Ten top shark-infested beaches

Conventional wisdom has it that those last two, blacktip and spinner sharks, especially youngsters, are the cause of most incidents in New Smyrna’s waters. There are indeed shark-related fatalities, but most encounters are simply cases of mistaken identity (a hungry, disoriented shark nips an unwitting tourist — so many to choose from) and the results, if not minor, certainly end without loss of life.

Of the more than 400 shark species in the world, says the ISAF, only about 30 types are known to have attacked humans. And only three have a reputation for the highest number of “unprovoked” attacks: great whites, tiger sharks, and bull sharks (the last, known as Zambezi sharks in South Africa, have earned a particularly bad reputation for their mix of aggression and ability to swim upstream into shallow freshwater rivers and inlets).

To compile a list of the most shark-dangerous beaches also means going to waters that are home to these three ocean predators. And so we find ourselves in Hawaii — which boasts a large number of tiger sharks — and in the seal-rich waters of Northern California, in an area known as the “Red Triangle” stretching from Bodega Bay to Ano Nuevo Island near Santa Cruz and out to the Farallon Islands (beyond San Francisco’s Golden Gate). The triangle includes Tomales Bay, Stinson Beach and the famously reclusive Western Marin enclave of Bolinas. Here, great whites lurk in vast numbers, and when a favorite surfing spot or abalone diving area happens to be just beyond the mouth of a bay or lagoon that also serves as a hatchery for seal pups. Well, you can see the potential for trouble.

Our quest also takes us to the seal-rich waters of Australia — the east coast, more densely populated, sees more shark attacks annually, and yet the south coast sees more fatalities because of its great whites, or pointers as they are locally known — and to South Africa. Here, great whites are known for leaping fully out of the water as they attack, and swimming with these magnificent creatures (in protective cages!) has become something of a tourist attraction.

Sources differ as to which of the three spots—Northern California, Australia or South Africa — holds the record for the highest number of attacks. We’ve read the reports and seen the photographs. We’re here to tell you: it’s a moot point. Be careful.

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But also put the issue in context. The relationship between sharks and humans is a complicated one, fraught with misunderstandings, primal instincts and base fears. Our research tells us that with overfishing and hunting, sharks are actually getting the short end of the stick. Many species require conservation efforts to keep them from the brink of extinction.

That’s one context. Here’s another: the next time you go the beach (especially one on our list here) whatever you do, avoid black wet suits and seal-like behavior.

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