Shark attack - Oak Island, NC

[Chocaholic]

We rent a house on the beach there every summer. Going to be there for a week mid July with wife and three kids. House is literally in the sand and the water almost touches the deck at high tide. Family tradition.

So...any reason to alter plans? I'm thinking we do more site seeing and less body surfing this year. What would you do?

[widgeon13]

I'd stay out of the water!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I wouldn't. They're a fact of life. I see them sometimes when surfing here (going 3-4x a week nowadays). Most times they're small-ish (2'-3' or so) and will leave you alone but you need to remember you're in THEIR element and if it's not your day they'll have the upper hand. It's one of the reasons I enjoy getting out there actually - a reminder that there's more to the world than what we make.

Don't buy into the sensationalism too much ("Shark Week!!!"); far more people are hurt by idiots driving with cell phones every day.

[onewhippedpuppy]

More people are mauled by pigs than attacked by sharks in the USA. Have fun at the ocean. Sincerely, the guy that just got back from a great week at Pensacola Beach with his family.

[MBAtarga]

Cows kill 22 people each year in the US.
Sharks kill < 1.

[Geary]

So many boogie boards are yum yum yellow on the bottom. I never understood that. Paint the color scheme of a sea snake on the bottom of your boards, and you'll have no problem.

[craigster59]

Leave the Seal costume at home!

[Dantilla]

Shark attacks are headline news because they are so rare.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by Geary

So many boogie boards are yum yum yellow on the bottom. I never understood that. Paint the color scheme of a sea snake on the bottom of your boards, and you'll have no problem.

I did not know this. No more yum yum yellow for my gang!

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

I did not know this. No more yum yum yellow for my gang!

It's not the color, it's the contrast.

Studies of sharks show that the receptors for color vision, cones, is very limited--10 of 17 shark species studied have no cone receptors at all--and usually have only one receptor that identifies either red or blue hues. So, for all intents and purposes, the typical shark is color blind but has a well developed gray scale vision. Yellow on the bottom of the boogie board will be distinguished as white--against a bright background of the sun through the surface, but contrasted against the shadow body of the boogie boarder laying on top. If that's and enticing view, I couldn't tell you, but a yellow bottom will not be a more likely target than any other color that would provide a "white" contrast.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

Cows kill 22 people each year in the US.
Sharks kill < 1.

When's the last time a cow bit off someone's arm?

[Geary]

I'll buy all of that ossi .. but as far as "shades of white" go, it would be difficult to find a better match to a sea turtle's underside than yum yum yellow.

On the other hand, many sharks avoid sea snakes due to the unique pattern of their striping. I don't know why wetsuit companies haven't capitalized on that.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

Cows kill 22 people each year in the US.
Sharks kill < 1.

The results of the study by Forrester et al. for the 7-year period:

#1. The number of deaths that resulted from interactions with other mammals, a category that includes cats, cows, horses, pigs, raccoons, and other hoofed animals: 655. The biggest bringers of death are cows and horses.
#2. The number of deaths that resulted from interactions with hornets, wasps, or bees: 509.
#3. The number of deaths that resulted from interactions with dogs: 250.
#4. The number of deaths that resulted from interactions with nonvenomous insects or nonvertebrates: 85.
#5. The number of deaths that resulted from interactions with non-venomous reptiles. This would include lizards and non-venomous snakes and the cause of death being bitten or crushed by the animal: 77.
#6. The number of deaths that resulted from interactions with venomous spiders: 70.
#7. The number of deaths that resulted from other venomous arthropods such as fire ants: 63.
#8. The number of deaths that resulted from interactions with venomous snakes or lizards: 59.
#9. The number of deaths that resulted from interactions with marine animals: 10, 8 of them from sharks.
#10. The number of deaths that resulted from interactions with crocodiles and alligators: 9.

http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/events/department-news/1195/forget-sharks-cows-are-more-likely-to-kill-you/

[rusnak]

Eat Mor Chiken

[Rickysa]

Don't swim near piers: lotsa guts in the water from cleaning fish, bait, etc

Both incidents occurred (snip) in the vicinity of Ocean Crest Pier

source: Teens lose limbs in shark attacks at Oak Island beach - CNN.com

[Heel n Toe]

I saw a news segment on it yesterday that said the attacks occurred at high tide.

They claimed that's when most attacks occur because that's when the fish that sharks feed on are close to the shore looking for what they eat (there's also shore fishermen putting their stinky bait out there, which attracts them like the chumming that occurs on piers)... and so if you only go in the water during low tide, you're much less likely to encounter a shark.

If that's not encouraging enough to make you feel comfy going in the water with the wife and kids, if you take them to a waterpark at least once or twice during the week, that might seem like a fun compromise to them. Cool tip: going after 5 or 6 is just as fun as earlier and cuts out the sunburn problem.

Also, you could watch Shark Week (starting July 5 - Shark Week | Discovery), looking for shows that might deal with safety for swimmers and surfers and be on the lookout for any helpful tips.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by craigster59

Leave the Seal costume at home!

^^^^ This
Drive safely to and fro...
Enjoy your vacation...

24 hr. news cycle sensationalism....no biggie.

[Seahawk]

My favorite line from any movie...

[KFC911]

Oh, I forgot one thing Mike....go ahead and change your screen name to "Lefty" before someone else grabs it

[Chocaholic]

Ha! May do that. Thinking a-head.

D'oh!