Sharks: Don’t Be a Victim!

For Bathers and Swimmers

1.) Never swim alone.

2.) Don’t swim in water known to be inhabited by sharks. If one is spotted, get out of the water immediately.

3.) Don’t swim if you have an open sore or bleeding wound.

4.) Murky or turbid water is dangerous. You can’t see, but the shark can smell.

5.) Swimming far from the shore can invite attack.

6.) Channels and deep drop-offs are dangerous. Sharks like to feed at such places.

7.) If you see an unusual amount of fish, or if they are behaving erratically, get out of the water.

8.) Forget the myth about porpoises. They do not keep an area safe from sharks.

9.) Uneven suntanning is dangerous. Sharks are attracted to discontinuities of shading.

10.) Human waste in the water attracts sharks.

11.) Don’t swim with a dog or horse. Sharks ate attracted by their motions and smell.

12.) If swimming from a boat, look at the water closely before diving in.

13.) Don’t swim at night. Many sharks are nocturnal feeders.

14.) Extremely bright bathing suits may attract sharks.

15.) Never molest a shark, no matter how small or harmless it seems.

16.) Never trap a shark between yourself and a beach, sandbar, reef, or boat.

What to do in case of a shark attack.

1.) Maintain calm and try to find a weapon.

2.) Use your weapon to fend off the shark, not to attack it.

3.) Power heads, gas-guns, and spear guns can sometimes make the situation even worse. Use only if absolutely necessary.

4.) Knives should only be used to fend off attacks.

5.) Sometimes, an aggressive motion toward the shark will confuse him.

6.) Once the attack is on, go for his eyes, smack his snout, tear at his gills, shout, blow bubbles.