10 Things To Do if You See a Shark While Swimming

You’re swimming in the ocean and you come face-to-face with a shark. Um, now what?

If you watch Shark Week or suffer PTSD from seeing Jaws as a child, you know that getting up close and personal with certain shark species — especially the great white, bull, or tiger shark — could prove hazardous to your health. Although most shark bites occur because the ancient oceanic predators mistake swimmers for their usual food such as seals, no one has yet received an acceptable apology from a bite-happy shark.

According to shark experts, there are actions swimmers can take before and after they enter the water that will improve their chances of avoiding a shark attack.

Avoid Swimming at a River’s Mouth

The murky water where a river meets the ocean is a favorite place for the bull shark to hunt. These sharks don’t see any better than you do in silty water, so they bite first and ask questions later.

For this reason, shark expert Richard Peirce advises against swimming in or near estuaries. Don’t think that because sharks are primarily ocean fish that the fresh water will deter them — bull sharks can tolerate fresh water and are known to swim upstream far from the ocean.

Avoid Swimming Around Fishing Boats

If you see a bunch of fishing boats near the area that you want to take a plunge, keep going until the boats are nowhere near.

Peirce tells CNN that fishing boats toss back unwanted dead fish fish and chum into the water. This is akin to ringing a dinner bell for all kinds of shark species, so don’t set yourself up to be the centerpiece for a shark feeding frenzy.

Don’t Swim at Dusk or Dawn

Dusk and dawn are the two favorite times of day for most shark species to hunt, Dr Paul Butcher tells Phil Tucak of Australia’s Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). It’s also a time when visibility is compromised due to low-light conditions, so a hungry shark could easily mistake a swimmer as a seal and take a bite.

Speaking of seals, the aquatic mammals are the favorite food of some of the most dangerous sharks to man. If you see seals in the water — especially during dusk or dawn — stay in the boat or on shore.

Leave Shiny Objects and Jewelry at Home

According to Chris Lowe, professor in marine biology and director of the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Beach, don’t swim while wearing jewelry or other shiny objects.

Lowe tells CNN that sharks are always looking for a snack, and one could easily mistake a shiny ring on your finger or toe as a silvery fish swimming by.

Don’t Panic

If you see a shark when you’re already in the water, the most important thing to remember is to not panic. Splashing, screaming, and making erratic rhythms will only make the shark think you are a dying animal and attract it more.

Peirce tells CNN that splashing around in the water is an open invitation for a shark to come in and take an exploratory bite. Since sharks don’t have hands or paws, putting something in their mouths is the only way that they can figure out for sure if something is food or not.

Maintain Eye Contact

So you’re in the ocean and a great white is circling you. The Jaws theme music plays in your head and you have resisted the urge to panic. Now what?

According to Peirce, sharks are ambush predators that prefer to sneak up on unsuspecting prey. If a shark circles you, try to swivel and turn your body so that you maintain eye contact with one of the shark’s black, cold eyes.

You can’t outswim a shark, but letting it know that you see it might make it reconsider coming in for an exploratory bite.

Redirect the Shark

Shark expert and conservationist Ocean Ramsey (yes, her name is Ocean) tells Katie Couric Media that if a shark gets too close, place one hand on top of the shark’s head, lock your elbow, and gently redirect the animal. She says that 99% of the time, the shark will back off and leave you alone.

Once you redirect the shark, slowly back away from it while maintaining eye contact.

Appear Big or Small

If you are in the water with a shark in attack mode, you have two choices: look big or small. According to Peirce, the bigger you look in the water, the more respect you’ll get from a shark. However, a shark might perceive you as a competitor for food if you are too convincing.

Peirce tells CNN that if a shark is passing nearby and doesn’t show much interest in you, he suggests making yourself smaller by tucking into a ball. This will probably make the shark even less interested in you.

Watch Your Angles

If you are diving or snorkeling near a coral reef and a large shark is showing too much interest in you, slowly move to the surface while trying to keep the coral reef to your back.

Peirce tells CNN that if you are protected from behind by the reef, you can keep your eyes on the problematic shark in front of you and return to your boat without incident.

Go for the Gills and Eyes

The worst-case scenario is when despite all of your precautions, a shark bites you. The most important thing at this moment is prevent a second bite. If you’re carrying a camera or some other object, congratulations — it is now a weapon.

Peirce says that although punching a shark in the nose will overwhelm its senses and may cause it to back off, the nose is precariously close to that mouth full of jagged teeth that just took a bite out of you.

It’s a better idea to avoid the mouth altogether and punch or whack the shark’s eyes or gills. These areas are very sensitive, so punching them may send the shark out into the deep blue and give you a fighting chance to swim another day.