Shark Stories

Lifesaving Tips to Help Fend Off Sharks

great white shark, shark attack

You don’t want to encounter a shark in the water, but if you can, fight back.

We do not encounter many sharks in the Northeast waters, but it does happen. You Are In Their Home. You can’t blame the sharks. They’re doing what sharks do. A shark can appear out of nowhere. After all, you're just have a great day at the beach. Until it's not.

Tip #1 Hit Back

We’re not sure who has tried this, but they say that if you are attacked by a shark, hit it back. If you're going to be dinner, the least you owe to yourself and the life you've led is to hit back.

large shark, sharks off New England

More species of shark are showing up in New England waters.

Tip #2 Go For the Eyes

If you can compose yourself, try to attack the shark's eyes. Like any living thing with two of them or more, they are vulnerable, so use everything you can to stab those dark, dead, black eyes.

Shark attacking, shark bite

If all those teeth clamp down on you, jab at the shark’s gills.

Tip #3 Go For The Gills

If at all possible through the terror, go for the gills. It's another vulnerable place on a shark. Think of it as someone sticking his fingers in your lung. That wouldn't feel good. It doesn't feel great to a shark either.

Tip #4 If You Get Bitten, Don't Look At It

If I am, by some misfortune, ever bitten by a shark, I'm not going to have any trouble with this tip. Don't look at it. Seeing the blood rushing out of your body could put you in to shock. As a matter of fact, the thought of blood rushing out of my body in to the ocean is kinda making me woozy already.

Great White Shark, Cape Cod

More great whites have been seen off the New England coast than ever before.

Tip #5 If You Do Get Wounded, Keep It Above Your Heart

If you do get wounded, try to keep your wound above your heart. An article from Mentalfloss.com describes an experience from a guy who got his hand bitten off by a shark and keeping his arm above his heart may have saved his life.