Shark Oil Barometer

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Gary Byrum

Gary Byrum

Overstable By Design
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Since the east coast is getting hit with a rash of horrific storms this evening, I've been tuned into the Weather Channel the last couple of hours. Jim Cantore was interviewing a well respected friend in the New England area who had a Shark Oil Barometer. After watching I did a bunch of research on it because I had never heard of one. When the shark oil is clear so will the weather be for the next 48 hours. When it's cloudy/milky, a storm is approaching. By this guys reading on his shark oil barometer, he was certain that a bad storm is going to hit there. And it was quite milky.

Further research in trying to locate one of those and or find out what they might cost led me to nothing but dead ends. Apparently you have go to Bermuda to get one. Or you could buy in bulk from Alibaba but even they don't list the price. Has anyone purchased one of these and know where I might be able to get one?
 
fyrwrxz said:
Wow, Gary-i collect antique barometers and barographs-never heard of this. The hunt is on!
Click to expand...

The reason this is supposed to work is because electrical changes in the atmosphere affect the shark's liver (makes him sick) and alert the shark to move out to deeper water before a bad storm. I'm still looking for a dealer. Good luck with your search.
 
hey Gary

it's been a while since you've posted this, but I'm wondering if your quest for a shark oil barometer went anywhere?

I am on a similar quest right now...

any tips where to get a shark oil barometer...or fresh shark liver in the UK...would be appreciated!!

thanks a lot!

ben
 
Gary Byrum said:
So hey, you have any luck finding some of these?
Click to expand...
Apparently there are a few gift shops in Bermuda that sell them. The natives just have a bottle of it sitting on a shelf. Nothing fancy. I actually considered buying 746 bottles of Shark Liver Oil Gel Caps and dumping them in a bottle, but the Viking Princess thinks that it's much more "Antique" than she wants to put up with. Her whole viewpoint on antique weather instruments is "Hey-just go outside, you dummy!" I get no respect, I tell ya! Take my wife, please!
 
And here I thought a “Shark Oil Barometer” was used to determine whether or not your favorite TV show had finally “Jumped the Shark”.

Much like this post has just done.
 
fyrwrxz said:
Apparently there are a few gift shops in Bermuda that sell them. The natives just have a bottle of it sitting on a shelf. Nothing fancy. I actually considered buying 746 bottles of Shark Liver Oil Gel Caps and dumping them in a bottle, but the Viking Princess thinks that it's much more "Antique" than she wants to put up with. Her whole viewpoint on antique weather instruments is "Hey-just go outside, you dummy!" I get no respect, I tell ya! Take my wife, please!
Click to expand...

In San Diego, you can have pretty good luck in your weather forecasts by predicting 72 degrees and sunny. If you want to refine it a bit, you can say, "The weather tomorrow will be pretty much like the weather today." Or consult the shark liver.
 
ThirstyBarbarian said:
In San Diego, you can have pretty good luck in your weather forecasts by predicting 72 degrees and sunny. If you want to refine it a bit, you can say, "The weather tomorrow will be pretty much like the weather today." Or consult the shark liver.
Click to expand...
We almost had weather last year, then it cleared up.
 
What I would like to know is how this was developed. That is, why on earth would anyone decide they had to squeeze oil out of a Shark's liver in order to determine whether it was going to change consistency when a storm approached? (I don't buy the theory that the Shark needs to dive lower during storms. Anything below the surface is quite obvivious to what's happening topside.)

As for collectors of antique baromoters, I would suggest writing to the head/owner of Accuweather, in Station College, PA. I understand the man has an amazing collection of them, and if anyone might know about this topic, he probably would. I just can't come up with his name. But he's the top dog there...I got a peak inside his office when visiting in about 2002 or so.
 
Kirk G said:
What I would like to know is how this was developed. That is, why on earth would anyone decide they had to squeeze oil out of a Shark's liver in order to determine whether it was going to change consistency when a storm approached? (I don't buy the theory that the Shark needs to dive lower during storms. Anything below the surface is quite obvivious to what's happening topside.)

As for collectors of antique baromoters, I would suggest writing to the head/owner of Accuweather, in Station College, PA. I understand the man has an amazing collection of them, and if anyone might know about this topic, he probably would. I just can't come up with his name. But he's the top dog there...I got a peak inside his office when visiting in about 2002 or so.
Click to expand...
Only problem is that it is not a barometer, as it does not measure air pressure changes. It's a sealed glass chamber with shark liver oil in it........

Bob
 
bobkrech said:
Only problem is that it is not a barometer, as it does not measure air pressure changes. It's a sealed glass chamber with shark liver oil in it........

Bob
Click to expand...

Something about this thing has triggered my bull-o-meter.
 
I once had a snake oil barometer but it never worked at all. And it made me quite sick. I bought it from this guy:

dsc_05671.jpg
 
Kirk G said:
What I would like to know is how this was developed. That is, why on earth would anyone decide they had to squeeze oil out of a Shark's liver in order to determine whether it was going to change consistency when a storm approached? (I don't buy the theory that the Shark needs to dive lower during storms. Anything below the surface is quite obvivious to what's happening topside

Storm surges often raise the level of the water. When the level of the water returns to normal levels a shark can get trapped on land. Sharks of been around for millions of years. Most likely the ones that did not heed this warning died and did not the reproduce.

Someone probably squeezed the oil out of the liver to use as fuel. They then noticed that the oil responded to the weather.

One could say that sharks have ESP. They have an extra sense, hereto unknown, that allows them to perceive the weather, probably barometric pressure. I wonder if all sharks have it or just some and the rest follow?
Click to expand...
 

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