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Maybe not at home in the cooler waters of the North Atlantic, but come holiday time, or for our surfing brothers and sisters around the world, shark attack is a very real hazard. But what is one to do if confrontated by a shark? What provokes sharks? What increases or decreases the chances of an attack if there are sharks in the proximity of your spot? When you see one, do you split for the beach like a madman or just sit very still on your board with your feet up? Is there anything you should do or should you just pray? Is there any recognised signal to alert surfers in the water when a shark has been spotted?
With these questions in mind, I consulted Geremy Cliff of the South African Sharks Board, the one place above all others where they should know, and he offers this advice:
"It is difficult to provide a general answer. Some sharks are 'inquisitive' and will slowly circle a surfer at close range, satisfy their curiosity and then disappear. Aggressive or determined sharks will move in at high speed and bump or bite the board. It is unlikely that a surfer will see a determined shark before it strikes, and this is verified by the reports of scores of surfers who have survived such unexpected and often deadly attacks.
A surfer should not try to arouse an inquisitive shark into becoming determined or aggressive. This could easily be done by panicking and thrashing across the water to the shore. It has been suggested that a surfer on a board with arms and legs hanging into the water may resemble a turtle or seal, both natural prey for sharks. It therefore makes sense to raise arms and legs out of the water.
Because shark behaviour is so variable, such advice does not always pay off. A bodyboarder near Mossel Bay, SA, was lying on his board when he saw the fin of a large shark 2-3 metres away. The shark circled him once and submerged. The rider knelt on his board to keep his limbs out of the water. The shark then lifted both the board and its rider out of the water and returned to bite a large chunk out of the board before disappearing. Who knows how the shark would have reacted had the rider immediately made a dash for the shore?
The species that form the greatest threat to surfers and water users in general are the Great White and the Zambezi. In general, the Great Whites seem to prefer the cooler water, and might be present in a certain area in the winter, then head off somewhere cooler as the water heats up for the summer. However, this is merely a rough trend pattern, and should not be taken as gospel.
In summary, my advice would be first and foremost not to panic. Lift the limbs out of the water, and when the shark is no longer around leave the water with a minimum of fuss and commotion."
In addition, local marine expert Dr. Zachary Johnson who has recently returned from surfari in J-Bay, South Africa, offers this advice:
"After careful analysis of attack reports and personal surveillance, it is my opinion that sharks seem to be most active at dawn and dusk, their regular feeding times. Therefore, surefers should try to avoid being in the water at these times if possible.
If you are stuck underwater with an aggressive shark, you should never face away from it and some say that screaming has, on occasion, scared a shark off. It's worth a try - you don't have much to lose if you find yourself in a situation such as this!
If you have a weapon like a knife or a stick, if you have no alternative, aim for the nose - this is the shark's most sensative spot (much like a dog), and a severe strike here can be effective in disorientating the shark and hopefully scaring it off."
STOP PRESS:
According to an item in Carve Magazine, Spring '98, pissing your wetsuit could be dodgy in the wrong locations. It reads as follows:
Pissing your wetsuit can have fatal consequences if you surf in sharky waters, according to an Australian marine biologist. David Baxter from Sydney, who has studied sharks for 15 years, claims that most attacks occured shortly after the victims had urinated in the water.
"Surfers and swimmers think their urine will be swept away faairly quickly, but it stays it the wetsuit and creates a powerful smell for sharks. Sharks have well-developed olfactory glands intheir noses and are attracted to the smell of body fluids such as blood and urine."