There are no infallible tips for surviving a shark attack, but the best thing you can do is know some of the things you can do to put you in a better position than the unprepared man.
Let’s dive right into it!
Four Tips for Surviving a Shark Attack
Maintain Eye Contact
As simple as this seems, it can be very difficult when you’re face to face with the threatening eyes of perhaps the deadliest killer in the sea. Yet, you have to. Else, the fight (the kill) is completed before you even work out any escape.
Now, I’m not emphasizing eye contact because the shark will be scared. Rather, it is to ensure that you keep track of the shark’s position at all times. They are very unpredictable, with no particular attack pattern. Some will circle you for several minutes before finally moving in, while others just want to get it done as soon as possible.
Win the staring competition.
Calm Down
As you’ve always been advised in every survival situation, remain calm. Losing your ability to think logically at this moment is the surest way to losing the battle (and your life). Avoid sudden movements that will chase the shark to charge at you full speed. No one can outswim a shark.
A very important thing at this stage is to be able to continue thinking. Don’t panic, as this lets you lose hold of everything. The shark may not have seen you, and if that’s the case, start to swim slowly towards the shore. If you can find a boat, get on it quickly.
And remember to be as gentle as possible. You’ll have to keep your eyes on the fish too. Handling all three can be very difficult but do not lose your calm. Guard your cool jealously.
Protect Yourself
You may be unable to get out of the water in some cases. If this is so, the best thing would be to get to a spot that reduces your vulnerability. Limit the angles from where it could attack. You can back up against a sandbar, or whatever it is that you can lay your back on. Depriving the shark the leisure of circling you reduces its power. It will be forced to attack you from the front, so you can confidently fight without watching your back.
If you guys are up to two, back up to each other so both parties can see the shark directly.
Note that the three tips above can help to prevent an attack. But when it doesn’t, there’s only one option: FIGHT!
Fight
When it’s obvious that the shark isn’t leaving & that it’s prepped to attack, in fact, then you have to assume a defensive pose too. Let it see that you have a lot of fight in you. It is a predator & the worst mistake you can make is giving it the impression that you’re prey, as it already assumes.
Show that you’re also a threat and that the damage will go both ways. The soft areas in a shark are the snout, face, or gills. Hitting a shark hard in any of these areas can cause it to turn away.
If you can find a sharp object, all you need do is get some blood from it & swim away as soon as possible. Its fellow sharks will get to it before you say “Jack Robinson” or “Lord, forgive my sins.”
Concluding the Tips for Surviving a Shark Attack
Like I already said, the above tips for surviving a shark attack are not compulsorily life-saving. An ultra-aggressive shark can get to you before you even spot a reef to back up against. If you’re fishing in depths that could bring you face to face with a shark, you must be geared up for war. Go to make kills too.