I've always had the view that sharks are just another fish in the ocean... with teeth! Like many large predators sharks have gained a pretty bad reputation. It's partially deserved I guess but blown way out of proportion by the media. Shark "attacks" on surfers happen every so often but I'm convinced that the local attacks are not intentional for the most part.
A friend of mine got bit by a shark on the hand while surfing one day. It did not sever any appendages but the bite area was pretty messed up. My friend has full function of his hand and suffers no long term injury from the experience. Surfers sit on the surfboards half way submerged in the water just past where the waves are breaking. When they see that perfect swell coming they start paddling so the wave picks them up at the most opportune time. While the surfer is waiting for that wave schools of bait fish are moving along the shore at roughly the same distance as the surfer from the shore. BTW he has a bushy bushy blond hair doo. lol
When sharks attack these schools of fish they blindly tear through the school, sometimes leaping out through the top of the school. This erratic method of hunting is not very precise so they go for whatever catches their attention. My guess is that my friend was sitting right on top of a school of fish and when that shark tore through it his pale hand caught the shark's attention. However, the shark quickly realized his hand wasn't a fish and let go.
With all that being said, I'm working on a trip south to film sharks underwater. I'll be in the water with them and I'm a little nervous but after researching shark behavior plus my personal interactions with them throughout my life I don't think I'll let some irrational fear get the best of me.
This is my fishing buddy with a shark caught from his kayak. Sharks are the single most common catch for us when in near shore water off of Playalinda Beach.
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