By Adrian Lurssen

updated 10:04 a.m. ET May 18, 2007

Just when you thought it was safe again to watch online videos of graceful surfers riding magnificent swells at the world’s best beaches — all the while thinking: “Sure, I could do that!” — along comes footage from South Africa that’ll have you contemplating the merits of stamp collecting instead.

The video in question was shot on a perfect, blue-sky day — summer on one of the southern hemisphere’s loveliest coastlines — and perhaps what’s so alarming is how inviting the Indian Ocean looks. Actually, no: strike that. Most alarming is what happens at the exact moment a young blonde surfer begins to “cut in” on his wave.

The scene, captured on home video camera, involves not one but two great white sharks pouncing on the unfortunate hotshot — first from his left, then from his right. It’s a “hit and run” ambush, plain and simple, and yet the lucky surfer survives it, walking away with a harrowing tale, a board full of teeth marks (wow, those jaws are wide), and a severely bandaged right arm and hand.

The short, riveting movie, available online at multiple venues including YouTube, is credited as taking place at Jeffrey’s Bay near Port Elizabeth, or J-Bay as it is known in the worldwide surfing community, one of South Africa’s most famous surfing beaches (and home each July to the Billabong Pro surfing competition).

The fact is, it doesn’t matter which beach, exactly, because it could have happened almost anywhere along South Africa’s eastern coastline — from Cape Town, up the gorgeous Garden Route, and beyond to Durban. The entire area is famously shark infested, some spots more notoriously so than others. The fishing village of Gansbaai, near Cape Town, for example, is known as Shark Alley for its unrivaled density of great whites. And the mouth of Kosi Bay, in KwaZulu Natal, is known for its aggressive Zambezi, or bull sharks. Of course, sharks populate large bodies of water — they don’t stalk individual beaches (or surfers). However, it’s possible to create a list of some of the more shark-infested beaches of the world.

More from ForbesTraveler.com Click below for more slide shows World's most dangerous destinations Luxury wildlife tours Adventurous destinations Most exclusive African safari companies Most romantic beaches in the world

One of our sources was the Florida Musuem of Natural History, which, along with the American Elasmobranch Society, administers the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), a compilation of all known shark attacks from the mid-1500’s to the present day. The ISAF also serves as an educational resource to put shark attacks, and shark conservation, in perspective.

The ISAF reports, for example, that more people perish because of bees, wasps and snakes — or from drowning, for that matter — than from shark attacks. (And in fact, more beachgoers have to get stitches for damage from shells than from sharks) And yet shark attack is a primal fear — and a hazard that, however slim, can have gruesome results.

It makes sense that the ISAF is hosted in Florida. The Sunshine State and one of its beaches — New Smyrna, on the central east coast — holds the dubious honor of being the shark-attack capital of the world. But even this fact tells us something else about the relativity of shark-attack data (for example, that a lot of people are in the water in Florida).

Getty Images Broadway appeal Spring a great time to catch a show in the Big Apple

Volusia County’s New Smyrna is one of those fine coastal destinations for which Florida is famous. Surrounded on all sides by water — the Atlantic Ocean, the Intracoastal Waterway, Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River — and boasting excellent subtropical weather (warm and comfortable summers plus warm and comfortable winters), the laid-back seaside community attracts a high density of visitors: surfers, anglers, swimmers and tourists.

New Smyrna’s well-surfed, sub-tropical waters are also ideal for sharks — tigers, blacktips, spinners and many others. A high density of sharks and a high density of people ... you begin to understand the problem.

MORE FROM ACTIVE

Active Section Front

What's not to love about a walking trip? Most magnificent drop zones The world's best snorkeling spots Bond with underwater species The great Yucatán escape World's 10 best rafting trips New reasons to visit a national park America's coolest campgrounds North America's most bike-friendly cities Swim with sharks at the aquarium Active Section Front   Add Active headlines to your news reader: