What is with the shark attacks?

[ReformedWretch]

No, I don't think it's a sign of the end of the world But what is going on with all of them happening over the last year or two? I just found out that the beach we visit had a shark attack as well last month.

Wow..

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8144414/

Any thoughts?

 

[crhoades]

If a person stuck there arm down a snake hole and was bit by a snake, would anyone be surprised? People are stepping out into Jaws' cereal bowl. The one girl was 200 yards out on a boogie board...That's 2 football fields and you're pretending to be a seal...

I'm surprised there isn't more of them. I think the media is blowing this way out of proportion and making the sharks look bad. They are just doing their shark thing. Man is the ultimate evil. How many shootings in one night in Chicago the other day? 24? With multiple deaths? Now that's tragic. Also not reported too much in the media outlets. Can't look worse than bagdad can we?

 

[Contra_Mundum]

There might simply be more people at the beach, so the % of attacks may be unchanged, but the numbers might be higher.

Also, sharks are "protected" so no one hunts them = more sharks looking for dinner.

Also, media love to sensationalize JAWS.

 

[Average Joey]

What is with the shark attacks?

They got hungry silly!

Honestly,if you had nothing but fish all the time,wouldn`t you like a change every now and then?

[Edited on 7-2-2005 by Average Joey]

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Maybe they are hunting in newer territories. They have hunted out the old ones. Had to move to newer hunting grounds as man does. You go where the buffalo are.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

The International Shark Attack File has some good info.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Originally posted by houseparent
No, I don't think it's a sign of the end of the world But what is going on with all of them happening over the last year or two? I just found out that the beach we visit had a shark attack as well last month.

Wow..

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8144414/

Any thoughts?

I believe Jaws was based on the 1916 Great White shark attacks in New Jersey.

 

[Puritanhead]

Jaws

Originally posted by crhoades
If a person stuck there arm down a snake hole and was bit by a snake, would anyone be surprised? People are stepping out into Jaws' cereal bowl. The one girl was 200 yards out on a boogie board...That's 2 football fields and you're pretending to be a seal...

Chris does have a good point... I was a beach bum and lived in Wilmington, NC for a good while... I even went to UNCW for a short time... and my parent's have a place down there now. I used to be brazen (and arguably stupid), like my surfing brother who swims whereever and in whatever weather... i would catch 4' foot sand sharks and wave them erratically with one hand impressing upon people my lack of fear (and my stupidity) in 1999. At that time, I would be dumb enough to jump out of boat into the middle of a calm ocean and take a swim--- not anymore.... one day in the new century while I was fishing in about 25-35' deep water within sight of the beach, and perhaps 400 yards off shore--- i catch the biggest omninous shark fin out of the corner of my eye and the shadow of a shark lurking under the surface... it was the biggest shark i have ever seen in my life... it was bigger than the boat, and don't ask how big the boat is... and well, the person i was with-- caught a clear look at the shark... henceforth, i will NOT swim in deep waters, or water over my shoulders for that matter--- besides visibility is poor north of georgia where the water is dark-green--- And I wouldn't dare walk, swim across an inlet like i've done before... currents didn't bother me, but the thought of sharks do...

sharks have rows and rows of teeth and generally when they take a bite out of something -- they do a thorough job of cutting into what they bite. I see in books that statistically you're more likely to die of a bee sting than get struck by a shark, but when you frequent the oceans as a surfer who regularly swims out to dark waters, you're greatly increasing those odds... because you are in "Jaws' cereal bowl" as Chris says.


[Edited on 7-3-2005 by Puritanhead]

 

[SRoper]

More manhours spent in the water is probably the most significant reason.