Swimming Safety On Holiday

[Aviador]

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I have long been interested in sharks and the location of shark attacks. I found this site which offers some interesting data and historical data

Shark Attack Data: United Kingdom

This particular page was especially of interest given I visited Hornsea beach last summer
Although shark attacks are few and far between, people often assume the Med beaches are completely safe. "sharks don't swim in the Med right?", wrong! Greece, Spain, Malta, Italy and Turkey all have a history of shark attacks, some fatal.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

You are right to point out that sharks live in the Med and will, given the opportunity attack humans swimming. I've always wondered why people think of the seas as perfectly safe, but would never set up a picnic in the Serengeti?
Also, I have watched several programs that have stated that British waters are ideally suited to Great Whites (temperature and abundance of fish and seals), yet there has never been a verifiable confirmed sighting. Yes, there have been alleged sightings but, where filmed have been shown to be Basking or Blue Sharks. Whilst I wouldn't want to come face to face with a Blue Shark (they can weigh in at up to 13ft and 400Ib), Basking Sharks are gentle giants (these can measure up to 39ft and weigh in at 7 tonnes), eating only plankton. Divers will often swim alongside these giant fish, with no danger to the diver.

Kevin

 

[TheLocalYokel]

We have been visiting our daughter and family in Australia most years until the pandemic. They live at a beach resort called Torquay at the beginning of Victoria's Great Ocean Road (the Devon version would be much easier for us to get to).

They have some magnificent beaches including Bells Beach just outside Torquay, a legendary location in the surfing world. Shark attacks along the Great Ocean Road resorts are not uncommon, although fatal shark attacks in Victoria are rare. When we've gone into the sea from one of Torquay's beaches there is always the thought that sharks might be around although we never stray out of the shallows.

There was a report last year that a surfer at Bells Beach repelled a shark attack by punching the creature.

 

[Aviador]

There have been fairly recent sightings of Great Whites on the South Coast and in Cornwall. They haven't been able to confirm them as the notorious Great White but given the historical data available, I guess there is every chance the sightings were the Great White.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

There is an interesting YouTube video looking at the possibilities of Great White sharks being present in UK waters.



Kevin

 

[Ashley.S.]

Watch out in Cornwall, Basking Sharks are invading, apparently due to a lack of marine traffic! https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/cornwall-coast-facing-shark-invasion-5324979

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Watch out in Cornwall, Basking Sharks are invading, apparently due to a lack of marine traffic! https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/cornwall-coast-facing-shark-invasion-5324979

Don't worry too much, Ashley. The Basking Shark, although very large is a gentle giant. It feeds on the tiniest lifeforms in the sea - Plankton and divers often enjoy swimming alongside them. The Porbeagle Shark is I believe a relative of the Great White and whilst attacks on Humans are very rare, they are not unknown.

Just for completion, Islander Outdoors removed his video that I posted above because it contained some copyrighted material. He has since edited and reposted it , so I've included the update -

Regards

Kevin

 

[Silvercity]

I have also found Sharks quite amazing intriguing and possibly frightening species. I once went to Sri Lanka and went on a trip to a marine reserve known as Pigeon Island. You can wade off the beach and snorkel over the reef. People mentioned you can see Black Tipped Reef Sharks, and so I did. I was snorkeling and these sharks which were not a large type swam along the bottom really fast, v streamlined and graceful. It was a special moment. Sharks are often misunderstood and dont go looking for people to consume, attacks are generally mistaken prey. Unfortunately humans do far more damage to sharks than the other way around, the shark fin trade ia appalling, plus we pollute the sea and mess with the climate, causing such things as coral bleaching destroying their habitats.