Shark Week

Yes,  It is Shark Week…

the men at my house LOVE Shark Week. Thru the years we have bought shark :: toys, puzzles, books, magazines, as well as cute shark hats, cups, postcards and any other shark object that could be found.  When in Daytona — we have to stop at the shark store and we have paid mega bucks to swim with sharks.  We  are all shark lovers here and the guys love to watch their favorite predator up close and personal on the Discovery Channel during Shark Week.

Where is the shark capital of the world??  I have looked up several resources like here::

http://worldmysteries9.blogspot.com/2009/03/10-most-dangerous-places-for-shark.html

And here::   http://channels.isp.netscape.com/whatsnew/recent.jsp?story=20090723-1332

And here:: http://www.boattest.com/Resources/view_news.aspx?NewsID=3458

The concensus is:: Volusia County Florida,  Most noted is New Symrna Beach for the #1 location in the world for shark attacks.  Now usually when I read articles by Boat Test, or Netscape or even fellow blogger worldmysteries9… I take the information with a grain of salt — but when Discovery Channel counts down the “Top 10 – Shark Attack Spots in the WORLD ” and Volusia County is sitting at the top of the list — I take that very seriously.

I once saw an illustration where a surfer was pictured next to a sea turtle and showed how young sharks mistake surfers for other sea creatures…

Although Volusia County is #1 for instances of shark attacks, most attacks are not serious and are referred to as “Hit and Runs” as the shark realizes that they have not bit into a normal foodsource and they continue to hunt. Some victims have been known to drive themselves to the hospital….

See below the number of shark attacks by county.

So here are some tips on how to avoid a shark attack:

 Make sure to swim in a group. Sharks are known to usually attack those swimming alone. The same way human criminals do. Always have a buddy.

1. Don’t swim too far from shore. It’s less safe and isolates you farther from help. If you’re screaming for help a mile into the ocean, the seagulls might hear you, but they won’t help you.
2. Don’t swim at night, dawn, or dusk. Sharks are often most active during this time and you’re less likely to spot them, but they’ll spot you.
3. Don’t ever go into the water bleeding or with an open wound of any kind. Sharks can smell and taste blood on a completely different level than humans. If they smell or taste it in the water, they will trace it back to its source. And then they’ll try to eat its source.
4. Remove all things shiny before swimming. Sharks are attracted to things that shine because they resemble the scales of fish. Which they eat.
5. Avoid waters being fished or with lots of bait fishes. Sharks follow bait fishes, so avoid these areas. A good way to tell if there are bait fishes around is if seabirds are diving for them.
6. Avoid brightly colored clothes; noticeably uneven tan. Sharks’ vision has a great capacity for contrast and these sorts of things stick out to them.
7. Don’t erratically splash. Unpredictable movements like these are a good way to attract sharks.
8. Avoid steep drop-offs and sandbars. Sharks love to hang out in these sorts of places, so avoid them. Unless you want to hang out with the sharks. In that case, be my guest.
9. If you see a shark—leave. Don’t try to touch it, just try to get away before it attacks you. And really, if your first instinct upon seeing a shark is to touch it, I don’t know…maybe you need to get bitten, just a little bit, to learn your lesson.

So here are some tips on how to help a shark attack victim

1. Get the victim out of the water and away from the shark as quickly as possible. In more than 90 percent of cases, the shark does not try to bite the rescuers, but may continue to bite the targeted victim. 

2. Have someone call 911, of course. Send someone to notify the lifeguards immediately if there are lifeguards nearby. They are trained in what to do. 

3. Stop the bleeding.  Most shark bite victims die from blood loss.  Directly press with the palm of your hand on arteries that are bleeding. Apply pressure to arterial pressure points if you are familiar with them. 

4. Slightly elevate the victim’s feet and legs if possible so that blood moves toward the head. Cover the victim with dry towels, sheets or blankets, even if the weather is warm, to conserve their body heat.  

5. If the victim stops breathing or their heart stops, use cardiopulmonary resuscitation if you know how. 

The above measures are general emergency measures and may mean the difference between life and death for the bite victim.

Let’s hope we never need to put either list to good use….