I’ve never met a shark. Well, except for sharks that were sunning themselves on the wharf at a sea derby. I’ve seen those. But I’ve never had the chance to see one in the wild. They tend to be fairly elusive.
Although you could be forgiven to think otherwise. There seem to be a fair number of sharks around at the moment.
The thing is, I’m not sure there are actually any more sharks around than we usually have. We’ve just gotten better at keeping track of them. It’s pretty easy to go online and see where the tagged sharks are. And there are several, right off the coast. Probably snacking on mackerel or squid or other smaller fish.
Some days, they may get a bit too close, letting us see those cute little triangle shaped fins. This is not something you want to see if you happen to be in the water. I can see why people might be a bit cautious. But I’d still like to see one. Just not right beside me.
There is also the possibility that there are nasty jellyfish around. Again, not unusual. They do show up from time to time. Although technically, the Portuguese Man-O-War is not a jellyfish, as in singular. It’s really a group of things all living together. Which won’t feel any better if you happen to get stung.
The thing is, these animals have been around for years and will likely be around for many more. With the possibility of ocean waters warming a bit, which they seem to be doing, we may see them more often. If we don’t want to end up hiding indoors, we just have to learn how to live with them.
So, yes, there are things in the ocean that will eat you… or at least give it a try. There are also things on land that will eat you. The hope is to see them first, and not give them the chance.
I’d still like to see a shark. But before he sees me.
