Don't Go in the Water!
All those scary movies are right in one respect. If you see fins moving around on the surface of the ocean, don't go in the water! There aren't enough man-eaters to fill a Ten Most Wanted list for sharks, but any shark can be dangerous. Some are top killers, like the bull, tiger, and great white, but even these sharks usually don't set out to kill humans.
If you could get the shark's side of the story, you'd see that a lot of shark attacks are accidents. If you are aware of the danger from sharks and know some of the things you can do to prevent an attack, it will be better for you and the sharks. If you see a sign posted on the beach that says "Beware of the Sharks," your family will know that this is a warning that must be obeyed.
Try This: Floating Fins
You can make your own floating shark fins using two disposable plastic plates or deli containers. The first plate is your base, and the second one is cut out to be your sharkís fin. Make a fold at the bottom of the fin, then staple or tape the fin on the plate. You can float your fin in the pool and use it as a ring toss or target.
Stay Out!
Sometimes you probably wish you could post a sign like this in your room whenever you want to have some time by yourself. You could always ask an adult in your family to help you make the sign and hang it on your door. One thing you could do is use a blackboard or magic slate. That way you could leave other messages for your family or use it as an ongoing game site. You could take turns and play tic-tac-toe, finish the word, or hangman each time you or anyone else went by your door.
If you have ever read the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears, you know that even though the little girl went into the bear's house and ate their food and broke their furniture, the bears still didn't hurt her.
Any time you go to the beach or enter the shark's home, the ocean, there are a few rules you should know, so that you won't be harmed, either.
You might think it would be a good idea to take your dog along to the beach so he could enjoy the water. All that splashing might make a shark think a hurt or distressed animal is in the water, and to a shark that means it is time to eat! If you're riding a surfboard, the shark might think you look like a turtle, seal, or dolphin. The only thing the shark can see is the surfboard's outline, which does look a lot like a dolphin or turtle.
If it is warm enough for you to swim in the water, it's warm enough for the sharks, too. But this doesn't mean sharks don't live or swim in cold water -- sharks are found almost everywhere. Many bull sharks are at home in some lakes and have even been seen swimming in some big rivers. Imagine the shock of going to the river and seeing a dorsal fin traveling upstream?
The sandbar shark, which gets its name from swimming over the sand, may even be carried up onto the land by the ocean waves. Spotted epaulette sharks use their fins like little feet, so if they get trapped on shore, all they have to do is walk back into the water!
Shark Safety
You should always take an adult with you if you want to go into the water. You might think that swimming when the sun is coming up or going down would be the best time of the day because you wouldn't get sunburned. Unfortunately, that's when the shark's food is moving around in the water and so are they, so this is a time to be extra careful.
Another thing that attracts sharks is bright jewelry. When they see something shimmering on your neck or arm in the sunlight, they think they are seeing fish scales. Take your jewelry off before you swim so those sharks don't think you are a fish!
It's important to remember that sharks, like all wild creatures, don't usually bother you unless you bother them. If you follow the rules of shark safety, the odds are pretty good that you will never meet up with one.
