Silly Question

[NJ to FLA]

second option : just go on birth control and skip the 4 days of sugar pills

Saspotato- you're right.

 

[Paladin]

My first post on this thread was tongue-in-cheek. But to Saspotato: Sorry to bust your bubble, but sharks are attracted to any blood in the water. Fish or mammal, it makes no difference. Seals and dolphins are mammals and are among many shark species' favorite meals. If you don't believe sharks are attracted by human blood in the water, just read up on maritime disasters such as the sinking of the USS Indianapolis.

 

[Sas]

My first post on this thread was tongue-in-cheek. But to Saspotato: Sorry to bust your bubble, but sharks are attracted to any blood in the water. Fish or mammal, it makes no difference. Seals and dolphins are mammals and are among many shark species' favorite meals. If you don't believe sharks are attracted by human blood in the water, just read up on maritime disasters such as the sinking of the USS Indianapolis.

All that I have heard about sharks is that they do not react strongly (if at all) to human or mammal blood. There are other reasons why maritime disasters would attract sharks (electroreception, the noise, what they look like on the surface, so on). But yea, happy to be corrected but the evidence I have seen indicates they are not really interested in human blood.

 

[vladimir]

National Geographic thinks you should "stay on the beach." I don't agree, but here you go:

• If you're bleeding, including menstruating, stay on the beach. Sharks can smell and taste even the smallest amount of blood from over a mile (1.6 kilometers) away and trace it back to its source.

Shark Attack Tips

 

[Sas]

National Geographic thinks you should "stay on the beach." I don't agree, but here you go:



Shark Attack Tips

I wonder how they came to that conclusion, given how few women have been attacked by sharks...

 

[vladimir]

I wonder how they came to that conclusion, given how few women have been attacked by sharks...

And how few men. It is certainly not a statistical inference.

 

[Kellykins]

haha you should post this in the women's forum!! guys get "shkeeved" by some of this stuff! but anyway.. a girl asked me this same thing ON OUR CHECKOUT DIVE!! and I only got scared for a second. I heard on discovery channel that it is absolutely not the same "blood" as if something was bleeding so don't have to worry..

Ohhhh is this the guys forum...LOL???

 

[Kern]

All that I have heard about sharks is that they do not react strongly (if at all) to human or mammal blood. There are other reasons why maritime disasters would attract sharks (electroreception, the noise, what they look like on the surface, so on). But yea, happy to be corrected but the evidence I have seen indicates they are not really interested in human blood.

Some sharks are mammal eaters. Their teeth have a different shape to fish eaters. Serrated triangles rather than sharp hooks. Ask any pinniped or cetacean. They will recognise mammal blood in the water & swim down the concentration gradient to the source. I doubt very much that they can tell one sort of mammal blood from another. They take a bite, if it's a nice big fat juicy sea mammal they eat it. If it's a scrawny & lean little human they will often spit it out (after the 1st bite), as the energy to subdue & eat it isn't worth the energy gained from the prey.

 

[spectrum]

Kellykins

Setting aside the initial flip answered and the foray into shark feeding habits it's well established that there's little concern.

As a precaution it's good to emphasize good hydration and you probably will want to avoid shark INFESTED waters. Other than that if you are feeling well then dive.

As others have mentioned there is an evening of reading in the Womens Forum.

Pete

 

[Kern]

And how few men. It is certainly not a statistical inference.

Quite right. It's based on empirical studies that used the blood of mammals in the water. I think I'd call some of the tip's from NG, extrapolating outside of known parameters.