Shark Attack: Your Slyde Survival Guide

Don't Be on the Lunch Menu 

Slyde's Top Ten Tips for Surviving a Shark Attack

1. Remain Calm

• Remember that you can't out-swim a shark.  Plus, sharks can sense fear.

2.  Don't Scream

• Screaming won't deter the shark, and may actually provoke it further.

3.  Keep Your Eye on the Shark

• The shark may retreat temporarily and it may seem like it is leaving you alone, but be careful.  It could very well be sneaking up on you.

4.  Reduce the Angles of Attack

• If you can't get out of the water right away, try to reduce the shark's possible angles of attack.  If you can back up against a reef or piling or something along the same lines, do so.

5.  Get Out of the Way

• The shark will have difficulty biting things vertically (its nose gets in the way), so avoid leaving your hands or feet loose.  Try not to swim horizontal when you try to swim away from the shark too.

6.  Fight

• Playing dead won't help you here.  In fact, this will only encourage the shark to begin chomping.  A hard blow to the shark's eyes, gills or the tip of its nose will likely cause the shark to retreat.

7.  Get Out of the Water

• If you have been bitten, try to hold the injured body part out of the water.  A shark can't breathe out of the water, so getting its gills in the air may cause it to unclamp its jaws.

8.  Hold On

• If you can't get away, hold on tight.  Sharks tend to thrash their prey around in order to tear chunks from it, so latch yourself firmly onto the shark if it has bitten you.

9.  Try to Stop the Bleeding

• If you are bitten, try to stop the bleeding.  Sharks have an excellent sense of smell, so the blood could spur on a second attack.

10.  Don't Panic (If You Can)

• If you are near the shore, swim quickly and smoothly away.  Panicked thrashing and splashing will attract the shark's attention.