Sharks and various ocean dangers....

[MermaidMadeleine]

Hello!
Well, I am new on this form, and I joined because I thought if I went anywhere to consul my fears of mermaiding dangers, it would be here!
I am living in San Diego (Oceanside/Carlsbad area, to be more exact) and I am very afraid of shark attacks. It probably doesn't help my mom and brother, and sister are afraid of the ocean, and so are my best friends. Don't get me wrong, I swim in the ocean all the time, going out pretty far- BUT not with a tail. I have heard that it is dangerous to swim in mermaid tails, because of the sparkly-ness attracting sharks... Here in SD, we have shark sightings about a mile off the coast, and once every 3 or 4 years someone will get nipped... But it's the deaths that scare me- apparently a man was swallowed whole (pretty over exaggerated, I'm assuming) in 1959 in La Jolla Cove, and a bit closer to us, a man was killed by a shark at a beach I went to as a child (Swami's).
I don't know what to do, because I want to mermaid so bad, and I don't have a pool. Oh, and if I sound terribly whiny, blame it on the fact that I suffer from annoyingteenagegirlitis, being 15 and all. Help? I want to get over this phobia so bad.

[spottedcatfish]

Welcome Mermaid Madeleine. Thanks for the warning about sharks, here in San Diego. I'm sure there are many mer's on this forum who take great caution in the ocean water. However, there are a lot of mer's here who swim in pools, either public or private pools, as they live in a land locked state that has no ocean or river near by, and they appear to do just fine. Have you looked into swimming at a public pool? Have you tried swimming in a tail?

[Mermaid Annariea]

a lot of people have this fear. honestly, i do too. i dont have a tail yet, but once i get one, im going to use it in pools and MAYBE when i go on a trip to florida because the water is so clear. who could give THAT chance up?
but just face your fear. get good at swimming in the tail before you try swimming in the ocean with it, and make sure that you take ANY precautions you can. eventually, youll hopefully get over your fear (:

[Thalassa]

I can't help much because I've never swum in the ocean, but I'm no stranger to fears in mermaiding. ;-) After finding out all I can about sharks and realizing I may never even get to swim in the ocean :-( my biggest fear now is getting run over by a boat while swimming in a lake. I've never swum in any natural body of water, and there've been a bunch of boat accidents in my state...

My usual method is to calm my fears by finding out as much as I can about the problem, and then go the first couple of times with someone who is more experienced (e.g. a mer who swims in the ocean regularly, if you can find one).

[Aradia]

Hey! I mermaid in Australian waters so i'm fairly used to things having the ability to kill me so i'm probably a bit desensitized. Just try to remember shark attacks are extremely rare and often in an "attack" the shark is just trying to figure out what you are without having the ability to poke you with a stick. I've scuba-ed with a fair few sharks in my time and believe me, its Sea Turtles that you need to look out for... they can be really mean :( If it helps Hannah has swum with Great White Sharks in her sparkly tail and also with Reef Sharks where they get hand fed by tourist boats. I wouldn't worry about the shineyness as much as a full body wetsuit because wetsuits give a much sleeker seal-like sheen and treading water doesn't look as graceful as swimming in a monofin.
If in doubt remember you can always build up to swimming in the ocean, just make sure you're comfortable when you're in your tail :)

[MermaidMadeleine]

I have an old tail that I have swum with in the ocean and in pools, but I just recently felt this great surge of fear towards sharks, lol. And thank you:)

[Kanti]

The problem isn't being shiny, that will usually set Barracudas off, not sharks.
And I can't say for sure unless you know the type of shark and what it feeds on. If you're talking
reef sharks, a mermaid tail probably won't phase them, but they will be curious so you have to
keep on alert. Great whites are probably the only sharks that feed on seals and a mermaid tail
may look like a seal from below so that would be my main concern.

Swimming in the ocean is usually just something where you have to be on alert a lot of the time.
Sharks generally won't give you too much trouble if you even ever see one. It may be stressful
in a tail, though, so I would agree with Aradia, only go when you're so comfortable in swimming in
a tail that even a stressful situation can be handled while still in it.

[Mermaid Cascada]

Sharks didn't scare me but then I started watching Shark week on the T.V. so now I'm not so fond of them. I don't really want to swim in the ocean but pools, lakes, ponds, and rivers are what I will be swimming in :p

[Mizuko]

I'm also an Australian mermaid... and my home town is known for Great White sharks (in fact, its part of our tourist industry) so I've been surrounded by fishermen and surfers (one being my father) all my life. You kinda grow up with a distant apprehension when it comes to sharks- not an out-right fear, but they certainly leave a niggling worry when you hear about them. Sometimes I think back to when I was a kid and the places I used to swim... XD I was nuts. haha! But its all a gamble I guess... any surfer will tell you: if the swell is up and there's the chance of sharks, they'd still go in. It doesn't stop me stressing over my father, though! lol!
I guess what I'm trying to say is, know your environment. What kinds of sharks lie off your coast line? Are they seasonal, like passing through following fish? If you know basic things about your swimming place, you can make the best judgement. If attacks are rare, then they are RARE. People swim with sharks all the time without even knowing they are there- I was surfing once and discovered after I had come to shore that there had been sharks in the break (not dangerous ones, but sharks all the same) and I had no idea. The fear of the chances of an attack shouldn't ruin your enjoyment, but just keep alert and you will be fine! ^_^

[Mermaid Crystal]

I am more of a fresh water mermaid but sharks are in the deeper parts of the ocean

[Merman_Shawn]

I am more of a fresh water mermaid but sharks are in the deeper parts of the ocean

Actually, Bull Sharks, Reef Sharks, Lemon Sharks, and Tiger Sharks all frequent shallows.

[Mermaid Crystal]

Thanks for the info but I swin in pools because i am NOWHERE close to the ocean or lakes but if i had a choice i would swim in a lake

[drucilla]

Scared of sharks yea, but I'm also scared that I'll get seaweed wrapped around my tail and end up drowning because I can't get it off... I wouldn't mind carrying a knife along just in case but I don't believe that is legal here.

[AptaMer]

I'm also scared that I'll get seaweed wrapped around my tail and end up drowning because I can't get it off... I wouldn't mind carrying a knife along just in case but I don't believe that is legal here.

Do you live in California? Dive knives are perfectly legal for swimming or diving in CA, everybody used them for safety when I lived in the Bay Area. Between fishing lines and kelp, I think they're important. As I recall, California state law just prohibits concealing fixed-blade knives (i.e. hiding it in your pocket or boot)

For a mer, it seems like one of the little ones that straps to your arm would be the way to go.

[drucilla]

Yea I'm in Cali that's a relief (that they accept knifes) I saw a glow in the dark knife that I thought would be a good idea for that (also sharks) lol Apparently there's been a few shark sitings around here... Scawwy :eek:Now would they be attracted to shark blood? I know they are WAY more attracted to squid blood than humans, but I still wonder if shark blood would set them off... Oh well it doesn't matter I don't do fight or flight I freeze. So I would die nomatter what. lol (sad but true)

[New York Mermaid]

I found this, but i still am not too fond of poking the eye area: http://www.wikihow.com/Survive-a-Shark-Attack

[Usagi]

Drucilla, knives are legal. I keep one with my pepper spray in my purse. :P I believe they have to be under 4 inches and can not be a switchblade.

p.s. I might start calling you Dru. Never really met another Buffy fan in my age range lol I almost went with Drucilla when choosing my name! Haha

[Mermaid Linda Stephanie]

I grew up around the beaches of the Southern California coast as well. Those waters scared me so much...they're murky and then you hear many things on TV, especially during shark week about all the dangers around (I dislike shark week for that reason), but then I began diving, first with fish then with sharks. It really took all of one dive to figure out they weren't going to eat me. In fact, they were more skittish toward me than I was toward them. I began to study them and spent years learning about their behaviors and environment. Your best bet is to get an understanding for them--their swimming patterns will you tell you a lot about what they are thinking and you can begin to anticipate how they will react. Hannah Fraser was amazing when she said she scared the Great White by making an ugly face at it. I know a diver who has done this to a number of Tiger Sharks. They are very curious animals, but once you say "boo" they're gone. Also know that sharks can sense vulnerability in the water (moreso toward fish), but still, stay confident and in control of yourself and you will be fine. :) And then, finally, know that each shark is its own individual. While they have tendencies and patterns, just because one acts one way, does not mean another will necessarily react the same that day. So, instead of "fearing" them, think of it as "respecting" them. That will get you a long way. Happy swimming, hope that's helpful. :D

[seagirls626]

I had the same fear a couple of months ago. What you can do is look up what kind of sharks attacked the people and find out more about the attacks and the sharks. That way you can try to avoid doing whatever caused it. Normally, sharks don't attack humans. It's VERY rare that they actually eat a human whole. The only reason they attack humans is that either they are really hungry because fisherman are taking all their food for themselves, or sometimes they take humans as food by mistake. Sometimes, sharks just want a taste and they'll take a bite and then realize that we don't taste good. Shark's aren't cold blooded killers at all. In fact, they are warm blooded!

[Usagi]

I was at Torrance Beach one time (don't know if any of you know where that is..I grew up here and had never heard of it til 8th grade lol) and my friend and I were just standing in thwarting really shallow water that came up probably not far past our ankles. Then we saw some sharky type creature (I always called it a sand shark, but those are probably a lot bigger. It was swimming around on the sand, though! Haha) and we would got out because of it and wouldn't go back in. :P if that were to happen now, I'd probably try to pet it Haha still scared of big sharks, though. /:

[drucilla]

Drucilla, knives are legal. I keep one with my pepper spray in my purse. :P I believe they have to be under 4 inches and can not be a switchblade.

p.s. I might start calling you Dru. Never really met another Buffy fan in my age range lol I almost went with Drucilla when choosing my name! Haha
lol She spelled it Drusilla. Don't even get me started on Buffy I had soo much Buffy stuff, I think I have some of it stored somewhere. I had the collectable action figures, the books, the life size cut out of Buffy *though I would've preferred spike ;) lol* I had the ring Angel gave to Buffy, some other jewlery from my buffy magazines with spike on it, buffy comics, buffy games, buffy cards, and even shirts including the sunnydale high, along with all the dvds & vhs, buffy costume, and soo much more lol. My mom and I were obsessed, lol. I even used to write fan fiction (I was a kid lol).

[Mermaid Wesley]

Buffy was filmed at my high school :D also, I grew up in the ocean and it's never scared me... I guess it's just a personal thing. I've seen itty bitty sand sharks like syd and I've been stung by jellies and I've actually stepped on a fish before, but I just shrug it off. Something like that happens like one in every 50 times I go to the beach. Its usually kicking a fish tho :)

[Taniira]

Personally, I'm more concerned about jellyfish. They keep their stinging properties for a while after death. The first time I got stung I was wading along the beach and kicked one on the bottom and it's tentacles ended up wrapped around nearly my entire leg, and it was the first day of our beach vacation. The second time I got stung I was scuba diving and swam through chopped up jelly particles and was stung all over my face (except where my mask was) and that was during a FL Keys vacation. I've also been stung by a stingray and used to get "sea lice" when we lived in Florida ALL THE TIME so I may just be doomed as far as the ocean goes.

(Disclaimer: I can't be 100% positive it was a chopped up jelly since neither I or my friend-also-Dive Master/Diving Trainer saw it, but it's the only thing we could figure out and the jellyfish serum stuff from the store worked.)

[Elle]

Hey! I mermaid in Australian waters so i'm fairly used to things having the ability to kill me so i'm probably a bit desensitized. Just try to remember shark attacks are extremely rare and often in an "attack" the shark is just trying to figure out what you are without having the ability to poke you with a stick. I've scuba-ed with a fair few sharks in my time and believe me, its Sea Turtles that you need to look out for... they can be really mean :( If it helps Hannah has swum with Great White Sharks in her sparkly tail and also with Reef Sharks where they get hand fed by tourist boats. I wouldn't worry about the shineyness as much as a full body wetsuit because wetsuits give a much sleeker seal-like sheen and treading water doesn't look as graceful as swimming in a monofin.
If in doubt remember you can always build up to swimming in the ocean, just make sure you're comfortable when you're in your tail :)

Yes, I think we're built tough knowing how many things can kill us :)
We have swarms of Blue Blubbers at the moment. But they aren't a big issue, just creepy when you find them next to you.
Blue bottles are the big issue! cos you don't see them, just feel them afterwards :(

Also Hannah is like 7-8ft long with the tail....she ends up being almost as big as the sharks (if not bigger :) )

[Mermaid Wesley]

Personally, I'm more concerned about jellyfish. They keep their stinging properties for a while after death. The first time I got stung I was wading along the beach and kicked one on the bottom and it's tentacles ended up wrapped around nearly my entire leg, and it was the first day of our beach vacation. The second time I got stung I was scuba diving and swam through chopped up jelly particles and was stung all over my face (except where my mask was) and that was during a FL Keys vacation. I've also been stung by a stingray and used to get "sea lice" when we lived in Florida ALL THE TIME so I may just be doomed as far as the ocean goes.

(Disclaimer: I can't be 100% positive it was a chopped up jelly since neither I or my friend-also-Dive Master/Diving Trainer saw it, but it's the only thing we could figure out and the jellyfish serum stuff from the store worked.)

um sea lice are actually baby jellyfish. The more you know!

[Taniira]

I know, but we never called them baby jellyfish. Sea lice is easier to say, plus you get a better response with that phrase :P

[Mermaid Danielle]

Your not the only one with that fear. I think I'll master swimming in Lake Michigan before even considering the ocean. The irrational part of me is absolutely terrified, the rational part of me says there (in reality) is very little to be afraid of, and I should be more scared of things like jellyfish (which I wouldn't be able to see with my eyesight)... I think it is just a matter of educating yourself and knowing the area you swim in.


Good luck!

[AptaMer]

Speaking of jellyfish. It seems to me that the Australians have the right idea making those lycra suits that stop the jellyfish from being able to sting you. Maybe in open water swinmming with a tail what you need is the top half of one of those suits. Maybe you could make a mer top that would also protect you from the stings.

[Scapey]

I was in Turkey once, swimming in the lagoon at Olu Deniz, and I found in the shallows next to all the sunbeds a little hermit crab.
I picked him up for a closer look - And noticed that his little eye ( I could only see one ) looked almost human!
As I was looking at that, he raised one of his little claws... Just at that moment, I noticed that it wasn't a crab claw at all. It was more like a stinger.

The little swine smacked it down, and luckily it hit off my fingernail, and he went flying off.

Turns out it wasn't a hermit crab - It was a cone snail! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conus)

Bullet. Dodged.
Lesson. Learned. :)

[Scapey]

Oh, and another time, I decided to snorkel out to have a closer look at the shark net that enclosed the hotel's private bay...
Except when I got out there, it wasn;t a net at all - Just a row of buoys to stop the jetskis coming into the swimming area!

I felt very small, very exposed, and very delicious at that point - And discovered that; you know those little floaters you get in your vision? The little bits of protein in your eyeball that bounce around when you change where you're looking?

When you're swimming back to the beach... EVERY ONE OF THEM IS SHAPED LIKE A SHARK!

[drucilla]

Oh, and another time, I decided to snorkel out to have a closer look at the shark net that enclosed the hotel's private bay...
Except when I got out there, it wasn;t a net at all - Just a row of buoys to stop the jetskis coming into the swimming area!

I felt very small, very exposed, and very delicious at that point - And discovered that; you know those little floaters you get in your vision? The little bits of protein in your eyeball that bounce around when you change where you're looking?

When you're swimming back to the beach... EVERY ONE OF THEM IS SHAPED LIKE A SHARK!

lol Did they say there was a net?

[Scapey]

Nope... But it LOOKED like there was one! :$

[Mermaidmechanic]

i would imagine a shark wouldn't attack someone in a tail because the tail shape and fluke is very similar to that of a dolphin and we're about the right size.

[Mermaid Caidence]

or a seal..:(

[AptaMer]

i would imagine a shark wouldn't attack someone in a tail because the tail shape and fluke is very similar to that of a dolphin and we're about the right size.

Hi Mermaidmechanic,

Unfortunately, sharks attack dolphins quite often, and dolphins fight off sharks, quite often. I'm not sure looking like a dolphin would discourage shark attacks, even though shark attacks on humans are relatively rare.

http://www.dolphinencounters.com/education-dolphinvsshark.php

http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wildlife/sharks-attack-released-dolphin-near-tampa-bay/1022653


http://youtu.be/xPG4AkUC3WU

http://youtu.be/xPG4AkUC3WU

[Mermaidmechanic]

Those are some brave sharks... I wouldn't think they would want to waste their energy on something so difficult to eat. Regardless I'm not frightened of sharks... besides I cant imagine silicone and sunscreen smells too appetizing in the water.

[Mizuko]

Not going to be the downer here, but if a shark is hungry they dont care what you smell/look like ^^;; We lost a young surfer about a decade ago (he was 18) and the shark took everything- even his surfboard- in one go. They never found his board, his wetty, anything. Sharks DO regurgate things that they cannot digest- but I doubt the possibility of eating something that tastes bad would outweigh a starving animals survival instincts.

[Mermaidmechanic]

Haha... I'm trying to be optimistic for those who are scared and such. Well, I'm not going to be frightened of sharks. I would compare it to the fear of potentially being hit by a car stopping someone from crossing a street. I'm probably a bit bolder than most though, considering the military job and all. Kinda gotta be bold to survive in a mechanics world. :) I think the ocean is too amazing to let the fear of such a rare incident get in the way of exploring it. One of my most amazing life experiences was in the ocean: I was on a ship's swim call off the coast of Costa Rica. While swimming about and inspecting the wide variety of jellies with my goggles, a giant blue sailfish swam near our group (there were about 80 of us in the water) and seemed very curious. I swam out further to get a better look and it swam right next to me. It was a little bit unnerving since its snout was longer than my arm and looked like it could do some real damage. I just played it calm and watched it swim... it changed from blue to deep purple as its body reflected the light. It hung around long enough for me to surface and come down again and even seemed to follow me up a little. Finally it seemed bored and swam down. I watched it until the blackness beneath our ship swallowed it. By far the most magical moment of my life.

[taylor21]

Whether optimistic about shark or not its dangers are always very serious one and we should took it in like manner. Don't be afraid but should be capable of facing its attack with some necessary measures.

[Mizuko]

lol, sorry! XD But you are right, its just a matter of not letting the fear take over. We've all got more of a chance of being hit by a car/bus/truck while crossing the road, yet we are not afraid every time we cross a road. Knowing the danger can help overcome fear as it gives us the opportunity to make sensible decisions regarding our safety. :)

[Mermaidmechanic]

Exactly. I like optimism, it makes the day a little less miserable. ;)

[MermaidDiaries1]

I'm 15 years old too. I've lived right on the ocean my entire life. I've seen so many people who were afraid of the ocean, including me. But once you find a harmony with the ocean and learn more about it, the fear slowly starts to disappear. That might have sounded a bit cheesy. But I have been scuba diving for 5 years and I'm only 15! I've been with plenty of "dangerous" animals out there and honestly the most down right dangerous, most deadly thing that can be in the ocean, is humans. Also, more people die from dog attacks each year than more people who have a mild to severe encounter with a shark. More people die from getting hit in the head by a coconut! All I'm saying is there is nothing to fear and if you really want to take some precautions make sure your'e not the only one out there and whoever may be taking pictures ,or a video of you or maybe is just watching, should have either a knife on their leg or a blunt object( in case of entanglement in some old fishing line or something or if there is per chance a shark that got a little to close for comfort, instead of jabbing with a knife, hit it with a hard object in the gills, eyes, and/or nose). Don't be afraid of the ocean. :)

[starlite]

hey girls

My tail is yellow and is it sequined (a color which attract sharks and also shiny), i will go to maldives in may 2013 and i'm really scared about swimming with sharks !!! I never swim in ocean or sea, that's my first tail. I that true ? yellow attract sharks ?

Wich advices can you give me please ?

[mermaid_nixie]

I for one, am TERRIFIED of sharks. Here in new England more and more great whites seem to be following seals into our Massachusetts bay. My family has pretty much banned all of us from swimming at Cape Cod because of all the attacks and sightings.

Despite my horrifically strong fears though, I believe that sharks are not evil creatures, and they have every right to be there, just like us! ^^ This is how I make myself feel better when I'm afraid. They have the potential to hurt you, but so do many other animals, and other humans. But they don't do it to /hurt/ you. It's survival. :3

Another thing I'm really afraid of is deep water, especially when I'm alone. Not just in the ocean, but in lakes, and even swimming pools. It's really weird, and irrational (when it comes to the swimming pools). I'm just always afraid there's something lurking in the water's shadows, watching me or something :c Even though I can clearly see the bottom of the pool -____- Idk, it's strange. Pretty difficult to be a mer with this fear :/

But let's be safe and conquer our fears together!!! :D

[Mermaidmechanic]

Maybe get a black and white striped tail (or paint the one you already have) to mimic a sea snake if you're really scared of sharks? There is a trend out here to have black and white stripes on the bottom of your surf board or a black and white banded wet suit to discourage sharks from attacking. It's theorized the shark associates the stripes with something poisonous or that the extreme contrast confuses their hyper-sensitive senses.

[AptaMer]

Maybe get a black and white striped tail (or paint the one you already have) to mimic a sea snake if you're really scared of sharks? There is a trend out here to have black and white stripes on the bottom of your surf board or a black and white banded wet suit to discourage sharks from attacking. It's theorized the shark associates the stripes with something poisonous or that the extreme contrast confuses their hyper-sensitive senses.

There's a good article on the white & black stripes effect on sharks here http://sharkcamo.com/Stark_document.htm

I think it really does work. Would be interesting to test striped suits & tails.

[Trident True]

Question? what about swimming where the nets are? nets in aus are put there to keep sharks out and humans safe. the only shark I guess i would be afraid of is the Great White. actually they arn't supposed to be up here in QLD they perfer the cooler waters but they are creeping up. Great Whites are usually deep dewellers but it is something that im worried about as my tail once made will look naturally like a fish.

[MerMar]

I'd also like to know about colours less attractive to general marine life. I worried about seals they're very playful so I would like some advice about what colours and shiny sequins better avoid in your first tail.


Cheers!

[AptaMer]

Question? what about swimming where the nets are? nets in aus are put there to keep sharks out and humans safe. the only shark I guess i would be afraid of is the Great White. actually they arn't supposed to be up here in QLD they perfer the cooler waters but they are creeping up. Great Whites are usually deep dewellers but it is something that im worried about as my tail once made will look naturally like a fish.

In northern Australia, the shark to watch out for is not the great white, it's the bull shark. In fact, worldwide, the bull shark is responsible for more attacks than great whites. This could be because bull sharks like to live in shallow coastal waters, often near the shoreline, where people tend to be in the water. In Australia they live all around the northern coast from Western Australia to Queensland, and as far south as Sydney. Bull sharks have adaptations to be able to be in both fresh and salt water, and can even swim up rivers. In many places they have been found many miles upstream in completely fresh water.

Shark nets are supposedly of limited value in stopping sharks. This article https://theconversation.com/the-untold-story-of-shark-nets-in-australia-3748 points out that sharks regularly get through nets. The article makes the claim that 63% of shark attacks in NSW happened inside shark nets.

So what's the real answer to sharks? I think becoming shark-savvy is very important, and paying attention to shark reports, what locals say about areas you're thinking of swimming in, and I agree with Mermaid Mechanic that you shoulf be confident, and not really be afraid.

Maybe you should also get stripes on your tail like in the links above?

[Mermaid Melanie]

Id like to share my experience with sharks -

When I first started diving I said from the get go - " If I see a shark Im outta here"
So I had about 40 dives before I lay my eyes on these silky beauties -

I was logging up some dives on a liveaboard trip to count towards my Divemaster certification.
Morning dive at Koh Bon just north of The Similan Islands.

We jumped into the water from the dive deck and it was lovely and cooling, with it being the height of high season ( Dec 2010 ) , it was a relief from the morning heat. The visibility was unreal - 30m +

We go to the west ridge where Manta rays glide in the cross currents feeding on plankton. Its about 40 mins into the dive when I hear a rapid tapping on the back of someones tank ( tank bangers are used to get other divers attention - either for looking at something awesome or trying to direct them underwater ) I turn around and see this beautiful big Black tip reef shark swaying its body side to side. I was kind of froze at the start but not with fear with Awe. I started to swim after the shark to get a better look and swam along with him for a few before I left him in peace. It was one of the most exciting dives I had had up till that point and from then on I LOVED SHARKS !

My next close encounter was actually when I was doing a swim for sharks project in an aquarium in Thailand to help promote a healthy image for sharks - to show they are not the monsters the media and news portray them to be ! So myself and a group of other mermaids swam in the shark tank as mermaids with - Black tip reef sharks, 5m long nurse sharks, guitar sharks and leopard sharks ! Also in there were turtles and a lot of Giant Travalley - The team there told us they were having to separate the sharks and travelley beacuse THE TRAVALLEY were bullying the sharks !!

So we had a look around and checked out the tank before we swam in it - the sharks looked beautiful and as I stood at the thick glass window I couldn't control the sadness I felt - All these beautiful creatures here in front of me, yet I hardly see them in their natural habitat. It made me angry, sad and surprisingly motivated to help their cause! Swimming in the shark tank was so exciting ! However one cheeky little black tip was curious and had a little taste of my tail - he didnt bite or hurt me in any way and I wasnt even afraid - he placed his mouth on my ankle just above the fluke, realised I wasnt for eating and swam off. :)

I think we have to have a certain respect for Sharks. They have been around far longer than many other creatures on this earth - the sea is THIER home not ours. I would not walk straight into a lions den in africa and expect not to get eaten alive... same thing ... but why are the sharks being forgotten about ... media , movies, the news....yes sharks have killed people... people kill people... coconuts kills more people than sharks ... vending machines kill more people than sharks! So stand together and show your not afraid !


With your concerns - if you really have a morbid fear of sharks - check out shark skin technical wetsuits - they have a new carbon fiber material that masks the electrical pulses sharks sense in the water - this technology allows you to be slightly less detectable AND get a bit closer to the fishies :D

Laa Gon Kaa
xxx

[MerMar]

Is it me or on this thread we’re discussing two different things related with sea life threats?


Tailmaking related query, selection of colours and type of tail, what experience has the mermaids out there? Handmade tails have involves a huge amount of time, I think for a first tail it’d be nice know ahead what tails are the favourite to chase and play with for friendly and unharmed animals? Such as seals, turtle, barracudas, etc can it be an annoying experience for inexpert mermaids?


Free-Diving/ Open Water Swimming related: sharks and other underwater hazardous life forms? Chance of being attacked for a shark? Are out there other things to be careful? Are they linked with the mers tails?


What do you think about it?


By the way very nice article AptaMer


My experience with sharks has been well summarised by the end of the above post of Mermaid Melanie, common sense and know where you go and who's living there.


Shark is a family name.


The most serious shark is a pelagic one, they don't poke as Great Whites usually does, they shallow the food and nothing is found after. Nobody has any chance. They're very unknown because their territory isn't where we swim or do scuba. They live in real deep water. An unbalance in their territory is the trouble.


Most of the sharks are simply scavengers and pretty lazies, including the Great White, the poke is their way to assess you as food, will it a easy prey? tasty? is it food?


Sharks tend to avoid humans. It's very difficult meet them when you're doing scuba for this reason in some places, like Bahamas, and some people thrown food to water before a dive. This practise can put other water users in risk but not the sharks in itself.


There're some adorable and cutie sharks like pets I think the dogfish is a good example.

Does anybody have experience with seals? any tail colours and bright sequin that better avoid?

Cheers!

[Echidna]

From what I've heard (during my marine biology courses), humans are not the natural prey of sharks (or of any other marine predator).
Attacks are then most likely mistakes (it's also why surfers and people paddling on a board are often attacked, because they do resemble a seal's outline from beneath).
Statistics say most attacks will not happen in deeper waters, but in very shallow waters near the beach.
Sadly, I wouldn't take that as a "great, then I'll just swim way out on the sea and will be safe", since most people ARE in the shallows and not far out :P

Things you can do once sharks come near are:

Rule number one, very important: you must stay calm. The calmer, the better. Sharks can hear your heartbeat.
A slow, steady heartbeat signals to them nothing worth hunting is near.
They will only notice you if you're afraid and your heart speeds up.

Two; no hectic movements. Swim slowly and steadily. This signals to the sharks you're not their designated prey, and they should leave you alone.
Flailing and fast movements will attract them.

Generally, brighter colours should be less noticeable from beneath than darker colours.
This is why nearly all fish have a brighter belly and a darker back, so they won't be easily spotted from both above and below.

You can also try the mentioned white-black (or black-yellow) striped gear.
It's both great for camouflage, AND resembles the highly venomous seakraits/snakes, which would be useful against more than just sharks.

Also, if I lived in North Queensland, I'd probably worry more about jellyfish and saltwater crocs than sharks ;)
At any rate, the most dangerous thing out in the oceans certainly are the currents.

[MerMar]

Generally, brighter colours should be less noticeable from beneath than darker colours.
This is why nearly all fish have a brighter belly and a darker back, so they won't be easily spotted from both above and below.

You can also try the mentioned white-black (or black-yellow) striped gear.
It's both great for camouflage, AND resembles the highly venomous seakraits/snakes, which would be useful against more than just sharks.

Also, if I lived in North Queensland, I'd probably worry more about jellyfish and saltwater crocs than sharks ;)
At any rate, the most dangerous thing out in the oceans certainly are the currents.

Note and yepa about currents and jellies! I was stung by a lion marine uffff for not to talk about the times I struggled to reach the shore cos in no time I was pulled away the shore

My problem is well illustrated on this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lOWECt2MmWA

Any tail colour advice for this case, and well, tips when a huge one come too close, here, Ireland the poppies already are bigger than myself. I just can see their huge teeth, duno how people are so relaxed when they're around. Doing scuba I love the encounter but free-diving and swimming :( not at all

Cheers

[AptaMer]

From what I've heard (during my marine biology courses), humans are not the natural prey of sharks (or of any other marine predator).

This is basically true, but there is one exception. I don't want to make anyone paranoid, but the oceanic whitetip shark is known to deliberately attack humans in the water like any other organism it would prey upon.


Attacks are then most likely mistakes (it's also why surfers and people paddling on a board are often attacked, because they do resemble a seal's outline from beneath).
Statistics say most attacks will not happen in deeper waters, but in very shallow waters near the beach.

This is not exactly true. Most government statistics only record shark attacks within territorial waters, and exclude attacks that occur on the high seas in international waters.

Occasionally when a ship sinks or aircraft is forced to land on water, whitetip sharks that have discovered the survivors have attacked and even started feeding frenzies, resulting in extreme numbers of casualties.

Just one example, When the huge US warship Indianapolis was sunk during world war 2, survivors said about 900 sailors were able to escape the ship and make it into to the water, but whitetips started attacking and large numbers of men were killed before rescuers were able to get them out of the water. Reports of the time said sharks were attacking the sailors even while rescuers were pulling them out of the water.

Rescuers were able to save only 317 of the men who were in the water, and while some probably died from injuries or exposure, they believed the majority were killed by whitetips. The sharks probably killed hundreds of sailors. Just this one incident dwarfed the number of nearshore shark attacks recorded every year (usually less than 100.) There are numerous other records of whitetip attacks on surviors of sinkings, some of which resulted in mass casualties. Many other sinkings have happened where no shark attacks occur. It seems to be chance, whether whitetips discover the survivors at the wrong time.



Things you can do once sharks come near are:

Rule number one, very important: you must stay calm. The calmer, the better. Sharks can hear your heartbeat.
A slow, steady heartbeat signals to them nothing worth hunting is near.
They will only notice you if you're afraid and your heart speeds up.

Two; no hectic movements. Swim slowly and steadily. This signals to the sharks you're not their designated prey, and they should leave you alone.
Flailing and fast movements will attract them.


I haven't been able to find out anything yet about what to do if you're in blue water and encounter a whitetip. The only thing everyone who's been in blue water says is, if you see a whitetip, get out of the water back into your boat. I've never heard of whitetips attacking a boat, like great whites have been known to do, but maybe it's happened.

[Echidna]

This is not exactly true. Most government statistics only record shark attacks within territorial waters, and exclude attacks that occur on the high seas in international waters.

Occasionally when a ship sinks or aircraft is forced to land on water, whitetip sharks that have discovered the survivors have attacked and even started feeding frenzies, resulting in extreme numbers of casualties.

Yea. This is why I said, one shouldn't be lulled into complacency by the "it's (mostly) safe!"-statistics ;)

Personally, if I encountered a shark of the dangerous sort (bull, reef, etc) anywhere, I'd try to gain distance calmly and then get outta there.
99 times out of hundred nothing would have happened, but I'm rather safe than sorry.

However, the two times I've been in true danger in the oceans it was both times related to sudden, unpredictable current changes.
And one should never forget just how long the tentacles of some venomous jellyfish grow (man o' war can reach several metres within the netted swimming enclosure).

[TheChimera]

Maybe get a black and white striped tail (or paint the one you already have) to mimic a sea snake if you're really scared of sharks? There is a trend out here to have black and white stripes on the bottom of your surf board or a black and white banded wet suit to discourage sharks from attacking. It's theorized the shark associates the stripes with something poisonous or that the extreme contrast confuses their hyper-sensitive senses.

I'm busy saving up for a Merbellas or Finfolk tail in this design for that exact reason since I plan on starting a new performance with sharks in an aquarium/oceanarium. Mostly don't make any sudden moves, that could be associated with fright or you trying to escape. Just like a dog starts chasing a cat when the cat runs, a shark will instinctively go after you if your behavior matches the profile of 'frightened prey'. Try to avoid this, assert yourself, you may feel scared and defenseless, unable to use your legs in the weightless expanse of the ocean. Always face the shark closest to you and alternate so that you can keep an eye on their body language, they WILL be curious of you, don't freak out, they just want to look at you and see what you are. A relaxed shark swims languidly, slowly and lazily, if they make any sudden moves like fast jerking swimming, beware. Face the one closest to you, and as previously mentioned, if it comes down to it bump the shark on it's nose (only when they seem provoked) gills or eyes. Don't pull on their fins, and only touch them softly when they come close to you (when relaxed) . Be aware of the fact that sharks like to test you by maybe nipping your tail. And just relax.

When it comes to other things like poisonous fish, things on rocks, bluebottles and jellyfish. There isn't really much to it other than avoiding them, and looking out for them. Sea snakes are especially toxic, avoid them at all costs.

I hope some of this has helped.

Sidenote: whitetips are scary as heck. Their behavior at least.

[MysticMerman]

I know it sounds weird, but I've learned watching dolphins in my younger years that there are points on a shark that are Nasty pressure points for them, and the nose is kinda like that. If a shark ever attempts biting you, try to keep a clear mind and punch them in the nose.


edit- skipped some posts, just saw that info has been mentioned. Sorry

[MysticMerman]

Also if I'm not mistaken, sharks have poor eye sight, tail color doesn't matter much. They "see" prey through even the murkiest water by detecting electrical currents produced by living organisms. (Which is actually a common trait among most fish) but if there are any experts that know differently, please correct me.

[mermaidtigris]

More people are killed by coconuts than sharks each year or driving a car or lightning. Truth is you're more likely to get killed by other stuff than by sharks.

[AptaMer]

More people are killed by coconuts than sharks each year

Oh, mermaidtigris- unfortunately that story about more people being killed by falling coconuts than by shark is an urban legend. Or, I guess it's fortunate for the people who aren't getting hit by coconuts :)

When I was a kid, my family would go down to the beach, and we would lie under the coconut trees without harm. You did learn how to recognize when trees had ripe coconuts on them, and didn't lay under those trees. In fact, when the trees had ripe ones, we would climb up and knock 'em down and have fresh coconut milk. In all my years living there we never saw or heard of anyone getting hit by by a coconut, let alone killed by one.

People have been killed by getting hit on the head by coconuts hitting them directly on the head from very high trees, but reports are very few, even from all over the world.

Anyhow, sharks kill an average of 5 humans per year, but it's unlikely falling coconuts average even one death per year.

In their eagerness to claim that sharks are very non-threatneing, some shark conservationists glommed onto this bogus statistic and started promoting it to kind of give the idea that you were actually in more danger being on a beach with coconut trees than you were being in the water at the beach. Unfortunately, it's just not true, and I think even though the risks from sharks are very small, one should use comparisons that are actually true.

I think one of the saddest things about this "death by coconut" myth is that in Queensland, park officials removed a large number of coconut trees from the beaches in response to publicity about the legend, and coconut trees are very good for the stability of the sand and the ecology of the beach.

The Wikipedia page has a good summary of the issue http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_by_coconut

[mermaidtigris]

Thanks! I think I saw it somewhere on FB.

[Aziara]

17758 On a more serious note, I think it's vending machines that kill more people than sharks, not coconuts.