There is danger in life, whether swimming with fishes, or crossing the street.
I was once sailing the Bahamas with a friend.
Some miles out to sea, I was swimming in the perfectly clear, 80 degree F water, near the boat.
Nice time.
My friend told me to come aboard now. I said no, I was OK and felt fine.
He said GET OUT OF THE WATER !
In that tone, I knew not what why, but I knew not to question.
Back on deck, he pointed down into the water.
There, swimming lazily, maybe 5, maybe 25 feet below, was a school of about a dozen hammer heads.
I don't know if they are an aggressive breed or not, but don't really care.
Apparently, I have swam with sharks, and survived !
( and I'm not a lawyer, so it wasn't "professional courtesy" )
There is danger in life, whether swimming with fishes, or crossing the street. I was once sailing the Bahamas with a friend. Some miles out to sea, I was swimming in the perfectly clear, 80 degree F water, near the boat. Nice time. My friend told me to come aboard now. I said no, I was OK and felt fine. He said GET OUT OF THE WATER ! In that tone, I knew not what why, but I knew not to question. Back on deck, he pointed down into the water. There, swimming lazily, maybe 5, maybe 25 feet below, was a school of about a dozen hammer heads. I don't know if they are an aggressive breed or not, but don't really care. Apparently, I have swam with sharks, and survived ! ( and I'm not a lawyer, so it wasn't "professional courtesy" )
LOL on the lawyer. Hammerhead sharks are not as aggressive as Great White or Tiger sharks, but are still fairly aggressive. They have poor eyesight, so mainly feed based on blood scent or erratic swimming which they take to be injured prey.
I have never swum with sharks, but have with barracuda. I wish I could find the pictures I took of the ones I swam with in Cozumel years ago.
Peter, that was an awesome Post! Informative and amusing at the same time! I will say that every year we are in Martha's Vineyard for a week on vacation and the past two years we have seen quite a few seals swimming just offshore (locals say more than usual). Some were saying it's because the sharks are in the area which I won't dispute. Given the location, (Amity, LOL) I make sure I keep a watchful eye on the waters especially when the seals are around. Mike
Peter, that was an awesome Post! Informative and amusing at the same time! I will say that every year we are in Martha's Vineyard for a week on vacation and the past two years we have seen quite a few seals swimming just offshore (locals say more than usual). Some were saying it's because the sharks are in the area which I won't dispute. Given the location, (Amity, LOL) I make sure I keep a watchful eye on the waters especially when the seals are around. Mike
Glad you got a chuckle.
Here is a limk to the increasing shark attacks in the world. The USA has had a decline in shark attacks and the reason is very interesting.Go to: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/travelnews/2012/02/120210-shark-attacks-deaths-fatalities-science/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ng%2FNews%2FNews_Main+%28National+Geographic+News+-+Main%29If this link will not work for you because it it is quite long, copy and paste in your browser.There has been a lot of Great White shark sitings off of Chatham , Massachusetts. We have been trying to make people aware of drownings in pools etc. and I believe this information will also be helpful._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Reasons for attacksSharks are apex predators in their environment[20], and thus have little fear of any creature they cross paths with. Like most sophisticated hunters, they are curious when they encounter something unusual in their territories. Lacking any limbs with sensitive digits such as hands or feet, the only way they can explore an object or organism is to bite it; these bites are known as exploratory bites[21]. Generally, shark bites are exploratory, and the animal will swim away after one bite[21]. For example, exploratory bites on surfers are thought to be caused by the shark mistaking the surfer for the shape of prey[22]. Nonetheless, a single bite can grievously injure a human if the animal involved is a powerful predator like a great white or tiger shark[23].Despite a few rare exceptions[24] [25], it has been concluded that feeding is not a reason sharks attack humans; as stated on Howstuffworks.com, "Humans are not on the menu. In fact, humans don't provide enough high-fat meat for sharks, which need a lot of energy to power their large, muscular bodies"[22].Sharks normally make one swift attack and then retreat to wait for the victim to die or exhaust itself before returning to feed. This protects the shark from injury from a wounded and aggressive target; however, it also allows humans time to get out of the water and survive[26]. Shark attacks may also occur due to territorial reasons or as dominance over another shark species, resulting in an attack[27].Sharks are equipped with sensory organs called the Ampullae of Lorenzini that detect the electricity generated by muscle movement[28]; another theory is that the shark's electrical receptors, which pick up movement, pick up the wounded signals of fish from someone who is fishing or spearfishing, and thus attack the person by mistake[27]. Great white sharks can also smell blood in saltwater, even at a ratio of 0.16 oz per 3.3 cu. ft (5 ml per 1 m3).George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File, said the following regarding why people are attacked: "Attacks are basically an odds game based on how many hours you are in the water"[29]._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________PreventionWhile there is no way to completely eliminate the possibility of a shark attack when you are in the water, one may take precautions such as:[30]:avoiding the water at dawn, dusk, or night, when sharks tend to feed;avoiding areas where sharks generally locate themselves, such as murky waters and steep drop-offsavoiding swimming alone, always being near a group of people, and if possible, avoiding being at the edge of the group;refraining from excess splashing or movement;preventing pets from entering the water;avoiding shiny jewelry, tan lines and/or bright clothing, all of which can attract sharks;avoiding entering water if bleeding from an open wound or if menstruating;avoiding areas where the remains of fish have been discarded into the water, such as near fishermen cleaning their catch._________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Now the answer to the full body tan. Studies have found that wearing gray in the water makes you look seal like in color. Avoid wearing water gear that has gray in the body and a contrasting color on the arms. Another study found that people having contrasting tan lines were also at a higher risk of a shark mistaking a person for their normal prey. Therefore, True Nudists, when people ask you why you sun in the all together, you can tell them you are protecting yourself from shark attack.PeterDon't be shark bait.
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