Photo: One Ocean Diving // Juan Oliphant
Editor’s Note: Learn how to minimize chances of an adverse shark encounter as well as critical information about shark behavior, shark personalities, shark language, what to do in the unlikely event a shark bites you, and more during 20-plus video lessons in Ocean Ramsey’s Guide to Sharks and Safety.
I’m a surfer. I grew up surfing. I love surfing. It’s really fun. You don’t really want to see a shark when you’re surfing. I know they’re around, and I know that diving with sharks definitely makes me feel more comfortable as a surfer. Still, there are areas and environmental conditions I know to avoid.
I think many people have the mindset that humans own the ocean and I would love to see that change. Surfers tend to understand that we play in a wild environment that requires our respect. Drownings kill over three thousand people a year in the US alone. Jellyfish sting millions each year and deaths can reach triple digits. Meanwhile, sharks killed 10 people in the entire world in 2020, which was labeled “an unusually deadly year.” Our odds of being attacked or killed by sharks are pretty microscopic in the realm of things surfers should be concerned about.
Location
With all this in mind, there are still things you can do to further reduce your odds of an adverse interaction with a shark. This begins with observing environmental conditions like water clarity. Avoid areas where people are fishing. Avoid surfing outside of river mouths. Tiger sharks, who are actually scavengers, actually love these environments. Fish flow in and out and dead, decaying material spills out of river mouths. Tiger sharks are prone to swimming into murky waters here just to scavenge off of the dead animals, making it a less-than-desirable place to go surfing.
Storm drains are also an area to avoid. Many things flush out of those storm drains after heavy rain, including phytoplankton blooms and other pollutants, which are also bad for your own health along with providing an attractive environment for sharks.
If you do choose to surf in these places go in with the mindset and the realization that sharks may be present.
Time
I would also say one major environmental factor to consider is both where and when you’re surfing. Species of concern like tiger sharks don’t have the best eyesight. If you’re surfing early morning or early evening, you’re increasing your chances of having that adverse interaction by entering dark, murky water and low light.
Surrounding Activities
There are many times you won’t know there’s a dead animal on the reef, for example, but you do know fishermen are potentially baiting the lineup when you see them nearby.
If you’re outside of a fishing harbor, know that the fishermen will often clean their catch right there at the dock, dumping the head, the tail, other scraps, or even fish brains back in the water. That water flushes out when the tide drops and it carries all the dead debris with it, essentially scenting those lineups nearby.
Local Wildlife
If there’s a big sea lion population nearby, a high density of turtles, you know there are fish spawning or possible fish migration, your chances of encountering a shark are higher. We always have the option to go surf another day or to drive somewhere else when we recognize these factors. For sharks, however, it’s their home. It’s their ocean, where they’re just trying to fulfill their ecological role. You can understand that and probably appreciate that too. So we can do our best to stay out of their way.
If you do see a shark when you’re surfing, please exit the water immediately (You don’t need to thrash around and panic). I would recommend you leave that area for a minimum of two days because sharks generally do a circle, and they can take a long period of time before finding a dead animal on the reef. They may be searching for that potential prey item or a dead turtle or dead fish they’re smelling for a number of days. Meanwhile, give them their space. Respect them for their role, and maybe do a little research into a location’s history of adverse interactions with sharks.
