Sharks have always been a topic of fascination for me. Before my first trip to Australia, I’d read up on the Great Barrier Reef and all the different types of shark dangers that lurked in the waters offshore, menacing surfers and bathers alike. I got it in my head that Australia must be the shark attack capital of the world, an since I’m a surfer myself, the idea of heading out into the waters that could be teeming with deadly sharks wasn’t one I was fond of thinking about. After my first trip over, though, I realized that my chances of being attacked by a shark in Australian waters were really not exponentially worse than anywhere else. I had such a good time that summer that the next year, I got some help from movers Los Angeles and actually went to live there for half a year, where the closest I ever came to a shark was about 300 feet once when a bunch of my surf buddies and I encountered a pretty large tiger shark and knew well enough to just leave the water.
For people interested on the chances of becoming a shark snack, check out the infographic below. It should make you feel a little better. Click it for Megashark Size:
