Fear of Sharks, need advice

[Clancy]

I live in the Marshall Islands, and sharks are a regular treat. The first few freaked me out a little, but like seeing a bear or a cougar, I learned to watch for signs of agression and keep myself as safe as possible. We regularly dive where we expect and hope to see some shark activity, and it's a fun kind of excitement. People have been diving here in the Kwajalein Atol since WWII, and there have been two bites, one guy spear fishing and another poking the shark with some blunt instrument. I avoid both situations, but I enjoy a casual encounter. I must add that I've yet to see a tiger shark, and I'd be very careful around one of those. Kinda' like a grizzly bear.

 

[LI Diver]

I think the stat is skewed by the relatively few number of divers who swim up to sharks, bear hug and shake them for loose change, and then stick their arms way up into them to see if they can snag a free can of soda

Shoot I didn't think anyone saw me!!!!!!!!

 

[SparticleBrane]

Let me say this, and it might sound harsh but I'll say it anyway:
Your fear of sharks is ridiculous. Hopefully that cleared a few things up.

Your chances of being killed or maimed by a shark are sky-high...whereas, if you're a shark, your chances of being killed by humans is pretty good. Tens of millions of sharks are killed for their fins every year.

 

[Walter]

Let me say this, and it might sound harsh but I'll say it anyway:
Your fear of sharks is ridiculous. Hopefully that cleared a few things up.

Your chances of being killed or maimed by a shark are sky-high...whereas, if you're a shark, your chances of being killed by humans is pretty good. Tens of millions of sharks are killed for their fins every year.

A fear of sharks is not ridiculous. Changes of being killed or maimed by a shark are not sky high, they are quite low.

Fears are never ridiculous. They are sometimes unfounded or unreasonable, but never ridiculous. In this particular case, they are neither unfounded nor unreasonable. There is a very reach danger of shark attack. Sharks do attack and then they do, they often seriously injure or kill the victim. With that in mind, the fear of sharks is reasonable and well founded in a well established history of attacks. Chances of any particular person being the victim of one of those attacks are very remote. OTOH, chances of someone being the victim of one of those attacks is 100%. If you are one of the unlucky few to have a big aggressive shark trying to bite you in the butt, you really don't care about odds, I know I never gave the odds a single thought when those two big Bulls were after us. Someone will win the lottery, it might not be this week or next but someone will win. Since my odds of being the victim of a shark attack are low and I know I can reduce my chances even more by taking appropriate actions, I can put aside the very real fear of sharks all of us have and enjoy my dives.

I've also been struck by lightning.

 

[erparamedic]

Wyatt...

First, lemme say, kudos to you for voicing your fear, and asking for advice. Here's my advice. Go dive. Most people do a hefty number of dives before they ever see a shark. Then, most "sightings" tend to be a fleeting glimpse, because, honestly, the sharks are more fearful of you, than you are of them. We are not on their menu. As said in posts before mine... most bites are due to "mistaken" identity of food.

Here's my first shark encounter:

I was 19 (I'm 29 now). My husband and I had taken a vacation with my parents to do some diving in the carribean. We booked some boat diving for the day. Rod and my dad paired up and went toward the reef. Mom and I paired up and went toward the wreck. We were exploring the wreck and were only about 2 feet from the side of the wreck... as we came around the bow, we were greeted by an apx 7 foot reef shark. We came, literally, head to head with this shark.... as in, we could have reached out and put our hands in it's mouth kind of close. Mom (a very experienced and avid diver) turned to me (the newby)... unsure of what my reaction would be. I was in total awe! This was my very first ocean dive... and I was head to head with a "big" shark! Honestly... I don't remember any fear... all I remember was awe and admiration of an incredible creature. Mom and I continued on our path... and the shark dropped down "just" below us (dorsal fin, literally, only a few inches from my belly) and continued on it's way. I turned back toward the shark... Mom following right behind me... and swam back toward it. It was just too amazing... and I wanted to see more! It turned sideways... as if to get a glimpse of what we were doing, and then it turned and quickly disappeared into the blue. It never showed any aggression.

That was an incredible first shark experience... and it was my first ocean dive on top of that! Fear certainly has it's place, but, don't let the fear consume you. If you let the fear consume you... then you won't have as much fun.

Also... remember this... some people say that no matter where you are in the ocean... sharks are around you... and quite close by! On my last ocean dive, Rod and I were in a group of 6, but split 3 and 3. The other group of 3 saw a "very large, plump" shark... and we missed it. Yet... we were never more than 30-40 ft from the other group the whole time. Most likely... it was a lemon shark (average 9-14 ft!). Very large... but quite docile. I would have loved to have seen it, and was quite sad that I didn't get the chance.

 

[SparticleBrane]

OTOH, chances of someone being the victim of one of those attacks is 100%.

That's what your dive buddy is for.

 

[rmannix]

I'm very afraid of winning the Powerball jackpot, but I still buy tickets.

 

[Walter]

That's what your dive buddy is for.

Cute, but not funny. If you are unfortunate enough to ever be in a high pucker situation with one or more sharks, buddies working together is one thing that will get everyone out of it with no injuries.

 

[erparamedic]

Walter...

I've read your "pucker" story.... and it would make anyone "pucker" and pray for devine intervention! The fact that you and your buddies worked together was certainly what kept all of you safe.

That said... I would think that your situation was certainly not the "norm" for shark encounters. As mentioned earlier... fear has it's place... and your situation would have skeered me to death! However... I have been lucky to never see sharks in an aggressive manner. All my shark sightings have been quite docile and very memorable... in a good way.

 

[Walter]

Walter...

I've read your "pucker" story.... and it would make anyone "pucker" and pray for devine intervention! The fact that you and your buddies worked together was certainly what kept all of you safe.

That said... I would think that your situation was certainly not the "norm" for shark encounters. As mentioned earlier... fear has it's place... and your situation would have skeered me to death! However... I have been lucky to never see sharks in an aggressive manner. All my shark sightings have been quite docile and very memorable... in a good way.

No arguments from me. I've seen a bunch of sharks before and after the one incident that wasn't any fun. I'm more likely to seek out sharks now than before. I wasn't yelling, "the sky is falling." I was explaining that fears are real and there is a basis for them. I loved your post, both the way you encouraged Wyatt and your story about your first shark encounter. Calling someone's fear, "ridicuolous" is, OTOH, belittling and not something I can let go unchallenged. Let's go dive with some sharks.