They say you are more likely to get struck by lightning than attacked by a shark, and while those chances are slim, are our chances of getting attacked increasing at all this summer?
It’s no secret that this summer’s media frenzy seems to be focused on the high number of shark attacks happening in beaches all around the Southeastern United States. So far, there have been seven shark attacks in North Carolina alone over the past few months this summer, more than the state has ever recorded since 2000. Besides the growing numbers, what swimmers fear most about these attacks is how close they are to shore.
Many people adhere to waist or knee-deep water, but that’s exactly where one brutal North Carolina attack happened. 16-year-old Hunter Treschl was wading in waist deep water when a shark bumped his leg and ended up biting his arm completely off. Treschl’s story was just one of the many chilling accounts that have been documented this summer. Just recently, on July 1, 2015, a 68-year-old man was attacked in waist deep water when he was bitten in the back, ribs, and legs and had to be airlifted to Vidant Medical Center.
Some say that the abundance of traditional prey can be a reason for the attacks. Seals and sea turtles both contribute to a shark’s diet, and as they travel down the east coast, so do the sharks. Fishing is also to blame for possible attacks, as the fishers are chumming the water or drawing unwanted attention in order to attract fish. According to Andrew P. Nosal of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, swimmers should avoid common fishing areas or rivers that flow into the ocean.
So what are the best ways to avoid being attacked? First is to swim in groups, being alone makes you more accessible to the shark. It is also best to avoid murky water, as sharks can easily mistake a human body for nothing less than prey. And while the shallow water rule has not helped many of the victims from these summer attacks, deep water is always considered to be more dangerous, and in the case of an attack, it can make it hard to swim back to shore. As always, if you see a shark in the water, make sure to let the people around you know, as well as the lifeguard on duty.
Shark attacks are at an all time high this summer, but it doesn’t mean you should miss out on great summer beach days. The press on shark attacks is always dramatized, but through the media, people can be aware of what is going on and understand how to handle the situation if a shark attack does in fact happen in the area. It’s best to just stay cautious, don’t go out too deep–at least during these risky summer months, and try to stay in water where you can see what is going on. But remember, the beach is a place for fun and relaxation, and it’s summer, so enjoy it while it lasts!
