Are sharks more likely to attack surfers, scuba divers, or snorkelers?

[Lucifer911]

Ok I'm in Australia and shark attacks in Perth have been making headline news. Several pro surfers are also saying negative things about our waters.

Footage emerges of Gracetown shark attack on lone surfer | PerthNow

I enjoy snorkelling in deep waters (around 6-8m) without a shark shield and I am hearing surfers frequently having encounters with great whites off the coast of Perth. I live in Adelaide which is also known for having great whites in our waters. I am trying to rationalise whether sharks would target surfers more often than scuba divers and snorkelers. I have a theory if you are a good swimmer you are less likely to be attacked because a bad uncoordinated swimmer represents prey in distress from underwater.

Each time I go out for a snorkel or scuba session my confidence increases in deep waters (except in cases where I cannot see land in all directions 360degrees). I don't know if I'm putting myself in danger or whether media is exaggerating this fear mongering. I am convinced surfers are attracting sharks by their actions more so than a scuba diver...

 

[rongoodman]

Tigers and great whites often hunt for prey above them, such as seals, turtles, or even birds on the surface. Attacks on divers are very rare unless they're spear fishing, which is why the fatality at Cocos Island last fall generated so much attention. It was pretty much unprecedented.

 

[Soloist]

I’m going to play devil’s advocate and say great whites like to eat seals and if I’m not mistaken they swim pretty damn good! Be careful out there.

 

[Lucifer911]

Tigers and great whites often hunt for prey above them, such as seals, turtles, or even birds on the surface. Attacks on divers are very rare unless they're spear fishing.

the main question is whether a shark is more likely to attack a surfer on a surfboard rather than a snorkeler or scuba diver just floating on the surface?

 

[HeliMech]

Having been a little paranoid about this myself I spent a fair bit of time looking into this.

Seems that a lot can depend upon where a shark likes to feed (shallows or deep)

Most of the sharks that freak us out seem to hunt from underneath. Things that float on top seem to get in way more trouble.

A lot happens to people swimming or standing in shallow water in the surf too.

Divers at depth seem to be relatively safe minus those spear fishing or getting into potential food related conflicts underwater.

My two cents. There are people who obviously know a bunch more but that was my basic takeaway after reading a bunch online.

Please accept my apologies in advance for any inaccuracy of opinion.

 

[Doc]

It really depends upon how hungry the next shark coming along is.

The media never exaggerates anything, at least in the US, I assume they're equally unbiased in Australia.

 

[Lucifer911]

I think I may have to start snorkelling with a shark shield... especially if I'm the only one in the water. I go to the end of the jetty which is about 300m offshore so its a fair swim back in but I'm protected by a reef.

 

[boulderjohn]

the main question is whether a shark is more likely to attack a surfer on a surfboard rather than a snorkeler or scuba diver just floating on the surface?

As Ron said in the first reply, a recent attack on a scuba diver in Cocos was shocking because it was so rare. In that case, the shark had been poking around the divers during the ascent, so it knew what it was dealing with when it finally made an attack. In pretty much all cases involving divers, the diver was on or near the surface and attacked from below, exactly as would happen with a surfer or a snorkeler. The assumption is that it is a case of mistaken identify, because in all those cases, the sharks take the normal first bite to incapacitate the target, but with the humans, they do not return to get the meal.

I would guess--and this is a guess--that anyone floating on the surface in an area where those kinds of sharks are looking for that kind of food should be concerned. Divers executing a dive are pretty safe. A number of years ago, there were some oceanic white tip attacks in the Red Sea, and some of the professionals who worked there as guides reported that during that period they were in a real hurry to get off the surface, both at the beginning and end of the dives, but they were not concerned during the dives themselves.

 

[runsongas]

Surfers account for nearly 60% of worldwide shark attack victims, 30 times more than SCUBA and 6 times more than snorkeling

Yearly Worldwide Shark Attack Summary

 

[HeliMech]

Surfers account for nearly 60% of worldwide shark attack victims, 30 times more than SCUBA and 6 times more than snorkeling

Yearly Worldwide Shark Attack Summary

There you have it. Thanks.