Baby, There’s a Shark in the Water

After this week, I think it might be time to invest in a SharkBanz, the bracelet that allegedly repels sharks. We had multiple beach closures due to shark sightings this week, including a large shark caught on camera thrashing around in knee deep water on 32nd Street. I even had my own run-in with a small shark while paddling around on the rescue board not even 50 yards out.

The reason for the rise in shark sightings is two-fold. Now that FDNY has high-tech drones that they can use to monitor the water for sharks, we’re seeing a ton that aren’t visible to the naked eye. The second part of it is that the sharks are following their food source, and the warm water temperatures right now are their bread-and-butter.

Ultimately, the sharks are not nearing shore to get closer to us — they’re just following their food. And with warmer water temperatures and cleaner water, these baitfish are more comfortable coming closer to shore, and the sharks are never far behind.

With constant beach closures, more people on the beach are on high-alert and our drone teams are monitoring daily. This means more fins, but not necessarily more danger. Just smarter spotting and taking more precautions.

We have to remember that the ocean is the sharks’ home, and we’re only guests in the water. It’s not unusual or unnatural for them to be here. However, if the constant press our finned friends are getting is making you nervous, there are some things that you can do to reduce your risk of running into a shark this summer.

1. Sharks are loners … but you shouldn’t be. Swimming and surfing in groups is safer than doing so alone.
2. Stay close to shore. The farther out you go, the sharkier it gets.
3. Avoid swimming at dawn and dusk. Sharks love the low-light hours to ambush their prey. This is their prime feeding time.
4. Lose the jewelry. Shiny silver and gold jewelry glints like fish scales. To the sharks, you’ll look like a tasty snack. As someone who wears five gold earrings, necklaces and bracelets at all times, this one was hard to hear.
5. Pay attention to birds diving and bait fish jumping. If you see them going nuts, something bigger is probably following them. You don’t want to get caught in the middle of that.
6. Follow lifeguard warnings and directions! If we close the beach, it’s for your own safety. We want to hang out in the water just as much as everyone else — but not when the sharks are around.
7. If you’re still terrified, use a shark deterrent. SharkBanz exists, and while I still need to do some research, there is science to back it up. Besides, I heard magnetized ankle bracelets are the newest hot summer fashion trend.

Even if you follow none of these rules, the odds of a shark attack are still extremely low. The sharks don’t want to eat us or prey on us. If they did, shark attack numbers would be way higher with the number of sightings we have. Stay safe out there!