Thanks to jaws and the fact that sharks eat people l am scared to death when l paddle out to go surfing. l really wanna become good at surfing and not be scared, but l can not help wondering if there if a shark under my board ready to take a bite out of me. What the heck should l do to overcome this fear?

carry a knife with u
lol

?????

Pretty much nothing but repetition.

take it step by step: go to an aquarium and look at the sharks there and then go to a place where you can swim with them, do not worry its perfectly safe swimming with a guide.

l hate to break it to you. but. most of the time when u r in the ocean there r sharks within a couple of miles. The good thing is that u do not taste good. Also. Sharks feeding time is usually in the late afternoon or early evening. Basically, the only time someone gets hit by a shark its a case a mistaken identity. They think its a seal etc. As soon as they figure out that u r not, they r going to spit u out.
The odds of being hit on morning glass r astronomical. You have a better chance of winning 3 lottery is in a row. When is the last time u won anything from a lottery. Trust me. You wo not win the shark lotery either. Just have fun & get ur head into the waves.

This question has already been asked. but l will answer it again.

You simply need to understand the reality behind shark attacks, or lack there of. Despite the recent shark attacks in California & Mexico, sharks attacking surfers or swimmers r not all that common. Ok, there is an unusually large number of Bull Sharks which migrated to Florida this year, so u might want to be a bit more careful there. But even less than shark attacks r fatalaties from shark attacks; many people survive them. Take a first aid course, they come in handy.

Shark attacks r hardly frequent enough to be worried about, even less so than a plane crash, getting struck by lightning or winning the lottery, twice. The U.S. governement has a list of causes for accidental death, & sharks r not on that list. So why r we still afraid of them? l guess it is something psychological to have the image of rows of teeth swimming toward you. But really, you're 15 times more likely to get killed by a falling coconut than by a shark.

Of all places, Florida is the most shark infested, & l am not sure what the numbers r but still, there r not a ton of shark attacks. If you're really worried, stay out of Florida & leave the waves to me. There is also a company which makes Shark camoflauge, & though its pretty unneccesary, people still buy it. The idea is that there r certain marine animals which sharks do not eat because they r poisonous or simply taste bad, & they camoflauge ur board & wetsuit to look like those fish. Another company is also experimenting with radio waves to warn off sharks. But to me, thats all rediculous. To be a surfer, u need to be at home in the ocean. And if u get bit by a shark, well, thats a part of the ocean. I'd never advocate for the killing of all sharks, even if l got bit, because really its their home & not ours; we're the intruders. Also, u could search for information on what to do in case of a shark attack, so you'd be prepared if it happens (which it won't). I've been surfing for nearly half my life, in Florida too, & I've never been attacked by a shark. I've seen them, not too close up, but they've never acted holstile toward me. If, & this is a big if, u do get attacked by a shark, punch it in the eyes or the gills where they r most sensative.

I've recently found that sharks can sometimes mistake us for seals. The thing is, sharks attack low, they troll the bottom & shoot up & attack, & at that angle being mistaken for a seal is possible, especially if you're fat. And in that case, just make sure to stay out of places where seals congregate.

Some people, who have been attacked or nearly attacked, say they had this weird erie feeling right before it happened, & while l guess its hard to describe exactly what it is, if u do feel something strange u might just want to exit the water or paddle over the sandbar, err on the side of caution.

Also, surf with a buddy, or more than one. In that case, u just need to outrun one of them, & not the shark!

Sharks do not typically eat people, nor do they hunt very far inland. It is always a great newspaper or television story when they do and even better a cheesy script for a motion picture. Statistically, you are at better risk of drowning than being attacked by a shark. So, go out there, dont drown and have a good time. It is about surfing, stay focused on that.

Check out the stats.. people have been eating by sharks, but how many people die from fights or even cars. You dont not go out for drink through fear of getting a bottle smashed into ur face.
You need to just get out there & get amonst it.. Take a friend, if there is a killer shark around it may eat ur mate..
Stop being such a girl.. Beffany hamilton got her arm eaten off by a shark & she was out there surfing & competing as soon as possible.
At the end of the day, sharks r around, but there arnt really shopping for human fleash.

http://killsometime.com/Pictures/images/SharkAttack.jpg
no l just kidding, but this product may make you feel better about going in the water---http://sharkshield.com/Content/Photos+Video/List+Videos/

u could try thinking about something else to worry about, like stepping on a stingray or catfish or a broken glass bottle. I've lived in Florida all my life & have been surfing for years, l have a couple of friends that those things have happened to, never known anyone in my entire city to have been attacked by a shark. Or better yet, running into a submerged rock from an old jetty or dock, that is actually happened to me! Honestly l never worry about sharks, but l do think about rocks, stingrays, catfish, jellyfish, & sharp trash a lot. And if u ever go parasailing or something like that over clear water, u will be absolutely amazed how many big fish & sharks cruise the beaches with negligible human interaction. Here is another story that makes many of the same points previously discussed: http://sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050630063350.htm