Sharing the waves with sharks
Marietta Hitzemann, surfing wahine
January 30, 2010
Last fall several great white sharks followed the food all the way to Chatham and had many of the local kiters, surfers, and windsurfers justifiably nervous. It’s always a good idea to respect the predator, but are sharks on Cape Cod really something to worry about? And, if so, what do we need to know to lessen the risk when we’re on the water?
Ask the expert
Because several of our wahines know people who study sharks, we had them ask their shark folks some questions. Here are some answers from Senior Biologist Gregory Skomal of the Massachusetts Marine Fisheries.
CCW: Why are great whites such a concern now as opposed to 5 years ago?
GS: I'm not sure what you mean by "concern". We have been tabulating sightings data for whites over the last several years and there has been no change in our perspective. That being said, I think the concern sensed by some folks comes from the attention generated by the media. The simple fact is white sharks have traditionally been here and are likely to continue to be here.
CCW: Short of staying outta the water, what can surfers/windsurfers/ kiteboarders do to prevent a shark attack?
GS: With so few attacks ever reported in New England waters, we have virtually nothing to go on to answer this question. Frankly, I am not an expert on shark attack, but you can find plenty of helpful information at the website of the International Shark Attack File:
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Sharks/ISAF/ISAF.htm
Here’s the link to the latest shark attack summary report:
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/statistics/2008attacksummary.htm
The best advice is to use common sense when going on or in the water - this includes not surfing alone, not surfing during times of dawn and dusk (when sharks are most likely to feed), and to avoid surfing in close proximity to a seal colony.
CCW: If you're in the water on a surfboard and you see a shark, what should you do?
GS: Don't panic, but gently move to shore without causing great disturbance. The shark may be completely harmless (and likely is), but it's best to be precautionary. Report the shark to us. [CCW Note: there's no shark hotline, but you can call the Fisheries at 617-626-1520]
CCW: One of our friends has "shark camo" on the bottom of her board. Does that really work to deter sharks from mistaking her board for a seal?
GS: I apologize, but this pattern is new to me and I do not know.
[CCW Side Note: You can find the shark camo stickers here:And there’s a page on the site that claims to provide some research data about the effectiveness of the shark camo:
http://www.sharkcamo.com/research.htm
It might be worth a try, eh?]
Longboarder, shortboarder, who tastes the best?
We asked the expert whether a shark cruising the New England waters is more likely to attack a shortboarder or longboarder. He didn’t have any data to back up an opinion so he said he didn’t know. Scientists are like that. (Thank goodness, eh?)
Surf legend Robert Wingnut Weaver, on the other hand, is willing to state in his book Wingnut's Complete Surfing by Robert "Wingnut" Weaver with Scott Bannerot that there are no reported shark attacks involving longboarders. Here's the quote from that book:
"Longboarders say shortboarders are the go, who in turn say boogie boarders are the real shark food, although unfortunately there are a number of attacks on shortboarders, too. Wingnut claims no attacks yet on longboarders, which does make sense, considering the much larger profile presented. Just one more reason to go longboarding!"
You decide, eh? Also, BTW: that's local surf legend Pinky (plus Whitney) with Wingnut in that picture on the right.
Surfing when you have your period
Almost every quick tip list about reducing the risk of a shark attack that you’ll find advises you to stay out of the water if you are bleeding from an open wound or menstruating. But with just a little digging, you’ll find that there’s no data to show that you’re at greater risk from sharks when you have your period.
It’s confusing out there when even the Shark Attack File web site conflicts with itself. The quick tip list here says don’t do it:
Reducing the Risk of a Shark Encounter
But then there’s a longer, more thoughtful discussion in which the conclusion is "don’t worry about it. Lots of women safely dive while menstruating." Here’s the entire article:
We also checked a couple of scuba diving message boards and the message is loud and clear in those circles: don’t worry about it.
What to do if a shark attacks
Here’s a direct quote from the George H. Burgess, International Shark Attack File web site:
"If a shark attacks, the best strategy is to hit it on the tip of its nose. This usually results in the shark retreating. If the retreat is far enough away, then human retreat is in order - again, swim quickly but smoothly, watching the shark all the time, with your dive partner close at hand. An aggressive shark often will return, however, and each subsequent hit to the snout will be less effective, so take advantage of any escape opportunities. If you do not have anything to poke with, use your hand, but remember that the mouth is close to the nose, so be accurate."
"If a shark actually gets you in its mouth, I advise you to be as aggressively defensive as you are able. Playing dead does not work. Pound the shark in any way possible. Try to claw at the eyes and gill openings, two very sensitive areas. Once released, do all you can to exit the water as quickly as possible because with your blood in the water, the shark very well could return for a repeat attack."For the full article, go here: Advice for Divers