A fear of sharks is known as galeophobia, a condition that might be growing more widespread as media stories about shark attacks seem to be getting more frequent. Highlighted by the unsettling live video footage of professional surfer Mick Fanning getting attacked during the J-Bay Open event in South Africa, this summer produced an endless stream of media reports that seemed to point to a troubling trend of aggressive shark behavior. Heck, we were even subjected to the third offering as part of the Sharknado movie series. ....... !!!
It’s understandable that it would be of little comfort for most people to know that most shark bites are more exploratory in nature than malicious. After all, a shark sighting is going to be downright frightening for a swimmer regardless of the shark’s intent. Armed with speed, power and sharp, jagged teeth, sharks offer a destructive enough force that any of the approximate 60 attacks every year have the potential to be deadly. The good news is that shark attacks happen to be quite preventable. Aside from staying near the shore when wading into the ocean, simple, easy measures like avoiding fishing areas and holding off swimming with open wounds can help, as can staying out of the water at night. If you do encounter a shark, do your best to stay calm, try to maintain eye contact and then back away slowly
