When shark attack.....

LOL...a shark big enough to attempt a feeding on something the size of a human is not likely to be spooked by much.  There are some experts who say solitary swimmers are more likely to be investigated by sharks than those in a group.  Of course this investigation can involve a nudge or it can involve a mouthing.  While the shark may not intend to eat the victim of a mouthing; it probably does not mean much to that person.

No reason not to like sharks...they are mostly docile to humans.  I dislike going on a dive and NOT seeing sharks.  Your odds are pretty slim of ever being a shark bite victim (notice I did not say attack...for every step you take into the ocean, you take a step down the food chain...it's their home, so unless the shark flops onto the beach and snags ya', it can hardly be called an attack).

Sharks do not like good form.  It makes it harder to hear you.  So if you have good form you will be prepared.  But most of my shark friends don't like eating people, they just like to watch triathlons.  They don't mean to scare you.  They think Jaws was a sharkloitation film and are still trying to shake the image.

Why are so many people scared of sharks..  I do not understand it?

I think they attack when they are really hungry...LOL

Ya, Ya .... that's the ticket. A bloody bag of chum will work if its attached to a person 1 minutes behind you and you're swimming against the current.

Then again, if somebody hooked a bag of cum on my @$$, even Michael Phelps couldn't keep pace with me. LOL

I'm sure your fellow triathletes would be thrilled with that.

Seriously ... I don't know if logic helps mitigate your fear, but your question was asking for evidence, not for how to reduce the fear. We've described plenty of evidence stating that the risk is infinitesimally small. If that doesn't help, ask for advice on how to reduce the fear and stay calm.

Oh, please use a strategically placed "h" in your post...yikes!

i watched a show on shark week a couple months back.   they took 3 guys and put them in situations where they tried to get them biten by a shark.   they took them somewhere in the Caribbean where it was literally infested with sharks.

long story short, they did all they could to get these guys biten and couldn't do it.   they had sharks all around them and they wouldn't bite.

this really interested me because the next week i had my first Tri and ows in the Atlantic and was really nervous.  all went well and i didn't worry about a shark at all.

bottom line, forget about sharks.   even if you tried you couldn't get one to bite you.

I have to assume your question is rhetorical. If not, go rent Jaws and your question shall be answered. I personally am more scared of seaweed.  Its icky to touch.

Jaws is one the great all time movies.  Jaws II is watchable.  Jaws III makes me sad.  Don't forget about Jaws IV the Revenge, which, like Jaws III (which BTW, was in 3D) never should have been made.

bottom line, forget about sharks.   even if you tried you couldn't get one to bite you

This about sums up that question .......

(And hey, welcome home!!!!!!)

(Teeth.jpg)

How afraid are you of what's down there?  Is it just a concern that is not going to really bother you, or are you actually deathly afraid a shark will come up and eat you?  If it's merely a concern, HTFU and do the swim.  If you really are afraid, then do not do the tri.  If you are hanging on the edge of freakout, there are a lot of things that can happen to push you over.  A fish nipping your leg, swimming into a jellyfish, seaweed getting caught on you.  Any of those things could cause you to panic, and a panic attack in the water can be deadly.

This is a serious issue for a lot of triathletes, and some get into the water when they shouldn't.  Postpone this open ocean tri if this is you. 

Come to FL.  Why are so many scared of alligators, I do not understand it.  Odd are probably about the same.

Yeah, that area between Jekyll and St. Simons is supposed to be some kind of shark love shack supposedly.  I've never seen any, but the water clarity at Jekyll is not exactly pristine either. 

Ok I am 12 days out from my first, and now I am terrified of SARS and lightning.  Curse you statistics!!!

That being said if I learned anything from the remarkable documentary Jaws IV it is that violent sharks actually hate specific families.  So unless your late spouse killed more than one great white - you should be fine.  Marine Biologists are trying to capture a great white in the next cove over from me, but they have since packed up their gear as they are out of season.  Stop worrying. 

No stingrays on the sand as you run into the water...that is another story all together!

Well...there ya have it!!! Beer cans and football...it's what's down there...hehe :-)