The shark, the surfer’s greatest fear

The sea is not man's natural environment and awaits various dangers when we enter it. If a survey were made of the surfing guild, the shark would probably be at the top of the list.

Camouflage neoprene, protective nets on beaches and even boards with special devices have been created to prevent direct contact with the feared emaciated, however, attacks are the order of the day. It should be made clear that most of them are explained by the fact that sharks confuse the silhouette of the surfer from below with that of their favourite foods, seals or sea lions. A week ago the surfing world was shaken by the death of professional bodyboarder Alexander Naussac, after he was attacked by a bull shark on Reunion Island. Kelly Slater, 11 times world champion, was one of the most forceful in social networks and asked the competent authorities to reduce the number of sharks off the coast of Réunion because there are several cases that have ended with such a tragic end as Naussac in this area.  

This island is one of the most dangerous places for surfing along with some parts of Australia and South Africa. More than one will be aware of the unexpected sight that the pro Mick Fanning received in the middle of the J-Bay Open final (2015) in South African waters. In case you need to refresh the minor, here is the video:

Fanning was luckier than Naussac and his face to face with the fiercest animal in the ocean was left in a state of shock.

We should choose our spot very carefully and take into account the warnings of lifeguards and other groups before going into the water because every precaution is insufficient. For the peace of mind of the students of Calima Surf, no incident of this type has been recorded on the beach of Famara since 1996, when we gave our first surfing lesson. We won't deceive you. Sharks have also been sighted in the Canary Islands on occasion, but almost always out at sea and much smaller than in Fanning's video and Steven Spielberg's film. And speaking of cinema, what do you think if in our next post we talk about the best surfing films?