Steve Robles is a lucky man. Over Independence Day weekend, the 50 year-old was swimming off of Manhattan Beach, California when he came face to face with a great white shark. He told TODAY on NBC, “I saw that shark just eyeball to eyeball, just like you and I, exactly the same distance, and it came in and bit me,” He added, “I grabbed its nose, and I started to pull it off me. I got lucky that it released itself.”
Robles was bitten on his right hand and chest by a 7-foot juvenile great white shark that was attempting to swim away from a fisherman’s line. According to reports, the fishermen on a nearby pier were trying to battle the great white off for 40 minutes.
The biting victim was the only one of the dozen other members of the Southern California Aquatics swim team who were also swimming at that time. Robles was treated at UCLA Medical Center on Saturday night and released on Sunday.
So, what do you do if you find yourself in the same waters as a shark? http://oceana.org has some great tips via George H. Burgess’ International Shark Attack File on how to avoid a shark attack:
- Do not swim at dusk, dawn or night. Sharks are most active during these times.
- Avoid murky or unclean water. Sharks will be more likely to mistake you for prey and you will be less likely to see it coming.
- Do not swim, dive or surf alone. Sharks are more likely to bite a single person. Also swim near a lifeguard so help is near by, should you need it.
- Avoid excessive splashing and bringing pets in the water. Erratic movements portray distress and can attract sharks.
Read more HERE.
