While you may be more likely to get struck by a bolt of lightning, few animals have been able to captivate and strike fear into the hearts and minds of swimmers than the almighty shark. You’ll be happy to know that shark attacks are very rare events, but should you find yourself in this unfortunate predicament, we will provide you with the information that could save your life.

Remain Calm

Try to remain calm and focused. Your first instinct may be to move as quickly as you can to get out of the water and away from the shark. This is natural and ultimately your goal is to remove yourself from the situation, but in order to do so, you must keep your composure. Sharks are able to sense fear and if you panic and try to move away too quickly, you may inadvertently stimulate their instinct to attack. Although this may seem to be easier said than done, your wits will be your strongest ally to get you safely out of the water and away from danger.

Keep the shark in your sights

You can’t fight what you can’t see and just because the shark may appear to retreat, it could sneak back up on you and catch you by surprise. Be aware of what’s around you and as long as you have a sense of where the shark is, you give yourself a fighting chance to defend against it and retreat from it.

Limit the shark’s angle of attack

If you are diving, back up against a solid surface in an effort to keep the shark in front of you. This will help prevent surprise attacks and allow you to focus on just one area of attack. If you are diving with another person and there are no solid surfaces to retreat to, get back-to-back with your partner working as a team to surface together. This defensive position will allow you both to focus your attention to smaller areas and help you to identify the shark’s location.

Fight

Although it is one of the most powerful animals in the world, sharks do have vulnerabilities and knowing what those are can save your life. These vulnerable areas include the eyes, gills, or even the tip of the nose. A strong blow to any of these areas may be all that is necessary to send the shark into retreat. If the shark continues to attack don’t give up, you must strike repeatedly, clawing and scratching at the eyes and gills if necessary. Any weapons such as a spear gun are optimal. Use them! Any other inanimate objects, such as sticks, poles, etc. may be effective weapons against the attacker. Don’t forget to breathe, as your body needs adequate oxygen to fight and to make an effective retreat.

Get out of the water

This is the goal. You will not truly be safe from a repeat attack unless you have completely removed yourself from the shark’s environment. That means getting into a boat or back to shore. Getting to a boat or to shore should be done with caution and with quick, yet smooth strokes. Strong, erratic movements made in panic may be a sign to the shark that its prey is wounded, further attracting the shark’s attention.

More Information

• Get medical attention if you have been bitten by a shark. Sharks have razor sharp teeth and lots of them, which may cause massive blood loss depending on where the shark has bitten you. Use of a tourniquet should be considered to help slow the blood loss until proper medical attention has been sought.
• Lastly…Never give up! As long as you are able to fight, you increase your chances of sending the shark looking for easier prey.