is denying it, but read mondays compass

  8. Anonymous says:

    I for one think what she did was GREAT!!!!!!!! As for the sharks being killed, I am sure their meat did not go to waste, after all shark steaks are great grilled. And Please those high on your horses about these three sharks I bet you all eat fish because it is healty, and by the way they were not endangered sharks. What is it with my Island that something cannot go on without someone making an issue about it? I wonder if these shark supporters when driving down the road and they run over an Iguana, if they get out of their car and have a ceremony for the poor thing?

  9. Anonymous says:

    Congratulations should also go out to the guys in the kayaks. Isn’t this alone an achievement in itself? Great job guys!

    • Subway Cookie says:

      An amazing feat by an amazing woman!  Congrats.

      You what else, congrats to Charles Whittaker and all the other boxers who competed last weekend.  CNS why no report?

  10. Anonymous says:

    I wish we could get this kind of passion for a real problem – The Nassau grouper protections are due to expire in 2012.  Nassau groupers need permanent protection in the Cayman Islands.  THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN ASAP. check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqnkv38iTy8

  11. noname says:

    Apparently everyone on here seems to think that if they had left the shark alone and had let the shark eat the woman that the island would have recieved better recognition that detering the shark from the woman? I love the comments from the people that say she is the one that chose to swim into their area, like she actually mapped out the best places to swim right into a shark zone, that was the whole point of her swimming with protection in case something of that nature did happen to come across she would be safe. There is no way to know when and where a shark will be and to stay away from it especially when you are swimming in the water with them.

    • Anonymous says:

      Duh – you can always getout of the water.  She wouldnt have got her record, but members of a critically endangered species would have got to live another day.  At the end of the day she was there by choice.  

  12. Anonymous says:

    How ironic are somic comments here.

    On one hand you say Penny was in the Sharks environment and although they were a life threat to her, we condemned the perservation of a human life at the expense of the sharks. 

    On the other hand "Cayman kind" (even used as a pun) are condemed when, chances are, you are in our country-at our expense.

    If you are going to live here, a little less condemnation of the culture would be appreciated and tolerated more easily.

     

    One life, one love.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      no expat is here at the expense of any caymanian!

      • Anonymous says:

        Expense goes beyond financial.  If we cannot live in peace-being bombed with your culturalpropaganda, then it gets expensive.

        Charit begins at home-try fixing your own issues first, then selling the idea, not bashing a culture.  Don't you know that you get more flies with honey than vinegar?

         

    • Anonymous says:

      Interesting culture:

      turtles once prolific now endangered

      seals once abundant now extinct

      cayman crocs now extinct

      blue iguanas nearly extinct

      endangered sharks – lets add them to the list shall we?

      A government that refuses to pass even the most pathetic piece of environmental protection legislation.

      Perhaps if you weren't so apathetic you wouldn't be in this mess. 'One love' oh please. 

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

  13. voiceofreason says:

    Am I missing something? Where in the article does it mention that the sharks were killed??? I applaud this woman, however, she did put herself in a very dangerous situation that could have left her three children without a mother.

  14. My 1 cents worth says:

    To the poster that referred to the Cayman Islands as a third world country-I say pack your bags and catch the first available flight out. I am not here to defend the killing of wildlfie; however I, as a CAYMANIAN am appalled at your audacity, temerity and idiotic ways to refer to this country as third world. This is most likely the best life you have ever had and will ever have. The Cayman Islands DO NOT need the likes of you on our shores and I encourage and implore you to do this country a gigantic favor and LEAVE WITHOUT delay.

    • Anonymous says:

      I believe the poster  "disgusted and fed up' that referred to Cayman as 3rd world….. was a caymanian. 

    • Anonymous says:

      maybe you should address the issue before telling someone to leave!….zzzzz…..typical caymanian 'leave if you don't like it' attitude

       

      and remember the mistreatment of animals and lack of respect for the environments is a hallmark of any third world culture…..

    • Anonymous says:

      Gonna be fourth world soon!

    • Disgusted and Fed Up says:

      Ol buddy im just as much Caymanian as you and i say i think it isa third world country and why i say that is because of the way we are acting so dont try telling me to leave my shores cause im just as much caymanian as you and i probably been here longer than you.

  15. LoveCayman says:

    As a Caymanian I am appalled and digusted not just by the critcally endangered that were slaughtered in this womans name so she could inflate her ego and break a record that a hand full of out planetery citizens will even notice, I'm sickened by the lack of caring to our natural environment by my fellow country men. For a country that has its roots and beginnings on the ocean I'm baffled at the lack of connection that we Caymanians have to our natural earth. If we're not paving over it or building 8 storie high condos on our once pristine beach we rape and kill everything in the ocean that gets in our way(and in this case Charles went out of his way to kill at least one shark that wasn't anywhere near this lady). Many Caymanians consider themselves christians(whata bunch of hypocritical asses!) so unna will recognize this little saying – 'you'll reap what you sow'.

  16. Anonymous says:

    OMG – it is amazing how hypocritical people can be!

    It really seems that people just jump on the bandwagon for animal preservations when it is popular! I hope those same people who take such offense that those sharks have been killed feel equally strongly about the horses, cows and dogs tied up under the Cayman sun all day without any shade or water.

    I hope they also are the ones who do not enjoy a juicy steak as they are too disturbed by the thought how that steak ended up on their plate to begin with.

    I further hope that those people are not the ones who are in the front row at Sea World or any Zoo. 

    In my experience however, a lot of those people who are soooo opposed to this are the ones who eat steak at least once a week and have an annual trip to Sea World!

     

    • Anonymous says:

      WOW, that a pretty specific list ya got there:  

      opposed to shark slaughter

      eat steak once a week

      go to sea world once a year……. I myself don't know anyone with those credentials (i don't think).

      BTW, I will bet that you would find  many people that oppose the killing of sharks ALSO oppose the thoughtless slow cooking and neglect of cayman's dogs, cows and horses.  it's not really a stretch.

      • Anonymous says:

        No, it is not a stretch to also be annoyed about the animal cruelty at their door steps, but it is just much more popular to jump on the bandwagon in regards to any shark killings because if people would REALLY be upset about what is going on in Cayman with cows, dogs and horses, morewould be done.

        I

    • Anonymous says:

      thats why they are called livestock you moron

  17. Anonymous says:

    Well, this posts been beat to death…..along with the shark

  18. Disgusted and Fed Up says:

    I hope cns prints this, cns use to be a good news source but now it is becoming a harm to the Cayman Islands,Imagine someone came to our Island and broke a world record which is good for publicity to try and put our little third world country back on the map (I think it is a third world country) and after reading the comments of some of the idiotic posters here it makes me sick and im sure it must make Penny and the rest of the world sick also,All because of three ol Sharks Jeez if it was left to me i would have bobo kill them all. 

    • Anonymous says:

      "kill them all"  …. That would certainly put your little 3rd world country back on the map.

  19. Anonymous says:

    Very sorry to hear about the sharks being killed but very glad that they did not attack Penny.  Anyone entering the sea around here needs to realise that they are fair game to the MANY sharks we have around here.  I would definitely prefer to save the human than the shark.   Those who make their living on the sea around here are not stupid.  They know the wildlife and I'm glad they dealt with the sharks BEFORE they attacked the swimmer.  the fact that one was swimming directly beneath her all through the night, does not mean it was friendly.  Perhaps it was just waiting for a break in the electrical field to attack.  A swim of 68 miles is just an unimaginable feat.  Well done Penny and all those who protected her during her epic swim.  Don't let these people get to you.  I'm sure if they were about to be attacked in the water, they would be very glad to see Capt. Charles.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      The DOT needs to hire you. you could let the world know that they are 'fair game' when they come down here to visit paradise

      • Anonymous says:

        any time we go in the sea almost anywhere in the world we are fair game to sharks. The sea is their home, they have row after row of razor sharp teeth and are very often as big as or much bigger than us and much stronger and better swimmers.  I thought that was common knowledge.  Or is it just that Cayman sharks are special sharks that don't attack people?

         

  20. Tojoe says:

    Poor Bo-Bo Charles, a hero few weeks ago, now a white tip killa. 

  21. Anonymous says:

    A wanda wah dey did with de meat? a staving like a dog, nuh eat nuttin in bout  five days, a sick an tired a iguana meat.

  22. AJ says:

    Man/Woman Eater

    Oceanic White tips are regarded as the most dangerous of all Sharks by Jacques Cousteau, the renowned oceanographer.  They lift their noses out of the water and sniff the air to track their prey rather than simply following water borne scent trails.  The White tips Sharks with the worst reputation for man-eating in the world.  They are responsible for more fatal attacks on humans than all other types combined, including the Great Whites.

     

    Well done to Penny Paltrey and her Team for accomplishing something that some people only day dream about.

    • Anonymous says:

      Since they are so dangerous, maybe people shouldn't swim in their environment. A human has no business swimming in open water, many miles off shore. Sharks live there and have for thousands of years.

      Maybe I will go for a run through West Bay and have potential thugs shot before they hurt me.

    • Pending says:

      Local sealife conservationist Guy Harvey said he thought the fact that the sharks were killed was a shame and excessive, but acknowledged that they were “a real threat”.

      “People had to anticipate that fact that the Oceanic white tip shark are an integral part of the oceanic environment there. They should have thought about that,” he said. He said the white tips usually bump up against a swimmer again and again “to test and see and then take a bite”.

      The swimmer had told her team that she had been bumped in the dark several times as she swam through Saturday night. 

      A kayak and inflatable power boat beside her each carried a Shark Shield that emits electrical pulses to repel sharks, but it appeared at least one of the sharks got closer than the 26 feet of protection it was meant to provide.

      Perhaps Charles should have just continued to let the sharks bump her….

  23. NotSoFast says:

    Would the sharks have been there at all if it was only the swimmer and if Mr. Ebanks wasn't chumming and fishing?  – Just asking a question – don't know the answer…

    • Frank says:

      Get your facts right…he wasnt chumming and fishing. He used the chum to distract the shark and move it away from the swimmer.

      What makes it worse is that half the people commenting on here are probably from the US and Canada and hunt deer and other game all the time. Yet you still choose to put down these guys for killing a couple of White Tips. In case you didnt know White Tips far from being in any danger..there isno shortage of them out there. If you want to test this theory just go fishing out there. It wont be too long before you see a couple coming by your boat. And you better hope it doesnt sink!

  24. Anonymous says:

    Good question!  I'd like to know as well.  Also, how did she handle our normal bodily functions?

  25. Kirsty Leighton, 19 says:

    I am deeply appalled and upset by the events that led to the death of the three white tip sharks, I really do think it is disgusting that they were killed.

    Whilst many shall admire Penny's swimming strength and World Record achievement, it does not bring back the lives of the innocent sharks. As previously stated, sharks rarely make random attacks on humans so I feel it was an unnecessary act of murder.

    After all, it was their territory that was invaded for the case of a selfish act of pride. I do not think however that Penny should be entirely at fault for the deaths although her contributions shall not be forgotten and I intend to express my opinion to her personally.

    It is events such as these that have encouraged me to devote my life to animal conservation and I just hope that I can continue to make changes that shall eventually see events such as this, illegal.

    • Dennie Warren Jr. says:

      Re: “I can tell you that Penny was in no danger at any time from these gorgeous, curious animals.”

      Wow, what an amazing claim!  Would you please elaborate on that statement a little and tell us exacatly what makes you feel so certain that she was never in danger?

      Re: “If they wanted to eat her they had ample time during the 40+ hour swim. They didn't, because they don't.”

      In other words, you are of the view that the shark shield used to keep her safe was totally useless against those gorgeous curious animals (Oceanic Whitetip sharks), and the only reason why they didn’t eat her was because they decided not too?

      • Anonymous says:

        are you referring to the electronic shark shield (that apparently some on didn't trust) or the 'god'smachete' shark shield.

  26. Anonymous says:

    So……all you shark mourners…….I agree that the won ton slaughtering of sharks or any living creature is unacceptable and ridiculous, but what options should the support team for Mrs. Palfrey have taken???  Should they have sat idly by and let the sharks attack her and possibly kill and eat her or what???  Seriously people…the human spirit and sense of adventure comes with some risks and unfortunate consequences but I can honestly say as much as I love the ocean and all that dwell therein I am also very thankful that three children still have their incredible mother today instead of the other unthinkable option ….can I ask if you would have felt this sadness if she had been eaten????    

    • Anonymous says:

      again and again I will say….she took the risk. she entered their environment. They were slaughtered bobo

    • Anonymous says:

      If you read the article heading this, you will read that one of the godforsaken creatures followed her all night… without a bite. It was the shark hunter that couldn't control himself.

    • Anonymous says:

      where does it say she was being attacked?….. maybe out of curiosity these sharks were in the vicinity and came across a big brave caymanian fisherman with a machette…..zzzzzzzzzz

    • Anonymous says:

      Shark won ton……yuuum!

    • Anonymous says:

      You people talk like this woman had no choice but to be swimming in wide open, shark occupied waters! Crazy.

    • Anonymous says:

      she could have just got back on the boat……………………

  27. Anonymous says:

    a fine acheivement, which will be forever tainted with 'cayman kind'…..

  28. Livin-in-the-brac! says:

    Everyone here seems to think that she herself killed the sharks during her swim. She had nothing to do with killing any shark (if in fact any sharks were killed, remember we live in the cayman islands where rumors spread faster than fire) The woman set an incredible record, and all anyone is worried about is that a shark "was killed" funny if that same shark were on the edge of the island about to attack a child who was swimming at the beach, do we blame the child for being in the sharks water? Get over your negativity, finally something good comes to the cayman islands and we recieve good recognition and everyone is step over everyone else to be the first to delivery the negative news instead of the good news. SHame on you all!

    • Anonymous says:

      please get real. the world is watching

    • Anonymous says:

      shame on you for playing the little 'child in the water' card.

    • Anonymous says:

      Livin in da brac, maybe you could think of it like this: If (and I realize this is a BIG if) that little child happened to survive her day at the beach, and was the playing at the edge of the highway, and a big ole ice cream truck was barrelling down on her…….. oh shoot, I've lost my train of thought.

  29. Anonymous says:

    Does anyone know how she managed to change her swimming outfit?  She seemed to have left Little Cayman wearing a purple one and arrived at East End wearing a blue/gray one. Given that this is an 'unassisted' swim, it seems to me to be an equally impressive achievment to have been able to change clothes while in the water.

    • Anonymous says:

      I don't believe this (butchering three endangered sharks) is the type of publicity that will benefit Cayman.  It is bizarre and barbaric to say the least. 

      I hope Penny can find a different location for her swim where wild creatures don't have to killed in order  to facilitate her desire to break swimming records.

      It is not our 'right' as humans to venture into every wild place on this earth and kill the things that live there just  because their presence is inconvenient.

      If Penny wants to really impress everyone she should try swimming the English Channel in December.  That would show you're really, really tough. 

      • Anonymous says:

        well said. thank you

      • Anonymous says:

        thank you, BIZARRE is a fitting word for it.  and these posts are getting stranger and stranger

      • Kirsty Leighton, 19 says:

        I am in full agreement! The English Channel would be a great one to do. Well said.

    • Anonymous says:

      she actually had 7 costume changes during the swim, tying Lady GaGa and Cher in that department. Her team no doubt 'assisted' her by handing her the new outfit.  Swapping suits in the water is not much of a trick.

  30. Anonymous says:

    What I find funny about this is that no matter what is done, by whoever: local, expatriate or MARTIAN, so many negative people just seem to have to find something wrong with it.

    I am really starting to question whether it is a good idea having all this freedom of expression here. 

    I don't remember all this negativity before, and I am only 40, maybe we all need to look for something to be thankful or happy about, but instead we spend so much effort and time being crabby.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      on the contrary, I find it uplifting that some people have respect for this precious world we are a part of.  try being thankful and happy about that. These 'sharkhuggers' are a voice of reason amongst a sad species gone mad.

  31. Anonymous says:

    say whateva… it's a marketing problem now..I for the life of me can''t see how I would spin it.  DOT?? discuss.

  32. Anonymous says:

    "the Indianapolis sinking resulted in the most shark attacks on humans in history, and attributes the attacks to the oceanic whitetip shark species"

    • Anonymous says:

      crikey that's half oft he brac's population!!! we gottta warn em!!!!

      again, you're missing the point.Y

    • Anonymous says:

      Thank you 15:40,

      Now all you shark lovers can go for a swim at the Indianapolis, and please go without a boat, and alone, good bye!

      • Anonymous says:

        why are you so hateful? is someone taking something away from you?

  33. Anonymous says:

    I am afraid that I will only remember Mrs. Palfrey's name in association with killing of sharks, not how many miles her swim was – in fact I don't know what the world record is.  I think most people will remember the killing of sharks as it is more contraversial and sensational than a world record.  And will divers, swimmers, tourists now think that Cayman has shark invested waters which may be something to be avoided?

  34. Anonymous says:

    FACT:

    The oceanic whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus, is a large pelagic shark of tropical and warm temperate seas. It is a stocky shark, most notable for its long, white-tipped, rounded fins.

    This aggressive but slow-moving fish dominates feeding frenzies, and is a danger to survivors of oceanic shipwrecks and downed aircraft — it has attacked more humans than all other shark species combined.

    Recent studies have shown that its numbers are in steep decline as its large fins are highly valued as the chief ingredient of shark fin soup and, as with other shark species, the oceanic whitetip faces mounting pressure from fishing throughout its range.

    The Real Problem:

    Wikipedia.org reports that Hong Kong is a hub for up to 80% of the world trade in shark fin. The European Union ships one third of all shark fins delivered to Hong Kong; Spain is the largest supplier. Other EU countries involved in the international trade of shark fins via Hong Kong are Norway, Britain, France, Portugal and Italy. Non-EU fin traders include Taiwan, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, United States, Yemen, India, Japan and Mexico. In Costa Rica, the Taiwanese mafia are the lords of shark-finning. Local fishermen are forced to harvest shark fins while corrupt politicians are paid off to ignore government regulations. Equador’s government backed away from fishing quotas and long-line regulations when desperate fishermen rioted, took hostages and threatened to kill rare giant tortoises. To date, 17 countries have banned shark-finning. A few others have legislated that shark fins not exceed 5% of the total shark weight on board. America prohibits U.S.-registered vessels from shark finning anywhere in the world. Also, the U.S. does not allow the import of shark fins without entire carcasses to be imported into America. Storing fins alone on shipping vessels is illegal.

    The World Trade Organization (WTO) must escalate shark finning as a high priority trade concern. Major players including China, European Union, United States and others in the shark-fin industry need to negotiate a WTO-endorsed solution with punitive tariffs for offenders and possible rewards for those in compliance

    Otherwise, more countries will risk having no sharks left because of cash-crazed poachers who illegally harvest shark fins for black market profits.

     

     

     

     

     


     

    • Anonymous says:

      what is your point?…do you think this justifies the killing of sharks for the sake of sea swim?….back to sleep .zzzzzzzz

  35. Anonymous says:

    To the person who did a lot of thinking.. You don't hear about a lot of attacks by Oceanic White Tips becuase most people aren't out in the open ocean swimming where they frequent. If there were a lot of people making it a habit of long ocean swims your statistics wouldn't hold up. I would encourage anyone to do a search online re: the Indianapolis that went down at sea in 1945 after delivering the A Bomb. I will give you an excerpt from a PBY pilots statement that was sent to look for them " Arriving hours ahead of the Doyle, Marks' crew began dropping rubber rafts and supplies. While so engaged, they observed men being attacked by sharks. Disregarding standing orders not to land at sea, Marks landed and began taxiing to pick up the stragglers and lone swimmers who were at greatest risk of shark attack. Learning the men were the crew of the Indianapolis, he radioed the news, requesting immediate assistance. The Doyle responded she was enroute" .

    These were Oceanic White Tips. Of the 900 who made it into the water, only 317 remained alive. After almost five days of constant shark attacks, terrible thirst, suffering from exposure and their wounds, the men of the Indianapolis were at last rescued from the sea. So….it is safe to say if you don't make it habit of swimming out in the vast ocean as a silhouette on the surface you're better of leaving it to the people who have actually been there to comment. It's not what you think.

    • Anonymous says:

      m i s s i n g the point bobo.  Fire ants are a pain.  Don't sit down on their hill!

      • Anonymous says:

        whats the point of trying to rationalise with these people??? its like banging your head against a brick wall……..

    • Anonymous says:

      good thing the japanese aren't as vengeful about that A bomb as some you cowboys is bout the white tip sharks.

    • Anonymous says:

      that story is sooooo unrelated to this discussion.  and by the way, the captain of the sunk ship was court marshalled

  36. Anonymous says:

    Ms. Palfrey chose to put herself in a position where there was a possibility of shark attacks, no one forced her to do the swim, she chose to do it and therefore she's the one responsible for the senseless slaughter of 3 sharks.  It's pretty simple.

    • Anonymous says:

      not sure about that, penny could have been unaware of what happened and may be as appalled as most of us are…..i look forward to her comments……

      • Anonymous says:

        Well than she must not have done much research.  If I was doing a world record swim across open water, I would want to know what the risks are and how they would be handled.  She obvisouly knew sharks were a risk, hence the shark shield.  Was there concern that the shark shield wouldn't work, is that why the fishermen were along as part of the support group?

        Sorry, even if she didn't know the sharks were being killed at the time, she had to know it was a possibility and therefore she's at least partially responsible for the deaths of 3 endangered animals.

         

  37. White Tip Shark says:

    ehhhhh!!, Na Today BO BO

  38. Anonymous says:

    I did a lot of thinking about this last night and through today and I have to post my thoughts here, for an incident with sharks being killed on this swim has left me unsettled. I followed Penny's swim closely minute-by-minute until her edge-of-your-seat finish, admire her incredible record-setting feat, and she is nothing short of an inspiration to us all. Huge kudos and absolutely nothing taken away from this monumental achievement. However, an open water swimmer does not need a 'shark fighter' by their side as part of their support team, as was stated yesterday by this Page. I am an open water swimmer, training, racing and coaching swimming to raise awareness for shark conservation so this has struck a deep chord in me that I cannot shake. The local fisherman who was part of the support team for the swim has a reputation on the island with scuba divers and marine biologists as a shark hunter and killer. He unnecessarily, ignorantly, and with only total waste baited, hooked, and killed 3 Oceanic Whitetip sharks (Carcharhinus longimanus) during Penny's swim, a species that is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. I am no open water professional, but baiting and killing sharks during an OW swim is far from proper safety norms and procedures when dealing with these animals. I can tell you that Penny was in no danger at any time from these gorgeous, curious animals. If they wanted to eat her they had ample time during the 40+ hour swim. They didn't, because they don't. It is 2011, 36 years past JAWS – we all should know now that sharks do not eat people. Sharks are in reality a rapidly dwindling top predator in our already threatened oceans, their numbers are pushed to the absolute limits with populations down 90% and many are in danger of extinction, including the Great White. As ocean swimmers we enter their home willingly, and they deserve our utmost respect. Nothing less, and certainly not to be senselessly killed in the incorrect belief that we are 'protecting' a swimmer. The media is reporting that Penny braved sharks; actually the sharks braved humans, and yet again did not fair well. There are groups of dedicated volunteer people and non-profit organizations working hard to have Oceanic Whitetips (and other slow-maturing endangered species; Great Hammerhead, Bull, Tiger) rightfully protected by international law, this unfortunate incident has an upside as it is a further push to now double our efforts in getting protection for the Oceanic Whitetip in Cayman waters. Again, congratulations to Penny on a remarkable swim. Thank you for reading my thoughts. For our Sharks!

    • Jungle Juice says:

      You know… there is one way to prove your argument. Please complete the 68mile swim without someone there to protect you from sharks. If you are able to do so and write me a reply to this upon completion I will gladly change my views on the Oceanic White Tip shark. Until then I know for a fact that this shark has can and will eat humans.

       

    • Anonymous says:

      well said and thank you you for putting across a sensible well written peice…

    • Pending says:

      Clearly we are well past "Jaws", but the fact remains that Oceanic Whitetips are incredibly dangerous. As I posted earlier, go find one in the middle of the ocean and see if you make it back to write about your experience.

      Its easy to sit and read moderns reports, watch shows like Shark Water etc etc, but unless you have come face to face with one of these creatures in open ocean, you do not have a leg to stand on.

      I love sharks, dont get it twisted, but if Charles had not done what he did, the world could easily have been reading about the death of Penny instead.

    • Anonymous says:

      If you do not think sharks attack and eat people look at this sad story earlier in the year. 

       

      http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/abalone-diver-taken-by-sharks-in-south-australia/story-e6frf7l6-1226007845731

    • Anonymous says:

      Methinks that anyone here concerned about the sharks should channel their anger toward those who eat shark fin soup. No soup allowed, therefore no moneyto be made selling fins, no point killing sharks and that would take care of about 90% of the shark killings in the ocean.
      The 3 may have been un-necessary but hardly is causing the world wide decline in shark population whereas eating shark fin soup absolutely is.
       

      • Anonymous says:

        good point.  I think the whole world needs to do some growing up

  39. Anonymous says:

    I have just got back after completing a bicycle ride from East End to West Bay, I called it "Grand Bridge"

    I had to kill 3 dogs up in West Bay, they were following me way too close and could have upset my chances of completing this ride. I just lured them closer with a bit of turtle meat and then chopped them up with my machete. I think the one was called BoBo. Today was your day BoBo…Seeya!

    • Anonymous says:

      while we all regret your senseless slaughter of 3 of gods creatures, I want to congratulate you for you heroic bike ride. As the beatles said in 'Bungalow Bill"  ; if looks could kill it would have been us instaed of him.

    • HardRock says:

      If you rode to WB from EE and only had to kill 3 dogs, you were lucky! I want to kill a couple every time I go to put my garbage in the bin in my back yard!

      But honestly, I doubt that there are any shortage of sharks in Cayman. Just take a look at what happens at night off Breakers or off Rum Point  or off Stake Bay in Cayman Brac when you throw dead fish over board!

    • Anonymous says:

      How many iguannas did you run over on the by-pass to make it to Wes' Bay?

  40. Anonymous says:

    Leave it to the enviro-wackos to be totally prepared to put the risk of a "human" to serve some extreme agenda.  

    There'ye "Fish" !!!.  This is not to say we need to go out and "Slaughter" them, but in this case the pose a clear danger to a "HUMAN".  Humans don't cross a 60+ mile swimming journey between the Cayman Islands everyday, so rest assured the Shark population isn't going extinct because of a swimmers holding world break events!!

    Someone has pushed a "Human" feat to break a world record in Cayman and people are trying to tear her down for 3 White tip sharks???  (By the way, Whipe tips are responsbible for more human death than any other, including great white and Bulls.)

    Those same wakos will now tell us tuna and just about every fish in the sea is near extinction due to human consumption and we should now vegetables only.

    Give me abreak Freaks.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Dearest name caller,

      It was the humans that put the swimmer at risk… their risk.

      As some one posted elsewhere: If I take a run through the jungle in India, and have to kill 2 Bengal tigers 'to save my life"….. well, wtf is the point of it???

      • Anonymous says:

        Maybe we should stop building buildings and roads and houses and sidewalks, and parks, and farm land because we are killing trees and animals in the process?

        Whitetip sharks are not going "extinct" if there were going "extinct" you would not have 4 of them finding a swimer in the middle of the caribbeans ocean!   They are overfished due to shark finning, NOT Marathon swimers.  I promise you, if any of your "extinct" belivers, that you find yourself in the middle of the ocean due to a sinking boat, you will soon change your mind on just how extinct the whitetips are. 

        Please stop trashing this woman over this stupid whitetips going extinct BS as if she's somehow contributing to the decline in white tips.  It's ABSURD.

        • Anonymous says:

          Most people aren’t trashing the woman per se. Try to read beyond your prejudice

        • Anonymous says:

          I don't think anyone is accusing Penny Palfrey of single handedly causing the extinction of the Oceanic Whitetip. I think the point being discussed is more to do with the fact that these sharks, which are listed as vulnerable, were killed in the manner in which they seem to have been killed. That is a fair point and one which people are entitled to discuss and defend their view point without being dismissed as 'absurd' by some small minded ignoramus who isn't even aware that the Caribbean is a sea and not an ocean.

        • Anonymous says:

          why is it absurd? 

        • Anonymous says:

          that's he POINT. until it does seem absurd the world will continue on it's whirlpool down the toilet. Wake up or just stay asleep

    • Anonymous says:

      you're a piece of work.  I nominate you as caretaker of the world.

    • Anonymous says:

      no, they're going extinct because of short sightedness such as you have displayed here.

      • Anonymous says:

        11:59

        I think you, and all you shark lovers are full of shit, there is no shark going extinct, where did you get your information from. Especially in the Cayman Islands, we haven't been shark fishing here since the late 50s.

        Have you ever watched the discovery channel, and witness  the thousand of sharks, especially on the south pacific coast…ther are thousands of sharks schooling there everyday…why don't you just go and drop yourselves in that ocean, since you love sharks that bad. and please do not take a boat with you.

        • Anonymous says:

          I myself sir, do not care if they are going extinct.  I am concerned abiut senseless slaughter.  Does that make me full of shit?  Or do you have some other christian ministrations for me.

          As for your assessment of "sharks" overabundance, I will bow to your vast research and experience.

          I find it odd and offensive that you want to kill me for the reason that I am a wimp and horrified at a machete attack.

          Your statement frightens me.

    • Anonymous says:

      you've named us: enviro wackos and freaks.  Who are you bobo?

  41. Anonymous says:

    "Self-Glorification?" …. So what if she did it for herself?  Everyone has their own personal goals. Why are people going on acting like she just did this to swell her own head? What about those people who do things such as climb to the top of mount everest.. or go on journeys in the depths of the rainforest etc. Do we look down on them for having such aspirations as well? As crazy and insane as this really was, she has undoubtedly displayed that the human body can accomplish amazing things and she should be proud of the self-fulfilment that she obtains from this. I'm sure from this she has inspired some people to see that they can do whatever they put their minds to. Quit sippin on that haterade people – Congratulations Ms Palfrey!

    • Dennie Warren Jr. says:

      I too congratulate Mrs. Palfrey!

    • Anonymous says:

      you are all over the place bro

    • Anonymous says:

      sounds like yer the one sipping the haterade my friend

       

    • Anonymous says:

      btw, it is for the very fact you stated… everyone has their personal goals…. that this world, I mean humans may go out before their actual expire by date.

      btw.2  change the channel you're watching and you may learn that, yes indeed, there are people who don't see the littering or Everest and the destruction that humans bring to the depths rain forest as something to aspire to.

  42. Anonymous says:

    It was an ice cream shark, waiting for her to drop a bit of chocolate DaazHäagen-Dazs. All kidding aside, well done Penny you are an amazing person. Don't let any negative posts get you down. I know you would have prefered to not seen any harm to come marine life just like everyone else out there. If people really want to help they should boycott Japanese Goods in protest of shark finning. That is where peoples anger should be placed. 

  43. Anonymous says:

    If you want to impact tourism, kindly wake up the governor, kick out the police commisioner, do away with the two party system, teach people to stop throwing there trash out their car windows. Help the kids to have a future to look towards too.

  44. Jungle Juice says:

    For all you clowns giving Charles a hard time, he was hired to do a job, Which he did very well. If you are upset that he slaughtered a few sharks, I'd blame the organizer of this event (Flowers Group).

    I have experience with Oceanic White Tips, They are a very agressive open ocean dwelling shark. They don't often find a meal in the open oceans, so when they do they take full advantage and will bite just about anything to see if it is edible or not. I have seen them bite the lower unit of an outboard motor doing just that.

    Dragging the sharks away from Penny and releasing them wouldn't have accomplished anything. I have hooked and released them before, and a sore lip is not enough to deter them from returning.

    Either she accomplished her AMAZING achievement or she was eaten by sharks. I think the death of a few so called "endangered" (they are around this island by the 100's of thousands) sharks doesn't come close to tarnishing her achievement.

    .02 cents from someone who probably spends a lot more time on the water than all of you missinformed sharkhuggers put together.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      "Sharkhuggers"!  I like that 🙂

    • Anonymous says:

      If I spend more time than you at say Fosters, does that mean I can burn the place down if I think their prices are too high.  Anyway, what you or I say don't matter.  The world will judge.

    • Anonymous says:

      if that was 2 cents, it was too much.  at two one-hundrenths of a cent, I had handle it

  45. Reno Ciantar says:

    According to the local paper at least 3 sharks were slaughtered through the course of this swim.  Everyone involved should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen.  Rather than promote local tourism I think this will ultimately create outrage with conservation groups world wide.  Well done.

  46. nina lucas says:

    Honestly, what is the purpose?  Self Glorification? 

  47. Anonymous says:

    were the sharks killed or not????

  48. Anonymous says:

    Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  49. Caymanians for Good says:

    This is a phenomenal achievement for a "Grandmother" and undoubtedly a feat and inspiration to all who saw her arrive especially the hundreds of children that were there.

    Congrats Penny Palfrey. Thanks for choosing the Cayman Islands.