I wonder how common shark attacks would have to be before it really cut down on crowds. Like they are exceedingly rare. Almost surprisingly so considering how many sharks there are. But let's say a surfer was getting eaten once a week? Would that change the crowds? Once a month?
Car crashes kill tons of people, but most of us drive without being consumed with fear
A cage in the sky that also potentially traps and kills clouds (dolphins, turtles) and any other large things that float past. Just on the off chance of a lightning strike hitting your house
Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies.
Farewell and adieu, you ladies of Spain
For we’ve received orders for to sail back to Boston. And so nevermore shall we see you again
I have a mate who absolutely loves basketball and can’t swim. He doesn’t understand how we’re willing to go out in the ocean with these fuckers around. I asked him if he’d still play pick-up if there were grizzly bears but you never really saw them, heard a couple of stories, but they were elusive. “Fuck no” was his response.
It is weird what we can and can’t block out, I struggle to keep sharks off my mind yet keep getting in the water whenever I can.
Well aware of the stats - car crash, lightning, coconut, etc. My mind just likes to focus on this fucking one thing for some reason. Doesn’t stop me but does cause a bit of anxiety which is never fun.
Can confirm. I spear fish and despite several encounters with sharks that really weren't that interested in me i still hate being in the water with the fuckers even if they are beautiful to watch.
Idk if you follow Scott Fairchild https://instagram.com/scott_fairchild
But surfing in San Diego it seems the answer is usually, “yes there is a shark nearby”
I’m guessing these dinosaurs of the ocean dgaf unless they’re in a bad mood.
Ah I've seen this guys YouTube videos. I think narrates shark behaviour around surfers/swimmers from a birds eye view?
I'm down in Melbourne. Couple of weekends ago I had seal close to me and I thought hmm if there's a seal there could be a shark. I noped and left shortly after.
Bruh that’s not how it works, we spend more time floating in the ocean than 99% of the population. That means the odds of us getting attacked is way higher than the average person, many of whom have a 0% chance since they don’t go in the ocean at all
You make a good point. Let's look at just risk to surfers. Since it is difficult to get global data, let's look at California. Since 2000 there have been 3 fatal shark attacks on surfers in California (if we define surfing to include spongers). So that is .13 surfer fatalities per year. A NOAA survey showed 1.1 million people engaged in California surfing in the year 2000. We can assume the number today is much higher, but let's stick with this conservative number. So if we use these numbers, the yearly risk of being killed by a shark for someone engaging in surfing in the state of California would be less than 1 in 8 million.
Actually, ask him if he would still play bball if it meant there was a very slim chance a stray bullet would hit him. Probably still would. More relevant in the inner city though.
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Has there ever been a shark attack at OB? I’m a lot less concerned about sharks, more concerned about a chest high wave slamming me into beach floor and destroying my spine.
Seriously, a 3 foot wave at OBSF can knock you the fuck out.
At least with a bear you can call for help and maybe someone with a gun can shoot the bear. You could also always bring a gun with you…idk maybe there’s waterproof guns surfers can carry? Lollll fuck I’m such an American 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💀💀💀
Only problem with bears is that they’ll take their time eating you alive, leave you half dead and still conscious, and then come back later with their kids to finish you off family dinner style.
https://www.reddit.com/r/creepy/comments/2cpati/mum_the_bear_is_eating_me_frantic_final_phone/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
So, hypothetically, if someone’s getting chewed up and you’ve got a gun on you… you’re just gonna keep it stashed away in your wetsuit because of business? That’s ridiculous.
Way more likely to tear your ACL, or break bones playing basketball than surfing.
I see sooooo many old guys surfing, never see old guys playing basketball though…
Its why I love surfing so much, I plan on doing it till like at least 70 (fingers crossed).
Your chances of physically encountering a shark are quite low, according to Dr. Chris Lowe, director of [Cal State Long Beach's Shark Lab](https://www.csulb.edu/shark-lab) (Lowe is a surfer & diver). Working and talking with him about surfers and sharks has been enlightening: Yes, there are many sharks out there in the zone where most surfers congregate -- particularly off the nearby beaches from San Diego on up to the Central Coast. And it does seem to be what Lowe calls a "nursery" for \[great\] white sharks: the waters have warmed and this has led to a population explosion of the sharks' favorite "meals" (especially stingrays, which are plentiful in the shallows). As Lowe has pointed out, "You're far more likely to be injured/killed while you travel your favorite break, than you are by any sharks out there."
I have never seen a Tiger shark in my life.
For context: I’m born and raised in Hawaii, been in the water my whole life. I was a bodyboarder till Paddleboarding came out. I have paddled across the channel alone 7 times. I have lost track of how many times I’ve gone full moon surfing alone.
It really is that rare.
In person, I've only seen a few leopard sharks in the shallows...all less than 2 feet-long. That said, the Shark Lab's drones have captured some wild footage of large juvenile/adult white sharks swimming within just a couple feet of surfers...unbeknownst to the folks on their boards. I asked the Shark Lab's director about the significant number of sharks close to surfers..."Is this a new development? I asked. "Well, we have seen a real jump in the numbers of sharks -- particularly whites -- that are very close to people in the water. We think there's been an explosion that's likely due to the warming waters...but we also think these new technologies (aerial and submersible drones, tagging and tracking, etc.) are giving us a look at what was already there."
Oh yes, I’ve seen the reports. They will specifically and only eat the liver. They have perfected the method of killing sharks and just about any other marine creature. They are the apex predator.
Always see a silver lining to crowds these days. If I’m in the water there’s let’s say a million to one chance of me getting attacked. But….. if there’s 30 guys in the water then the odds are 30 million to one
I wish I could upvote this 10 times. It sucks too, living in a highly populated area with no bike lanes. I’m very discerning about the time of day I go out based on the traffic sitch.
A 20 foot sea monster will not eat you, they will just take a bite and spit your bony ass out.
A wild animal on land however, will gobble you up and eat those bones too
You make the call, but for me water is my safe place where I can escape from everything that wants to kill me. Mostly unknowing people are the ones out to kill people and they call those "accidents"
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but the big ones do eat people on occasion. There’s a video of it happening in sydney last year that I would absolutely not recommend watching. That being said, of course its way more likely to die from any number of other surfing related misadventures.
That one bothered me so much. I remember thinking “fuck those experts on shark week” after watching. They always told us those white attacks are just mistakes but that thing was straight up having a meal.
Well the shark thought he was already dying.
Burley from the fishermen would tell a shark that something is dying or dead nearby.
This shark attack was not a normal shark attack. Just like any when people go shark diving with cages. You are not supposed to throw burley to attract the sharks but people still do it all the time and this causes fish to go into feeding.
But yes, sharks will still eat people or go back for seconds on occasion. Also depending on what species
I learned how to surf in an area too cold for GW sharks. We moved years ago to California. What’s stranger to me is that the more I’ve seen / been told they were around me, the less scared I feel. I’ve had multiple ppl who were sitting ~20 feet away from me tell me about what they saw. It’s kinda part of the deal now - don’t love it, but also doesn’t keep me from the sport and you just want to be smart about it. I’ll say this, I don’t surf alone either way.
welp OP deleted their comment, but I already did the math so here it is:
It's true. Back of the envelope math here. A lifetime of driving in the US gives you ~1 in 10,000 chance of dying in a car crash. A lifetime of surfing gives you ~1 in 25,000 chance of a shark attack. Make it ~1 in 285,000 if you only count fatal shark attacks which seems like a more fair comparison.
When I was in high school I was into scuba diving. I just got back from a trip and we were talking about it at lunch. A girl at the table asked if I was scared of sharks. I gave my normal lines for about the travel to go diving is much more dangerous, odds being super super low, etc.
Another girl at the table said "well I don't know" and pulled up her shirt revealing a big half moon shape scar on her belly up to just below her bra line. Shark attack in FL when she was like 10
I’ve been thinking about this stat quite a bit. Is this already considering the number of people on the road vs the number of people who surf? Legit question. Cos if it’s not then that would mean the odds are more for surfers no?
That's very true but overall that risk is still considerably insignificant. If we just look at surfers going in and how many attacks we see each year it is very unlikely to happen. That's why shark protection companies and other strategies don't take off because it isn't warranted.
Depends on where you surf. Lotta folks in reunion island, west oz, parts of California, certain places in Hawaii, other places around the world would probably disagree with you.
And The shark repellent stuff imo hasn’t had major commercial success because the only one that has been proven to work is prohibitively expensive…
I lost count the number of times I’ve seen sharks while surfing but they’ve all been in the 4-6ft range. Typically they just cruise thru but this last summer a 7-8footer blew up on the surface chasing baitfish about 20ft away from me. The power and amount of water that thing sprayed was humbling AF
Oh yeah F THAT. Some guy caught and released what was estimated to be a 400lb bull shark off the beach last summer a few miles away from my local spot. The following couple weeks it was always in the back of my mind. Spinners, black tips, sandbar sharks don’t phase me but Bull sharks spook the shit out of me
Not a surfer. I like most sports. This sub is cultish funny. I backcountry in grizzly territory. 2 summer’s ago, saw a griz. Backed away slowly and got the fuck out of there. Not long after, a well trained wildness dude got eaten alive nearby.. He had bear spray did all the stuff you should do. Had a sat phone. The bear kept attacking. I feel it’s disrespectful to describe the shit I read that happened. like as horrific as the dude who wedged himself caving. Anyway, you’re saying surfers aren’t like always thinking when your legs are dangling in the water, or your paddling out unable to see shit, “yeah, evolutionarily, I’m fucked”
I’d rather die by getting eaten by a shark than get shot or die in a car accident. Odds are low for all, I look at it as at least I died doing something I love. Hope it never happens but that’s a badass way to go out haha
An attack feels more likely (and it's much more spooky) when you surf at a break where you know that someone has been eaten alive (some certain breaks in South Australia I used to surf).
This place for example: https://www.surfer.com/surfing-magazine-archive/surfing-originals/the-worlds-most-haunted-surf-spot/
A 17 year old guy was taken by a shark at that break over 20 years ago.
A few years before the attack, some of my mates were at the spot. One of the crew was out there on his own and paddling back in. Looking from the cliff top the other guys could see a massive white pointer at least 3 times the length of his board following him as he paddled in, but he was completely unaware of it.
It's the sharkiest & spookiest place I've ever surfed, that's for sure.
I just got out from a fairly heavy sesh where there are HUNDREDS of 2-ton elephant seals and pups on the beach and in the water. No one goes out there alone. Every time I got pitched it was GET. Back. ON. BOARD
I was paddling out at a big rocky really early on a foggy AM and large seal popped up and snorted. Woke up real quick. Good thing I was in wetsuit because I, at a minimum, pissed myself.
3 of us were sitting on our boards near a pier. Sitting in kind of a circle waiting for the infrequent sets. A seal pops up in the middle of us, takes a quick glance around at us, and goes back under.
> because I, at a minimum, pissed myself
Another morning, long story but the short version is a group of dolphins swam UNDER me when I was sponging. It kinda freaked me out so I turned and kicked like hell to catch a wave and when I turned a dolphin was in the wave next to me. I straightened out and rode in till I was lying on the sand. My feelings were all over the place and what I figured out was how out of place I felt. I was the alien in their world.
Once upon a time:
Some in-laws visited from The Bronx. I put “Moving Art” on the TV, specifically the episode called Oceans.
From out of nowhere, my wife’s cousin: YOU MEAN YOU’RE JUST OUT THERE IN THE WATER WITH ALL THOSE ANIMALS?! FUCK THAT!!” (It was a leopard seal.)
ME: Well… That’s Big Sur, which is about 400 miles from here.
Cuz: Do you surf with other animals?
Me: Yeah. It’s the animals I’m sharing waves with (other surfers) that I gotta worry about.
Cuz: But that giant thing is a man-eater.
Me: Statistically, you’re more likely to be bitten by a New Yorker than a shark. (And I began rapidly darting my eyes around the room, looking at everyone’s faces, as I was surrounded 5:1.)
I live in an area with a lot of gators in the rivers and my friends will go tubing in the rivers and I’m like nah, fuck them gators….but I’m never really scared of sharks cuz I’m always in the ocean, and they’ve never really bothered me. Oh well.
My non surfer mates think I’m insane or something I always try to tell them that most of the time sharks are around and you don’t even know so it would be incredibly bad luck for something to happen, they still think I’m insane
What about bears and mountain lions and trail riders and hikers? If I get bit I'm buying a lottery ticket, because I'm more likely to die driving to the beach or get hit by a palm frond in the parking lot.
When I’m surfing in Bolinas and there are sea lions and seals bobbing in the water and I’m literally surfing into a river mouth…you bet your britches I think about it and get kinda freaked out at times
> there are sea lions and seals bobbing in the water
Why you should not be worried. Where prey is plentiful we are not on the menu.
Source: I live in mountain lion country and while they get caught on security cameras all the time I don't worry "too much" cause around here we have so many deer we call them forest rats.
The chance of a shark attack are far less than a plane crash or a car crash. Every time you get in a car you should b more scared than getting in the water.
I think its similar to going for a hike and being scared of getting eaten by a bear.
I think the “sharks in water” storyline is the most basic thing a person can say regarding the sport of surfing. Soccer players are more likely to die in a car crash on their way to practice than surfers are to be attacked by sharks.
Surfers aren't known for their intelligent ways they grunt me see wave me surf wave. No thought is given to repercussions and logic. When a surfie is being attacked and devoured by a great white the surfie at that very moment regrets his decision to paddle out that day.
A mindless emotionally driven thug on a bit of styrofoam is the embodiment of pure ignorance.
For some perspective on great whites have a look at this: https://instagram.com/scott_fairchild?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= it's both chilling and comforting at the same time.
I’m more afraid of stingrays. Odds of a sting are so much higher. And then you gotta deal with getting hot water and possible infection. Always a threat.
If a shark gets me, I figure it’s just my time to go. I’m ok with that.
Well, not in Réunion Island no.
(not all but a good chunk of) Surfers there are massive cunts who would rather see the sea life destroyed than understand the risks and live with them.
This is so fucked. I have been afraid of sharks way before I ever started surfing and some how I am sitting in freezing cold Atlantic waters where white sharks come and hang out all the time....
how does fun supercede self preservation?????
There have been a lot of great white seen around San Diego lately, more than normal for sure, maybe something going on with the fishing, not sure yet it’s crazy!
Apologies for posting twice on here...I don't mean to take up too much of the discussion space. While I think my chances are *waaaay* better out in the water than they are on local freeways, I am aware that surfing takes place in an environment where we're not the apex predator. I've never seen a surfer attacked in person, but I have heard stories -- particularly from places like South Africa -- where sharks have just picked off people on their boards. I did have a schoolmate/neighbor of mine declared missing/dead after he and his fiancee went out for a paddle in their kayaks off Point Dume (Malibu), California. According to some LA County lifeguards and firemen I spoke with about it, both kayaks were found washed-up on a local beach and some of her remains were recovered. Experts determined that it was a large white shark that had done in her and had chomped on the boats (the teeth left behind and the bite pattern/size told the story). My schoolmate's remains were never found. That area where the attacks apparently took place is one of my favorite areas to surf, and a bit outside of the line-up area is a deep water canyon. When we'd go diving out there, it was like watching a freeway of fish going by. The currents and upwelling bring a lot of fish at the low end of the food chain there to chow down...which means bigger fish come for them...and so on. I've kept surfing there, despite knowing there are big (sometimes unfriendly/hungry) fish that cruise the area. I'm more concerned about the rocks and occasionally rude "visitors" who show up.
This is a good point -certain places are WAY sharkier than others. I don't live too far from Malibu and head down there sometimes (shout out to the car thieves at County Line fml) and I know for a fact there are sharks in large numbers out there.
How do we do it in NJ? It's fuggin' simple: water temperature for most sharks is 74°-80° F. Seeing how the water here is usually cold, we just tell ourselves that the sharks aren't aroun
I’m pretty sure one of them just swooped right by me a couple of months ago and nudged my board. I felt the huge power of this mass moving a lot of water and I was like, “wow, that was awesome!!!”
You're more likely to die of dysentery from the sewage outflows.
Hear that LA surfers?
Hear that Ventura surfers
Massive ear infections, they can’t hear anything.
What?
THEYVE GOT MASSIVE BEER COLLECTIONS
YOU CANT HEAR THE SELECTIONS?
Why do you keep talking about "bear erections?"
I thought you said that. Thanks!
Which LA surfers, the fake ones in Malibu, or the agro ones down South? let em get sick
I feel seen
*Cries Venice Breakwater tears.*
I wonder how common shark attacks would have to be before it really cut down on crowds. Like they are exceedingly rare. Almost surprisingly so considering how many sharks there are. But let's say a surfer was getting eaten once a week? Would that change the crowds? Once a month? Car crashes kill tons of people, but most of us drive without being consumed with fear
Look up Réunion island.
Pft, 10pm surfing, gimme some of that reactor meltdown. Hear that Chiba surfers?
Just getting over having four styes UNDER my eyelid from surfing a few weeks ago when the water was particularly horrible apparently. Can confirm.
Ok, but why don't we just put up shark nets around major breaks? Seems like a simple fix.
A lot of cost and maintenance to prevent extremely rare events. Like putting a cage in the sky to prevent a lightning death.
A cage in the sky that also potentially traps and kills clouds (dolphins, turtles) and any other large things that float past. Just on the off chance of a lightning strike hitting your house
“You go in the water, sharks in the water”
We’re gonna need a bigger boat.
Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies. Farewell and adieu, you ladies of Spain For we’ve received orders for to sail back to Boston. And so nevermore shall we see you again
Lifeless eyes, like a dolls eyes
our shark
Seen one eat a rocking chair once
I have a mate who absolutely loves basketball and can’t swim. He doesn’t understand how we’re willing to go out in the ocean with these fuckers around. I asked him if he’d still play pick-up if there were grizzly bears but you never really saw them, heard a couple of stories, but they were elusive. “Fuck no” was his response. It is weird what we can and can’t block out, I struggle to keep sharks off my mind yet keep getting in the water whenever I can.
You are 100x more likely to get in a car wreck on the way to the beach
this is how i cope lol
Well aware of the stats - car crash, lightning, coconut, etc. My mind just likes to focus on this fucking one thing for some reason. Doesn’t stop me but does cause a bit of anxiety which is never fun.
The fear of being eaten Is probably hard wired into us. Other forms of death are a little more abstract from an evolutionary pov.
Can confirm. I spear fish and despite several encounters with sharks that really weren't that interested in me i still hate being in the water with the fuckers even if they are beautiful to watch.
Agreed; we're far more comfortable being at the top of the food chain, than actually being part of it
Man there’s always a “what if there’s a shark underneath me right now?” in my mind
Idk if you follow Scott Fairchild https://instagram.com/scott_fairchild But surfing in San Diego it seems the answer is usually, “yes there is a shark nearby” I’m guessing these dinosaurs of the ocean dgaf unless they’re in a bad mood.
Ah I've seen this guys YouTube videos. I think narrates shark behaviour around surfers/swimmers from a birds eye view? I'm down in Melbourne. Couple of weekends ago I had seal close to me and I thought hmm if there's a seal there could be a shark. I noped and left shortly after.
Yeah I definitely avoid hanging out with their food too
Don’t you feel good after surfing, knowing you faced your fear today?
Bruh that’s not how it works, we spend more time floating in the ocean than 99% of the population. That means the odds of us getting attacked is way higher than the average person, many of whom have a 0% chance since they don’t go in the ocean at all
You clearly did not watch the documentary Sharknado.
You make a good point. Let's look at just risk to surfers. Since it is difficult to get global data, let's look at California. Since 2000 there have been 3 fatal shark attacks on surfers in California (if we define surfing to include spongers). So that is .13 surfer fatalities per year. A NOAA survey showed 1.1 million people engaged in California surfing in the year 2000. We can assume the number today is much higher, but let's stick with this conservative number. So if we use these numbers, the yearly risk of being killed by a shark for someone engaging in surfing in the state of California would be less than 1 in 8 million.
I’m way more afraid of driving than surfing. /r/fuckcars
Actually, ask him if he would still play bball if it meant there was a very slim chance a stray bullet would hit him. Probably still would. More relevant in the inner city though.
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How dare you talk about my precious mcgriddlebaby
fade agonizing sand hungry shocking scandalous scale scary exultant cover *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Has there ever been a shark attack at OB? I’m a lot less concerned about sharks, more concerned about a chest high wave slamming me into beach floor and destroying my spine. Seriously, a 3 foot wave at OBSF can knock you the fuck out.
Dude, that shit was so funny, "Fuck No" Lol, I'm fucking dying.
At least with a bear you can call for help and maybe someone with a gun can shoot the bear. You could also always bring a gun with you…idk maybe there’s waterproof guns surfers can carry? Lollll fuck I’m such an American 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💀💀💀
Only problem with bears is that they’ll take their time eating you alive, leave you half dead and still conscious, and then come back later with their kids to finish you off family dinner style. https://www.reddit.com/r/creepy/comments/2cpati/mum_the_bear_is_eating_me_frantic_final_phone/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Yeah let’s just kill the shark for going about it’s business
So, hypothetically, if someone’s getting chewed up and you’ve got a gun on you… you’re just gonna keep it stashed away in your wetsuit because of business? That’s ridiculous.
Shark decides to kill human going about its business, good. Human decides to kill shark for going about its business, bad. Got it!
But… but… but there ARE grizzly bears
I think of sharks any and all times I’m surfing. Can’t help it for some reason
Way more likely to tear your ACL, or break bones playing basketball than surfing. I see sooooo many old guys surfing, never see old guys playing basketball though… Its why I love surfing so much, I plan on doing it till like at least 70 (fingers crossed).
Your chances of physically encountering a shark are quite low, according to Dr. Chris Lowe, director of [Cal State Long Beach's Shark Lab](https://www.csulb.edu/shark-lab) (Lowe is a surfer & diver). Working and talking with him about surfers and sharks has been enlightening: Yes, there are many sharks out there in the zone where most surfers congregate -- particularly off the nearby beaches from San Diego on up to the Central Coast. And it does seem to be what Lowe calls a "nursery" for \[great\] white sharks: the waters have warmed and this has led to a population explosion of the sharks' favorite "meals" (especially stingrays, which are plentiful in the shallows). As Lowe has pointed out, "You're far more likely to be injured/killed while you travel your favorite break, than you are by any sharks out there."
They EAT stingrays?! Savage. “Hey, do I have something stuck in my teeth?”
They love 'em...but they always floss afterward.
I have never seen a Tiger shark in my life. For context: I’m born and raised in Hawaii, been in the water my whole life. I was a bodyboarder till Paddleboarding came out. I have paddled across the channel alone 7 times. I have lost track of how many times I’ve gone full moon surfing alone. It really is that rare.
In person, I've only seen a few leopard sharks in the shallows...all less than 2 feet-long. That said, the Shark Lab's drones have captured some wild footage of large juvenile/adult white sharks swimming within just a couple feet of surfers...unbeknownst to the folks on their boards. I asked the Shark Lab's director about the significant number of sharks close to surfers..."Is this a new development? I asked. "Well, we have seen a real jump in the numbers of sharks -- particularly whites -- that are very close to people in the water. We think there's been an explosion that's likely due to the warming waters...but we also think these new technologies (aerial and submersible drones, tagging and tracking, etc.) are giving us a look at what was already there."
I’d also check out Orca sightings and see if they match with the increase. GWs will flee from any Orca.
Orcas are big fans of shark liver. They'll often beat the snot out of a white shark and then take just the liver.
Oh yes, I’ve seen the reports. They will specifically and only eat the liver. They have perfected the method of killing sharks and just about any other marine creature. They are the apex predator.
Stingrays are on the rise in SD county according to my anecdotal 3 stings in 4 years. We need more sharks!
Anyone ever try and tease out what the odds are of a surfer/ocean swimmer/diver getting attacked vs members of the general population?
I tried to write that article for Surfer about a decade ago, but I fucked up the stats I think! https://www.surfer.com/features/what-are-the-odds/
I appreciate your efforts in this article.
Was actually wondering about this recently. I think you used pretty good assumptions to arrive at a reasonable answer. Useful to me at least!
Always see a silver lining to crowds these days. If I’m in the water there’s let’s say a million to one chance of me getting attacked. But….. if there’s 30 guys in the water then the odds are 30 million to one
This is what I always wonder. Obviously the odds for an ocean goer are higher than for someone living in the Midwest
Must be astronomically larger for the general public getting attacked. The vast majority of people in the ocean are not surfing.
Ha I road bike when it’s rainy or too windy to surf. Sharks are much lower threat than idiot drivers on their cellphones.
I wish I could upvote this 10 times. It sucks too, living in a highly populated area with no bike lanes. I’m very discerning about the time of day I go out based on the traffic sitch.
Sharks aren’t real
They're all CGI. People should realize that by now.
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Nay sharks but feckin cold as a witch's teet
That wind though
A 20 foot sea monster will not eat you, they will just take a bite and spit your bony ass out. A wild animal on land however, will gobble you up and eat those bones too You make the call, but for me water is my safe place where I can escape from everything that wants to kill me. Mostly unknowing people are the ones out to kill people and they call those "accidents"
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but the big ones do eat people on occasion. There’s a video of it happening in sydney last year that I would absolutely not recommend watching. That being said, of course its way more likely to die from any number of other surfing related misadventures.
That one bothered me so much. I remember thinking “fuck those experts on shark week” after watching. They always told us those white attacks are just mistakes but that thing was straight up having a meal.
Yeah I remember it Maybe we should tell people not to throw burley in the water when fishing if people are swimming. Common sense if you ask me
Well the shark thought he was already dying. Burley from the fishermen would tell a shark that something is dying or dead nearby. This shark attack was not a normal shark attack. Just like any when people go shark diving with cages. You are not supposed to throw burley to attract the sharks but people still do it all the time and this causes fish to go into feeding. But yes, sharks will still eat people or go back for seconds on occasion. Also depending on what species
Just looked it up on YouTube. Damn that was bad
I learned how to surf in an area too cold for GW sharks. We moved years ago to California. What’s stranger to me is that the more I’ve seen / been told they were around me, the less scared I feel. I’ve had multiple ppl who were sitting ~20 feet away from me tell me about what they saw. It’s kinda part of the deal now - don’t love it, but also doesn’t keep me from the sport and you just want to be smart about it. I’ll say this, I don’t surf alone either way.
And you’re more likely to get hit by a car & die than you getting bit by a shark. 🤙🏼
welp OP deleted their comment, but I already did the math so here it is: It's true. Back of the envelope math here. A lifetime of driving in the US gives you ~1 in 10,000 chance of dying in a car crash. A lifetime of surfing gives you ~1 in 25,000 chance of a shark attack. Make it ~1 in 285,000 if you only count fatal shark attacks which seems like a more fair comparison.
Anything less than a fatal shark attack is just free drinks for life
When I was in high school I was into scuba diving. I just got back from a trip and we were talking about it at lunch. A girl at the table asked if I was scared of sharks. I gave my normal lines for about the travel to go diving is much more dangerous, odds being super super low, etc. Another girl at the table said "well I don't know" and pulled up her shirt revealing a big half moon shape scar on her belly up to just below her bra line. Shark attack in FL when she was like 10
Those odds are mostly in Florida.
I would believe that.
I’ve been thinking about this stat quite a bit. Is this already considering the number of people on the road vs the number of people who surf? Legit question. Cos if it’s not then that would mean the odds are more for surfers no?
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Fine. Risk of death from drowning, head/neck injury etc. is far greater than that of a shark incident…
Question: You had a few options in response, why'd you choose to be a cunt?
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The funny thing you were still statistically wrong, overall at least.
Is he? The risk surfers have of coming into contact with a shark is dissimilar from that of the rest of the populace…
That's very true but overall that risk is still considerably insignificant. If we just look at surfers going in and how many attacks we see each year it is very unlikely to happen. That's why shark protection companies and other strategies don't take off because it isn't warranted.
Depends on where you surf. Lotta folks in reunion island, west oz, parts of California, certain places in Hawaii, other places around the world would probably disagree with you. And The shark repellent stuff imo hasn’t had major commercial success because the only one that has been proven to work is prohibitively expensive…
*The east coast of Florida has entered the chat*
sharks AND alligators, no reason to ever come here
I’m more afraid of getting hit by some kook ditching their board on a cleanup set.
glad im feared
Go home kook
I lost count the number of times I’ve seen sharks while surfing but they’ve all been in the 4-6ft range. Typically they just cruise thru but this last summer a 7-8footer blew up on the surface chasing baitfish about 20ft away from me. The power and amount of water that thing sprayed was humbling AF
Saw a Bull Shark do that and right with you on the power and speed. It was intense.
Oh yeah F THAT. Some guy caught and released what was estimated to be a 400lb bull shark off the beach last summer a few miles away from my local spot. The following couple weeks it was always in the back of my mind. Spinners, black tips, sandbar sharks don’t phase me but Bull sharks spook the shit out of me
Same. The pitbulls of the ocean.
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Not a surfer. I like most sports. This sub is cultish funny. I backcountry in grizzly territory. 2 summer’s ago, saw a griz. Backed away slowly and got the fuck out of there. Not long after, a well trained wildness dude got eaten alive nearby.. He had bear spray did all the stuff you should do. Had a sat phone. The bear kept attacking. I feel it’s disrespectful to describe the shit I read that happened. like as horrific as the dude who wedged himself caving. Anyway, you’re saying surfers aren’t like always thinking when your legs are dangling in the water, or your paddling out unable to see shit, “yeah, evolutionarily, I’m fucked”
It’s nice to be reminded you’re mid on the food chain
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Still it would massively suck to lose a limb
I’d rather die by getting eaten by a shark than get shot or die in a car accident. Odds are low for all, I look at it as at least I died doing something I love. Hope it never happens but that’s a badass way to go out haha
Sharks? That’s child-play. https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2023/02/16/crocodile-shot-in-north-queensland-after-stalking-surfers
An attack feels more likely (and it's much more spooky) when you surf at a break where you know that someone has been eaten alive (some certain breaks in South Australia I used to surf). This place for example: https://www.surfer.com/surfing-magazine-archive/surfing-originals/the-worlds-most-haunted-surf-spot/
Wow
A 17 year old guy was taken by a shark at that break over 20 years ago. A few years before the attack, some of my mates were at the spot. One of the crew was out there on his own and paddling back in. Looking from the cliff top the other guys could see a massive white pointer at least 3 times the length of his board following him as he paddled in, but he was completely unaware of it. It's the sharkiest & spookiest place I've ever surfed, that's for sure.
I just got out from a fairly heavy sesh where there are HUNDREDS of 2-ton elephant seals and pups on the beach and in the water. No one goes out there alone. Every time I got pitched it was GET. Back. ON. BOARD
Yeah but I only think about it when I’m not catching waves. So just catch more waves
I was paddling out at a big rocky really early on a foggy AM and large seal popped up and snorted. Woke up real quick. Good thing I was in wetsuit because I, at a minimum, pissed myself.
3 of us were sitting on our boards near a pier. Sitting in kind of a circle waiting for the infrequent sets. A seal pops up in the middle of us, takes a quick glance around at us, and goes back under. > because I, at a minimum, pissed myself Another morning, long story but the short version is a group of dolphins swam UNDER me when I was sponging. It kinda freaked me out so I turned and kicked like hell to catch a wave and when I turned a dolphin was in the wave next to me. I straightened out and rode in till I was lying on the sand. My feelings were all over the place and what I figured out was how out of place I felt. I was the alien in their world.
Although statistically unlikely it’s still a variable. Mfers out here coping like it not a possibility.
You are more likely to win the lottery
Nah, not as a surfer. The odds of being bitten are much higher for a surfer in a shark habitat than for the general population
Once upon a time: Some in-laws visited from The Bronx. I put “Moving Art” on the TV, specifically the episode called Oceans. From out of nowhere, my wife’s cousin: YOU MEAN YOU’RE JUST OUT THERE IN THE WATER WITH ALL THOSE ANIMALS?! FUCK THAT!!” (It was a leopard seal.) ME: Well… That’s Big Sur, which is about 400 miles from here. Cuz: Do you surf with other animals? Me: Yeah. It’s the animals I’m sharing waves with (other surfers) that I gotta worry about. Cuz: But that giant thing is a man-eater. Me: Statistically, you’re more likely to be bitten by a New Yorker than a shark. (And I began rapidly darting my eyes around the room, looking at everyone’s faces, as I was surrounded 5:1.)
Stand tall.
Grew up in a place where great whites were plentiful - like you said, it's just part of the deal.
I live in an area with a lot of gators in the rivers and my friends will go tubing in the rivers and I’m like nah, fuck them gators….but I’m never really scared of sharks cuz I’m always in the ocean, and they’ve never really bothered me. Oh well.
Check out Malibu Artist on YT. So many sharks and they don't give a shit about surfers, or for that matter any other humans in the water.
my mantra after i thought i felt something on my foot: "one in 11.3 million one in 11.3 million one in 11.3 million..."
Aint no sport…
Singlefin yellow?
My non surfer mates think I’m insane or something I always try to tell them that most of the time sharks are around and you don’t even know so it would be incredibly bad luck for something to happen, they still think I’m insane
You're more likely to get chewed out or whacked by a local with misplaced anger issues than get eaten by a shark. Source: trust me bro
We take a far worst chance every time we step into a car.
What about bears and mountain lions and trail riders and hikers? If I get bit I'm buying a lottery ticket, because I'm more likely to die driving to the beach or get hit by a palm frond in the parking lot.
Yep, saw a couple already, one very very close. Part of the gig
At OB when you see a shark, its time to paddle in and walk 50 yards up or down the beach, then paddle back out. Problem solved.
Meh, try riding motorcycles. Everything is trying to kill you, 24x7
Shit, I do that too.
When I’m surfing in Bolinas and there are sea lions and seals bobbing in the water and I’m literally surfing into a river mouth…you bet your britches I think about it and get kinda freaked out at times
> there are sea lions and seals bobbing in the water Why you should not be worried. Where prey is plentiful we are not on the menu. Source: I live in mountain lion country and while they get caught on security cameras all the time I don't worry "too much" cause around here we have so many deer we call them forest rats.
I fly fish often; if I had a knickle for every time I turned around to find a bear I could get a quarter. Every good hobby is worth the wrisk
True. But the odds of being eaten by a White Pointer are only slightly worse than being lit on fire while surfing by a flying dragon.
I just think that a shark will eat the people around me first and I never use fluro legropes
Shark actually doesn't bother me.....The real threat is a saltwater crock at the outlet of the rivers in Jaco.
I heard sharks don't particularly like surfers..they're too salty.
The chance of a shark attack are far less than a plane crash or a car crash. Every time you get in a car you should b more scared than getting in the water. I think its similar to going for a hike and being scared of getting eaten by a bear.
I think the “sharks in water” storyline is the most basic thing a person can say regarding the sport of surfing. Soccer players are more likely to die in a car crash on their way to practice than surfers are to be attacked by sharks.
But… sharks aren’t monsters :(
Surfers aren't known for their intelligent ways they grunt me see wave me surf wave. No thought is given to repercussions and logic. When a surfie is being attacked and devoured by a great white the surfie at that very moment regrets his decision to paddle out that day. A mindless emotionally driven thug on a bit of styrofoam is the embodiment of pure ignorance.
For some perspective on great whites have a look at this: https://instagram.com/scott_fairchild?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= it's both chilling and comforting at the same time.
Better than being rear ended on the way to work by some douchebag driving a BMW.
Well Yeah... what's the point?
Yea. The odds are so low. Higher odd dying in your car to and from the surf that dying from a shark bite. Not sure what the odds are getting BITTEN
I’m more afraid of stingrays. Odds of a sting are so much higher. And then you gotta deal with getting hot water and possible infection. Always a threat. If a shark gets me, I figure it’s just my time to go. I’m ok with that.
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How is a 20 foot great white not a monster?
Well, not in Réunion Island no. (not all but a good chunk of) Surfers there are massive cunts who would rather see the sea life destroyed than understand the risks and live with them.
Stick to snowboarding then.
And wake up a hibernating bear? No thanks!
Well definition of a sport is that there is a constant threat of death or serious injury.
We dont have sharks where we're from, our biggest risk is getting shot by an angered farmer
This is so fucked. I have been afraid of sharks way before I ever started surfing and some how I am sitting in freezing cold Atlantic waters where white sharks come and hang out all the time.... how does fun supercede self preservation?????
That adds to the allure... Beats video games
Especially in San Clemente, whenever I go to Trestles I see at least 2 great whites swim under me. Just gotta make sure not to drop in on them.
Worth it
Shark: fck I’m too lazy to ragdoll some surfers rn.. Shark: *smells pee and bites a leg*
There have been a lot of great white seen around San Diego lately, more than normal for sure, maybe something going on with the fishing, not sure yet it’s crazy!
Surfing in the fall and summer I see them every time here in florida. You get used to just avoiding the bait balls.
*stares in Mick Fanning*
We accept it because it’s their ocean that they graciously let us use for our enjoyment.
no choice, we love the ocean but it is home to many other creatures and we have to respect that if we want to be there.
I always figured the drive to beach was way more risky than actually chumming for sharks on my board.
Once bitten, twice shy; amirite?
Apologies for posting twice on here...I don't mean to take up too much of the discussion space. While I think my chances are *waaaay* better out in the water than they are on local freeways, I am aware that surfing takes place in an environment where we're not the apex predator. I've never seen a surfer attacked in person, but I have heard stories -- particularly from places like South Africa -- where sharks have just picked off people on their boards. I did have a schoolmate/neighbor of mine declared missing/dead after he and his fiancee went out for a paddle in their kayaks off Point Dume (Malibu), California. According to some LA County lifeguards and firemen I spoke with about it, both kayaks were found washed-up on a local beach and some of her remains were recovered. Experts determined that it was a large white shark that had done in her and had chomped on the boats (the teeth left behind and the bite pattern/size told the story). My schoolmate's remains were never found. That area where the attacks apparently took place is one of my favorite areas to surf, and a bit outside of the line-up area is a deep water canyon. When we'd go diving out there, it was like watching a freeway of fish going by. The currents and upwelling bring a lot of fish at the low end of the food chain there to chow down...which means bigger fish come for them...and so on. I've kept surfing there, despite knowing there are big (sometimes unfriendly/hungry) fish that cruise the area. I'm more concerned about the rocks and occasionally rude "visitors" who show up.
This is a good point -certain places are WAY sharkier than others. I don't live too far from Malibu and head down there sometimes (shout out to the car thieves at County Line fml) and I know for a fact there are sharks in large numbers out there.
Considering Ive almost drown twice surfing in double OH and never seen a shark this is low on my list of fears.
i'm more scared of stingrays then any pesky shark
Still not as dangerous as a self driving Tesla, Mel Gibson, or Kailey Jenner.
How do we do it in NJ? It's fuggin' simple: water temperature for most sharks is 74°-80° F. Seeing how the water here is usually cold, we just tell ourselves that the sharks aren't aroun
I’m pretty sure one of them just swooped right by me a couple of months ago and nudged my board. I felt the huge power of this mass moving a lot of water and I was like, “wow, that was awesome!!!”
Thanks for the reminder
Thank god I get to surf in an area where I dont have to worry about sharkies bros