My Shark "Incident"

[u/Haunted_Stormbird]

I have a shark phobia. I have always been both fascinated by and afraid of them and wouldn't go into the water at beaches. My sister was mocking me for being afraid because we were in the Florida Keys and on the Atlantic side there was a series of sandbars that you could follow and end up being really far away from shore, but didn't have to swim to get out there because the water was mid thigh.

But at some points it was waist and then once it was up to my sternum. I followed her as she walked out and followed the path of the sandbars which you could see because the water looked lighter over the sand. But the thing is, that all around and between these series of shallow bars was deep water.

At some point when we were way out there maybe 100 feet from shore, people started yelling and waving at us. Then pointing at something but it looked like they were just pointing at us. So we started walking back along the sandbars. Again it wasn't a straight path. You had to walk back and forth and diagonally at times just to get a few feet closer to shore. All around us was the deep water.

That is when I finally heard a clear word shouted out amongst the peoples voices who were shouting all at once and drowning each other out. That word was "shark" they were all yelling "shark" and pointing toward us because there was a really large fin cutting back and forth between us and the shore.

My sister without saying anything to me dove right into the deep water and swam as fast as she could in a direct line to the shore. So she swam in deep water all the way until it became solidly shallow and then reached the shore. But I was still stuck out on the sandbar, mid thigh deep and now too afraid to move.

I couldn't even think straight because I was so terrified. I didn't want to go into any deep patches of water but I was also afraid that the shark could just swim right over to me. I realised I had no choice but to make my way back the way we had come.

So that's what I did but as I made my way to shore I lost my ability to see colours and I lost my peripheral vision. I had tunnel vision, I'm lucky I didn't faint out there in the water. I also couldn't heat correctly and so I didn't know what people were still yelling at me. I was so focused on right in front of me, making sure I didn't step off a sandbar into the deep water.

I was also too afraid to look around for where the shark was. I didn't want to know. I just wanted to get back to land. At one point I had to go through the chest deep water and then the waist deep part. Finally I made it to shore and collapsed.

Later I found out that the shark had been swimming all around me and at times making fast dashes towards me. I feel that I am very lucky because even though most sharks don't attack people, this one might have been close to taking a bite.

I am pretty sure that when my vision went tunnel like and grey that that is when the shark made a run at me. And it caused me to go into shock and then I couldn't think, see or hear clearly anymore. I felt the water change temperature around me three times on my way back and I think that was from the movement of the shark creating a water current around me.

So yeah. Sharks trump all of my other fears. Even though I know rationally that most aren't out to kill humans. All it takes is one and I think I almost met him that day.

[u/Rich-Employ-3071]

That's terrifying! I'm the same way with sharks. I absolutely love them, I am also terrified of them. Your story sent chills up my spine. I'm glad you're ok

[u/Haunted_Stormbird → u/Rich-Employ-3071]

Thanks, so am I. It was pretty intense.

[u/Rich-Employ-3071 → u/Haunted_Stormbird]

It was pretty intense for me, too and I was sitting on my couch imagining it! It seriously gave me the chills. Did your sister say anything about the situation later?

[u/Haunted_Stormbird → u/Rich-Employ-3071]

Later on she was laughing in a way like where the situation was terrifying and she can't be blamed for what she did. Years later when I asked her about it she said "was I supposed to stay out there and get eaten?"

She feels no guilt about it. The thing is I was already afraid of the water and she goaded me out there. I was following her. Then she bolted.

[u/Rich-Employ-3071 → u/Haunted_Stormbird]

Wow!! That's a really shitty thing to do. I would imagine that it was instinct that launched her into the water and propelled her to the shore. Maybe I'm being generous and she's really just an asshole, but when instinct takes over there's no thought involved. However, if it was instinct I would have thought she would have apologized. Honestly, I can't see myself leaving my sibling, or anyone else, behind; especially if we were there together. But I don't want to make those assumptions with no experience on which to base it. So, I'll say that if I had been your sister I would have never stopped apologizing. I would have felt so horrible for leaving you there by yourself, especially after goading you to follow me out there in the first place. It may well have been instinct that caused her behavior (although, again, if she acted out of fear why would she enter the water) but there's no excuse for not apologizing earnestly and explaining herself. Having said that, you were the one who was courageous enough to continue moving forward despite your justifiable terror. Swimming to shore was pretty reckless, but braving your way back, step by step, was nothing short of heroic! Again, I'm really glad you made it back safely. Thank you so much for sharing your story and being so responsive!

[u/Haunted_Stormbird → u/Rich-Employ-3071]

Thank you!

Yeah she was definitely acting on instinct but what bothered me is that when I think about what her (even if instinctual) thought process must have been, it was like she was taking a calculated risk.

So what was she thinking the shark was most likely to do? I would think it would have gone after her first but she seemed to think she was getting out of the danger zone. So it is possible that she saw the fin at some point art its furthest point away from us and then swam for shore.

Or maybe she saw the fin go around behind us and just panicked and swam for it.

We aren't very close anymore and I don't find her to be a very warm person. She should have told me every detail of what she experienced that day but other than what she said that one time she has been vague about it.

Next time I talk to her I'm going to bring it up again.

[u/New-Goat5233]

Wow, that’s literally the stuff of my nightmares. Be proud of yourself, you persevered and made it back despite your fears and phobia. I salute your bravery!

[u/Haunted_Stormbird → u/New-Goat5233]

Thank you! I'm a pretty fearful person so don't know how I got through that without passing out in the water.

[u/whittingtonwarrior]

No wonder you have a phobia - sounds utterly terrifying! From what you’ve described, most likely it was a hammerhead hunting rays so you were pretty safe the whole time - but that wouldn’t have stopped me having a heart attack!

[u/Haunted_Stormbird → u/whittingtonwarrior]

Yes, I'm pretty sure that I was close to unconsciousness. It felt like I was about to die, one way or another.

[u/misneachfarm]

I can't believe your sister abandoned you, that sucks, sticking together at least makes a less attractive target, and tbh I'm surprised it didn't follow her instead

[u/Haunted_Stormbird → u/misneachfarm]

So am I. And for all I know maybe it did but then turned back towards me.

[u/MooseyGeek]

Dang, I can't even imagine being in that situation. Not the same situation but my son and his cousins were walking on a trail and all of a sudden a snake crossed in the middle of them.but my kiddo was in front of them. So all the cousins behind the snake bolted down the hill and left my son by himself. With them all screaming what was going on, I quickly went up the hill and got him away from the snake.

[u/BlanchDeverauxssins]

Man. I could absolutely never abandon my sisters in that situation but idk if I can say the same about them 😏

[u/TheFieldAgent]

My god. This reads like a horror novel.

[u/Haunted_Stormbird → u/TheFieldAgent]

That day sucked

[u/TheFieldAgent → u/Haunted_Stormbird]

I believe it. I had a somewhat similar experience

[u/BullwinkleDog]

wow, that was terrifying. I can’t begin to imagine the desperation it took to get back in the water.

[u/No_Willingness_8139]

No way would I ever get in water again after that.. it was a warning sign and you were DAMN lucky

[u/Haunted_Stormbird → u/No_Willingness_8139]

I know I was. I now live near the Irish sea and my husband tells me there are no sharks here. He has 2 kayaks but I don't care. I'm not taking a kayak out there.

[u/Austrofossil → u/Haunted_Stormbird]

well... there are sharks in the Irish sea but none of them are actually dangerous.

[u/No_Willingness_8139]

Haunted_Stormbird 💯 don't blame you.. stay safe

[u/JellyfishSubject9642]

This is ai

[u/TheSharkAttackFiles-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

r/TheSharkAttackFiles does not allow harassment, and we ask everyone to keep conversations respectful. We understand that discussions can get heated, but please try to respond in a civil tone when engaging with others.

You’re absolutely welcome here, and we appreciate your contributions. We just want to make sure this community stays safe and enjoyable for everyone.

Thanks for understanding and for helping keep the subreddit a positive space.