Sharks; Are They Evil?

The picture above makes me wonder are sharks evil. The photo was taken from below looking up. I don't know about anybody else, but this image to me is terrifying. The photo says it all, it is what it is. I watched shark week and all you hear is how beautiful this big fish is. Beautiful, even a normal photo of a shark is not beautiful, it's scary. Shark week also tried to promote how shark attacks on humans is just part of the game. Come on, I see nothing more than a frightening, massive monster coming at you with extreme force.

My nephew surfs and he told me about a shark attack on one of the surfers. The 20 foot 3,000 pound shark grabbed him by his arm and started downward. The surfer said all he could see was the side of this enormous thing with his arm in its mouth. He felt like it was a dream. He was taken downward for about two minutes and for some reason the shark let go. He was lucky, and to this day he has not surfed. My nephew stated that when the surfer was safe on shore he whispered, "the devil had me."

The great white is the most dangerous shark. The next shark to follow is the striped tiger shark and bull shark. The great white shark ranges from 15 to 20 ft. weighing in between 1,500 to 3,000 lbs.

Sightings of great white sharks have become very common. Great whites typically strike from below with an immense catastrophic bite. They will retreat after the bite, waiting for their prey to bleed to death before returning to eat them. A great white in full predatory mode is unbelievable to see. They are so powerful and they strike so fast it's hard to imagine being attacked by one. They have so much strength they can break a surfboard in half or heavy-duty underwater camera equipment apart. Shark researchers have a few methods of protecting yourself from a shark. Swimming in groups and staying close to the shore, is one pretty good way that you're not likely to be attacked. Wear dark clothing and do not wear any jewelry as it tends to shine, bringing attention of the sharks.

Many people who are attacked never fully recover from it mentally and physically. Some have intense dreams wake up screaming in the night. Some people have even had to go see a psychiatrist. I have talked to a few people who have come close to a shark, and they believe if it happens to attack you, that you are in, "the wrong place at the wrong time!"

Many great whites swim to the tip of the Cape Cod peninsula to hunt for their preferred food, which is seals. The number of seals in that area has grown to over 50,000. So I can see why the sharks are gathering for some great eats. Some of the beaches off Cape Cod were briefly evacuated, due to sightings of sharks. One victim, a 26-year-old surfer, was killed by a great white just a few yards into the ocean. In memory of the young man there is a stone plaque placed at the beach where it happened.

Sharks will attack humans who stray into their domain. People who have never seen a shark before fear them because of stories they hear or have watched on TV. There are many stories of people who have managed to get close to sharks without any harm. Researchers take risks to investigate them by getting extremely close, even to touch them. Now, that is way too crazy for me. Personally, I would suggest if your afraid of on encounter simply stay out of the water.