In spirit of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, here are ten things that might save your life while in the water.
1. Don't swim at dawn or dusk.
2. Avoid wearing shiny watches and bracelets while swimming.
The main staple in a shark's diet is what? Fish. Sharks' prey fish are almost always small and shiny. Watches and bracelets are small and shiny. Almost all shark attacks that occur in shallow water are bites to the arms where people wear watches. There are also other items you should avoid wearing into the ocean.
3. "Yum Yum Yellow"
Bulls tend to charge red objects like Matadors' capes. Do sharks act in a similar way? Of course not! Sharks see underwater on a greyscale even though their eyesight is a key sense for hunting. Scientists believe that brighter colors like yellow look more like shiny fish than darker colors like blue.
4. Surfing makes you look like a seal, and in some cases, a sea turtle.
Many large species of sharks such as Great Whites and Mako sharks hunt from below. They surprise their prey and dinner is served. From underwater a human on a surfboard looks surprisingly like an unsuspecting seal. Sharks also roll their eyes back into their heads right before they attack, which only adds to the mistaken identity excuse for killing humans.
5. Don't take "Ole Yeller" with you.
Dogs are like a small snack to sharks and can attract them very easily. "Doggy paddling" creates underwater vibrations that sharks sense as a dinner bell. So the next time you go to the beach, consider leaving man's best friend at home.
6. Don't swim alone!
There is always strength in numbers. Also, sharks see loners as weaker prey and are more likely to attack.
7. Pay attention to the small fish in the area.
Many bait fish school when predators are around. The presence of bait balls is a sure sign to stay out of the water. Stay clear of these areas as they often result in feeding frenzies where many sharks converge to attack.
8. Save the splashing for the pool.
Heavy splashing is often a sure sign of an injured prey item to large sharks. Most "provoked" attacks are caused by people splashing around and the shark simply wants an easy meal.
9. Always spearfish with a buddy.
I know spear fishing may not be the most popular sport but it is one of the most dangerous. Spearing a fish underwater releases enough blood to attract sharks from several football fields away. In Hawaii, shark attacks on spear fishermen go down as "Provoked" and are not put on record. so the actual number of attacks on humans every year is a lot higher than most people know.
10. And finally, the most obvious advice I could give: If there are sharks present, DO NOT go in the water.
Going in the water knowing sharks are present is basically asking to be attacked. Be smart. Be logical. Don't open yourself up to the jaws of animals that have been around since the dinosaurs.
