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| *Travel Tips>>>Cabo San Lucas Travel Tips |
Is the ocean safe? |
Travel Info While traveling to an exotic locale such as Hawii, are you safe in the water? I don't surf I would just be in enough to have fun in the waves. Do sharks swim near the beach? Any surfers out there have any information? Am I being paranoid? Any info. on any location would work for me, such as Mexico, Greece or Australia. Travel Tips I'm a long time scuba diver...and ocean nut. Hawaii, talk to the locals. Sharks have territories...the locals can give valuable info. Yes, sharks have been known to come into shallow water. In Mexico...at least the Yucatan penninsula, they're getting 'fished out' as in the local sport fishermen have wiped out a good part of the shark population. In the 18 or so trips to Cozumel, I have only seen nurse sharks...no hammerheads, no mako's, no tiger sharks...nada. Are they still around? maybe...but I'm thinking it's on the rare side. Greece? No clue. Oz? There are places you don't wanna go. We've heard reports about snorkelers/divers being picked off by Great Whites along the Great Barrier Reef...as well as in the Bight area (southern Oz). Recent documentaries are saying the population is deceasing rapidly. Again, talk to the locals. One place I would not go into the water EVER would be the waters off south africa. No way...uh uh...can't make me. From what I understand...sharks have behavioral patterns in certain waters...hammerheads in the Baja don't behave anything like what they do off West Palm Beach, or the Bahamas. When I was a teen...we went to the Bahamas for three weeks, stayed on this little island in the middle of no-where...fabulous. This was about 1977...Jaws had just come out and well...one was slightly paranoid about getting into the water. We would talk to the locals about it...and the locals said to stay on the calm side of the island, that the sharks liked the rougher water....then they added that it wasn't the sharks we should be worried about...but the barracuda. Honestly...I saw the biggest 'cuda I've ever seen on that trip. It was as long as me...and very territorial. We left the area...quickly. Although sharks come to mind as an immediate danger...(and a big one) ...don't forget there's other nasties out there...spiny anenomies, jellyfish, rockfish, & sting rays to name a few. Rule number one...shuffle your feet when walking around in the water...don't step. Stepping could bring your foot down on a sting ray, and his tail into your leg (he's not attacking you, just defending himself). Two...jelly fish...if stung, scrape off remaining cells (you can't see em, and this is gonna sting like hell) with a credit card (the longer the cells are on your skin, the more it's gonna hurt)...rinse with the same water you just got out of. (salt water jellyfish, rinse with salt water) Douse stung area with white vinegar (I travel with it) and get your butt to medical attention. Three - those black spiny anenomies...avoid em. Stepping on one or falling into one due to surf will be the low point of your entire adventure. The spines have barbs, and they're tough to get out. Ammonia will take away the sting. Seek medical attention. And Four... you see a shark in the water...leave the area. Don't panic (he likes it)...but make your exit as calmly as you can. Hang with the locals...they'll take care of ya. Source(s): 15 years of diving/dive instructor...long time swimmer...etc. Other Travel Tips If you can swim in the water so can sharks. Are you being paranoid, yes. Your chances of being robbed or shot are much higher than being attacted by a shark. |
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