Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

[surftrish]

I was swimming in the middle of a lake yesterday and my friend wouldn't pee in the lake because "it would alert the alligators and water moccasins" as to his location. Ridiculous! We also boat in the Gulf of Mexico and there he is afraid of sharks and sting rays. I personally have always felt at ease relieving myself in any body of water that I happen to be swimming in. Really--what's the alternative? Was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on this? Are we marking our territory or alerting the beasts as to our presence (i suspect they already know we're there)?

 

[Beernutz]

Re: Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

I suppose the effect would depend upon what you've been eating and drinking.

 

[Navigator]

Re: Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

Finally !!! We know know what is causing the "Red Tide" in the Bay area!!! <br /><br />Dont let the environmentalists know you're relieving yourself in their grass flats.. <br /><br />Nav

 

[Fishbusters]

Re: Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

HMMM that is a thought. Personally I don't think it makes a diffrence. While both freshwater animals you mentioned have a good sense of smell I don't think either would care either way let alone notice urine. I actually think the smell of a warm blooded mammal swimming would be more attractive than urine. As to fish I think at close range a shark could sense it but then I still don't think they would be attracted. If your friend was talking about bleeding where there are sharks then he would have a reason to be worried.

 

[dmessy]

Re: Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

" If you cann't catch em...pi** on em!"<br />An old saying, probably by a beer drinker. <br /><br />Personally, I've caught fish while my buddy is answering the call of nature, so I don't believe it makes any difference...

 

[MGuckin]

Re: Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

In some parts of the world human urine is used as a repellant.<br />Tell yer friend the gators already knew he was there. It's their turf. Nothing to do with odors or chemicals.<br />Snakes? They hunt by sight and sensing vibrations.<br />Sharks feeding is triggered by certain scents with 1 being blood, also certain types of movement, shapes, colors and vibrations.<br />Rays, I would be more concerned about stepping on 1.<br />I do quite a bit of snorkeling here and I void where I want.<br />If urine was a good attractant, think of how much we could save on bait.<br />surftrish...... make sure you visit the rest room before you swim in my pool.

 

[surftrish]

Re: Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

I completely agree with you MG. I scuba dive a lot and it's a great way to warm up the old wetsuit. I've never had an eel dart out at me because my pee all of a sudden alerted him to my presence. If I pee'd on a lobster I definately think he'd run the other way (they kind of do that anyway). Thanks for all of input guys--very enjoyable to read.

 

[Down South]

Re: Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

It would repell me for sure.<br /><br />Good luck with the rest of the critters.

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

maybe when you're with that friend, you can claim that you have been eating sardines and drinking spring water with a jalapeno slice. and due to recent scientific studies, you are certain this will both attract baitfish, yet is a known alligator, snake, stingray, shark, eel, manatee, and turtle repellent(just substitute the best ones here)...

<br />or if not fishing but just swimming together, leave off the sardine part, so you're just in repellant mode. lol

 

[Beernutz]

Re: Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

Anybody who's spent a lot of time in a wetsuit knows about the ol' bladder furnace.<br /><br />If you don't want to attract gators, stay away from dogs before you enter the water. I've had 'em leave the shore and approach the boat when I had my dog with me. And don't let the dog sleep on your wetsuit.<br /><br />I think certain foods (like tuna) produce a distinctive odor in urine and other bodily secretions. I try to avoid seafoods before going surfing.

 

[MrBill]

Re: Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

Yes......I know now why I love northern New England mountain lakes, where I can relieve myself in 160 feet of clear lake water and never have given a thought about predators.

 

[derwood]

Re: Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

First off....Thats nasty.<br /><br />Not that I have'nt done it....but its still nasty.<br /><br />What elese can you do....nothing....but pissen in your pants is nasty.<br /><br />It is releiveing, its not bad for you, nobody can tell you've done it afterwords....But its still nasty.<br /><br />Just thinking about it is makeing me smell it and thats nasty too.<br /><br />I have been stung by a portuges-man-o-war. They say if you pee on it that the pain will subside....NASTY....ever seen the episode of freinds when Joey and Chandler had to pee on Monica after a jellyfish sting....I would be just like that.<br /><br />If I was a gator I would look for something to eat that did not enjoy peeing on itself....You know....Prey with dignity.<br /><br />I wont swim in a pool after someone who at one point had the look of distress on thier face and now seems to be happy and care free....I did'nt see any bubbles....so they did not have to pass gas....whats left?<br /><br />I love to have my kids sleep in my bed when they are young, as a parent for me its natural and I belive it creates a special bond between father and son or daughter, You with kids know how fast that goes out the door later on down the road.<br /><br />The day....H#ll, the minute they wet the bed and I roll over in it....Your outa here.<br /><br />In the imortal words of master Poe "time for you to leave Grasshopper"<br /><br />If you have to go, just say NO.<br /><br />Nastywood.<br /><br />P.S.....NASTY!

 

[Mike NZ]

Re: Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

I'm with your mate Surftrish. I have surfed hard out for many years and met many sharks, somtimes a long ways offshore. I met a professional diver who advised me that he was trained never to take a leak in his wetsuit. Sharks can smell it like blood. Now you can either believe him or find out if he is right for yourself. The thing I dont like about it is the drain time. If you let rip in your wetsuit without good waterflow i.e. surf, its going to take a while to dispers the scent. Thats a lot of time to advertise the fact that lunch is ready. I think if a shark was going to take a shot at a group, the guy who let rip in his weti is going to take the hit, and will be the easiest to find. My solution is always drain the tank b4 hopping in and bring it to shore with you. If you do let rip, open your weti and flush it out for a while in a safe zone then move to a different area. I take the issue seriosley. I'm 43 and still have all my limbs. Good post Surftrish, your freind alerted your instinct for survival, and you are wise to seek the facts.

 

[Scoop]

Re: Is urine a repellant or the opposite?

Read a book once (insert joke here) where they referred to the warm feeling of going in a wet suit as urinaforia. They said it was surf lingo. Don't know if it was poetic license or not. I will stay swimming in Wisconsin for a while. Nothing to bite, pee whenever you want. First week in October, I will be swimming in Northern Wisconsin. Water temp will be 50 to 60 degrees. Been swimming at 40 degress, but that is enough to give some of us three adams apples. It sure is refreshing (or stupid depending on your view) though.