Shark Tower Started

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30366, 15 February 1964, Page 14

Shark Tower Started

(N.Z. Press Association) DUNEDIN, Feb. 14. Construction work on a shark observation tower, 100 ft above St. Clair Beach, began this afternoon and it should be ready for use next week. The tower, built of scaffolding, will rise 25 feet above the pavilion at ■ the beach, r I will afford a clear view of the beach and surf. The decision to build the tower was made at a meeting of the St. Clair SUrf Club last Monday which considered precautions against sharks. Structural engineers found that the building would not support a tower on its roof, so a Dunedin scaffolding contracting firm, W. H. Brawell. Ltd., offered to erect a tower at no charge—for use until the end of the season. This morning dozens of migrating sharks were sighted

off the Otago coast between Nugget Point and Cape Saunders. .Sharks more than 10ft long were sighted in schools of six to 10 by the coaster, Calm, on its way to Dunedip. The first mate, Mr N. G. Julian, said: “We started seeing them as we passed Nugget Point at dawn. “There were large black shar. s more than 12ft long that swam close to the ship on either side. ■ “As w.e came further north, there were more white sharks, which were slightly smaller and travelling in larger schools. They were all around the ship.” He said the sharks were heading south. Siren Installed Precautions against sharks will be taken at the Wellington surf life saving championships at Lyall Bay on Saturday and Sunday. The Maranui Club, host to the championships, has already installed a siren on top of its club house and this will be sounded immediately a shark is si o hted.

At least one boat with a .rifle will patrol outside the swimmers and another, surf boat carrying buoy judges will also keep watch. One of the patrolling boats will carry a boat-to-shore radio, while the Maranoclub has arranged a civil aviation radio link in case a commercial plane sights sharks. There were no reports of sharks in the harbour today. Warning Given However, sharks had been spotted in Green Bay, Manukau Harbour, early this morning and police alerted schools in the New Lynn and Blockhouse Bay area. About six sharks were spotted by Mr H. Ruys, a green keeper at Titirangi Golf Club, who was fishing for snapper just after daybreak. “I have lived in Australia for nine years but I have never seen so many sharks together,” said Mr Ruys. Last week he saw three 10ft Mako sharks in about two feet of water at Green Bay.