7/18/2013 SUMMER OF 2013 SHARKS

SHARKS

They're...Not Back So Far This Summer!

 Scrolling through last summer's posts we noticed that in July and August last year the great white sharks were making appearances in several places. Make no mistake about it, Sharks bite. Especially the Great White Sharks aka Carcharudon Calcharias. They bite seals, dolphins, whales, fish, rays, and yes, humans.   Fortunately, humans don't profile like preferred prey.  Many humans have escaped death after an attack because they were not consumed.  Its not clear if the Great White finds us too bony for his taste, or just doesn't like the flavor of wet suits.  Last summer the Discovery Channel ran its ever popular SHARK WEEK:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UecQ-mM6Tjk&feature=relmfu  We haven't seen it advertised so far this summer. Lets hope that no news events trigger a rerun.

Last summer the real thing was spotted off of some popular New England beach resort communities. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2170272/MORE-great-white-sharks-spotted-Cape-Cod-beach-goers-dip-hesitantly-areas-water.html


Sightings weren't limited to the East Coast:

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/news/regions/americas/united-states/great-white-sharks-spotted-both-coasts-us 

 We have August yet to go, maybe this year we'll have no apex predators at the local beach. But the season isn't over yet. So just when you were thinking of getting in the last of the surfing, sailing, snorkeling, or diving of the season, if you suddenly find that your local beach is in the"infested" area, you have to balance off the enjoyment against the very real possibility, even if low probability, of being eaten or at least bleeding to death from a "test bite". All this just when you were thinking it's safe to go in the water. So like any thinking and computer literate  human concerned with marine issues you come to American Admiralty Books seeking answers. Well here is our response:

IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING WATER ORIENTATED RECREATION IN ANY AREA WHERE GREAT WHITES HAVE BEEN SPOTTED LATELY RECONSIDER! FIRST THE OBVIOUS; AVOID SWIMMING, SNORKELING, AND DIVING , OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT GETS YOU IMMERSED IN THE WATER.
  If you want to get immersed now is a good time to visit a swimming pool or water park. If you choose to go to the beach anyway, take a good look at what you are sharing the water with:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEOunA3tfqg&feature=related

 So what about surfing? You're not exactly immersed right? Wrong. When Great Whites have been spotted in an area they are usually the big ones. After one of these beasts reach the 13 foot level their "preferred prey" are marine mammals, large marine mammals. Your surf board propelled by your arms will look a bit strange but not terribly unlike a small whale. The Great White can probably  sense your heart beat through the board. The heart beat won't profile like a whale or dolphin exactly, but close. You are inviting a "test bite" will you survive it? Possibly. Will you survive it without injury, not very likely. If nothing else consider post traumatic stress syndrome. Few life experiences are more traumatic than just narrowly escaping being eaten alive. So really if these proven man eaters are known to be in the area the water is theirs!  Stay dry or confine your immersed activities to the pool or or bath tub.  

 OK what about cage diving? Geez Goldfish are you back again? Weren't you listening in both the Diving Section and the Technical Diving Section. Believe me cage diving is technical diving, what did we say about all forms of technical diving Goldfish? NEVER EVER EVER TRY ANY FORM OF TECHNICAL DIVING WITHOUT EXPERT INSTRUCTION AND MAKE SURE YOUR FIRST ACTUAL ATTEMPT AT ANY FORM OF TECHNICAL DIVE IS INSTRUCTOR SUPERVISED. THAT'S EACH FORM GOLD FISH; JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE CAVE OR WRECK DIVING DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE READY FOR CAGE DIVING. GET A GRIP GOLDFISH! WHAT PART OF STAY OUT OF THE WATER DID YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?

  OK, so what about sailing or boating? First stand up paddle boards aren't boats. The bigger Great Whites have been known to attack boats on rare occasions. Sometimes this has been the result of fishing activities that have drawn prey species near the boat, other times it is in response to actually being hooked, but occasionally, the attacks appear to have no reason. Some scientists speculate that the Great White is attracted or annoyed by the electrical pulses coming from larger boats. Surely a kayak or Sunfish,  or other "board boat" is not what you want to be out on when the Great Whites are about. Certainly you are less likely to be eaten aboard a 40 foot Morgan, especially if not running all sorts of electronics and not fishing from it than you would be in a kayak. Take a good look at what a Great White Attack is like when aimed at a human:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=N2v9XDBFR6g

 Now of course we here at American Admiralty Books are licensed, certified, and experienced mariners, and divers. What do we do when we had planned boating or beach activity and Great Whites are reported in the area? THAT'S WHEN WE HIT THE GOLF COURSE ! We of course find being eaten by a fish to be unprofessional for professional seamen.

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