Shark Biting Odds

The odds of being bitten twice by a shark is one in 9 trillion, yet one Oregon man named Seth, according to Nat Geo, was bitten twice by a great white shark, six years apart.

The first time it happened in Florence, Oregon. Seth was surfing alone.  The second time happened in the same place, while surfing with his friend Gus.

The first time a great white, attacking from below with great force, wedged Seth’s surfboard in his mouth, with Seth balancing on top. The pressure from the shark’s jaw, crushed the board with Seth’s foot inside of it. Eventually, after some thrashing, the shark let go, and Seth swam to shore. Bleeding heavily, he was taken to the hospital by a nearby cop and treated for his lacerations with 25 stitches. He was lucky to escape with his life. The marks on the fiberglass board tell the horrific fate he barely escaped.

The second time a great white knocked him off his board, and ripped into his board, which was still tethered to his ankle too close for comfort. The shark dragged him a bit, and then released the board. Seth and Gus paddled to the shore unscathed, as fast as they could.

That day Seth escaped the shark’s menu. Again. And so did his friend Gus.

The adrenaline draw of big waves and surfing drowns out any fear of sharks who also love big waves and opportunistic meals even in murky water when they cannot see well.

Brian, on the New Smyrna Beach in Volusia County, Florida, the capital of shark bites in the United States, was the second double casualty of a shark attack, a black tip this time. His two encounters happened within the same year. Both times the shark bit his leg above his foot, and the second time bit his foot almost off.  Doctors managed to repair the damage, and he is lucky to have escaped alive. He continues his relentless obsession with surfing.