Cottesloe locals and visitors are feeling hesitant to dip their toes back in the ocean this summer, after a string of rotting whale carcasses have washed up on Perth beaches in weeks,
The remains of a juvenile whale washed ashore at South Cottesloe’s Dutch Inn Beach at 6.15am on Thursday last week, prompting the council to close local beaches for about 24 hours due to the threat it would attract sharks..
This followed a 31-tonne humpback found on South City Beach last month, which lured sharks just 10 metres from the shore. On Sunday, another dead whale was spotted washed up on Sorrento Beach, causing Joondalup beaches to close.
Dozens showed up at Cottesloe Beach to check out the scene last Thursday, and while some were ready take the plunge back into the ocean, others are feeling nervous heading into summer.
Cottesloe local Ray Worth was heading down for his morning dip when he noticed the beach was closed, glanced to his left and saw the whale carcass.
He said he wasn’t particularly concerned, and would be getting back in the ocean as soon as the beaches reopened.
“There’s plenty of adequate advice, the shark alarms going as we’ve heard earlier this morning, and just being aware,” he said.
“I swim here every day, as I came this morning I was just about to jump in, but then I thought, no, no … better not.”
Camera IconCottesloe local Ray Worth swims at the beach regularly. Credit: Eliana Hullett
Mr Worth said he didn’t mind the shark barrier being closed as an “extra bit of caution” to observe the risks.
Claire Graham, who was on holiday in WA with her kids, was heading for a beach walk further south when they heard about the whale from locals.
Camera IconMother Claire Graham is on holiday in Perth from Singapore with her kids Beatrix, 10, Elsa, 12, and Rupert, 7. Credit: Eliana Hullett
Ms Graham didn’t feel keen for a swim herself, and said it was a good idea to close the beaches just in case.
“I think (shark barriers) probably do work generally if there are less sharks in the area, but when there’s more bait in the water, I imagine it’s probably the right idea,” she said.
“I think it’s better that we stay out of the water.”
Her 12-year-old daughter Elsa agreed.
“You don’t want to risk anything. You just have to be aware of what’s in the water before you go out,” she said.
Mosman Park sisters Eloise and Amelia Rose Jones said the thought of the whale attracting more sharks was a little concerning, but they understand the risks when they swim at the beach.
Camera IconSisters Eloise Jones and Amelie Rose Jones from Mosman Park. Credit: Eliana Hullett
“Swimming in the ocean, I’m kind of already aware that it’s a shark’s territory, so I kind of swim with the risk of knowing that potentially a shark could maybe gobble me up, but very unlikely,” Amelie Rose said.
“I think with the whales coming into shore, it definitely does direct the attention of the sharks … it is a bit of a worry, but I’m just not going to stress at this point in time.”
The sisters said it made sense to close the shark barrier swimming area as a precaution, because there had been instances in the past of small sharks and other marine life getting through.
As for getting back in the ocean, Eloise said it wouldn’t happen “any time soon”.
“It’ll be a couple of weeks, probably, just ‘cause all the shark alarms, there’s a lot around, so we’ll probably just give it a couple weeks, but we’ll definitely be going back for a swim,” she said.
Zac Thompson moved to Peppermint Grove just over a year ago from Ireland, and said he wasn’t used to the shark sightings back home.
“We don’t have sharks or anything like that, so it’s pretty safe to swim. I would have already been a bit cagey about swimming, but this obviously makes it a lot worse,” he said.
Camera IconPeppermint Grove resident Zac Thompson at South Cottesloe Beach. Credit: Eliana Hullett
Mr Thompson said he would swim in the shark barrier, but planned to be “pretty cautious” for the foreseeable future.
“I’ll probably just not go in for a while, and once everyone else gets a bit bolder and braver, I’ll go in a bit shallower,” he said.
East Fremantle resident Steve Green is a member of the Cottesloe Longboard Club and surfs along the beaches regularly. The club hosts regular competitions at Cottesloe Beach, and has seen whales wash up on the shore for years.
Camera IconEast Fremantle resident Steve Green. Credit: Eliana Hullett
“It’s part of life, but is a concern that stops people from heading into the water accordingly,” he said.
“One (shark) got in (the barrier) last year, so they’ve closed it as a precaution.”
All Cottesloe beaches reopened the following day on Friday morning.