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How to Survive a Shark Attack
from: Maxx Adventure TravelThis is the story you've heard from the movie Jaws. In 1945, the USS Indianapolis was sunk by Japanese torpedoes in the Pacific. About 1,000 men survived the sinking but when rescuers finally arrived after several days, there were only 317 left. Most of those who died from tiger shark attacks.
Sharks are from hundreds of species out of which only 20 or so are known to attack man. Some of the most notorious are the great white, bull, blue, hammerhead, tiger, mako and even the nurse shark.
When a shark happens there's rarely any warning and they don't have any particular pattern, which makes them very unpredictable creatures of prey. They're also highly complex.
The thing to note about a shark is they don't take nips, they take huge bites that tear the skin and take a limb or a big chunk of flesh. Victims don't die quickly, but slowly bleed to death.
If you're ever caught in an area of open water with a shark, you should just assume the worst and don't take chances. Ever! Get out of the water as fast as you can. Get on your boat or head for shore.
One way to protect yourself is to swim with a group which allows for more eyes to watch and if a shark comes, the group can work together to either fight it off or frighten it away. A group can scare off a shark better than a single individual.
While in the ocean, follow the same rules as you would in a pool. Don't urinate, however, if you must, urinate only in small amounts and let it mix with the water in between. And try to avoid vomitting as well.
If a shark starts swimming towards you, create noise by yelling and splashing the water. Repeatedly yelling and slapping underwater can also help, but make sure you use your energy efficiently because you might have to fight off the shark if it decides to ignore your warnings.
When a shark begins attacking, don't panic, but strike back. If you can, kick or punch its eyes or gills since these are the areas that can hurt it most. Hitting it on the nose can also help, but you might miss and hit its teeth instead.
If the shark has already attacked, you must immediately try to control or stop the bleeding. Blood in the water attracts more sharks and provokes aggression. If you're in a group, circle the victim while attempting to stop the flow of blood. If you're on a raft or boat, fight off the shark with everything you have until it swims away.
During such terrifying situation, the one thing that could save you is to use common sense and assume the worst when in the water. If you survive an attack, you can live and swim with sharks another day.
Recent Shark Attacks News
Shark attacks down, but deaths hit highest level since '93
Shark attacks continued to decline in the United States last year, but worldwide fatalities doubled, jumping to their highest level since 1993, according to a report released Tuesday.
Read more...Study: Shark attack deaths worldwide highest since 1993
Sharks killed at least a dozen people worldwide last year, the highest number in nearly two decades, according to statistics released by the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) at the University of Florida on Tuesday. The Florida researchers confirmed sharks attacked at least 104 people worldwide in 2011, resulting in 12 fatalities. The majority of the attacks were deemed to be unprovoked ...
Read more...Shark attacks end activities
SHARK attacks at Port St Johns’ notorious Second Beach have put a stop to surfing – once a flourishing sport in the area among youths. This week businessman Michael Gatcke , who started a surfing school in the area in 2005 , told how local youths had showed a lot of enthusiasm for the sport .
Read more...Wave of deadly 'pit bull' shark attacks at surfing hotspot baffles experts
Five people have died at a previously safe South African surfing beach, writesBILL CORCORANin Port St Johns
Read more...Shark attack: the deadliest beach in the world
Port St Johns' Second Beach has seen six fatal shark attacks in just over five years. Aislinn Laing visited the deadliest beach in the world.
Read more...How I survived a shark attack
It is received wisdom that many shark attacks take place because the ocean predators "mistake" surfers for seals.
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