Viewpoint
Taking A Second Look At Our Watery World
And Commentary on Fatal Shark Attack Off Southern California Coast
by Matt McClain
“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we would only tune in.”
- George Washington Carver
I am continuously amazed at how much information we, as a global community, are provided in this modern era. We are seemingly turned on, tuned in and hard-wired to the events unfolding around us at all times. Through the Internet and 24-hour cable news channels, we are fed everything from last weekend’s box office grosses to the weather in Southeast China. Yet, as technologically advanced as we’ve become in dispensing media and information, our mother ocean’s cries for help continue to go unheard.
Each year, millions of Americans find their way to the beach to swim or surf in the cool ocean waters. However, most are unaware that in 2006, over 25,000 beaches across the United States were closed or posted as unhealthy.
Equally disturbing is the news that in certain parts of the ocean, the amount of suspended micro-plastics outnumbers plankton six-to-one.
Perhaps the most unsettling news of all is that 70% of our world’s coral reefs, critical habitat that supports 90% of all life in our oceans, have been lost due to pollution, destruction and ocean warming.
Surfers have always seemed particularly in-tune with nature. Perhaps it is because we spend so much time reading the clouds, studying the horizon and looking for swells, that we can actually feel the struggle of our mother ocean. It was this awareness, this intuitive empathy that we share with our oceans that became the impetus behind the formation of the Surfrider Foundation.
A grass-roots organization, Surfrider has grown from its humble beginnings as a handful of free-spirited surfers to our current ranks of over 50,000 volunteer activists – all dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves and beaches.
No less inspiring is the great environmental awakening that is taking place around us. A recycled plastic bottle here, a fluorescent light bulb there… Everywhere there are people making small changes that will someday add up to one big thing. But we need more.
On April 25, 2008, there was a fatal shark attack off the Southern California coast. We definitely have to be sensitive to the victim’s family and the community, but at the same time, sharks are probably one of the most imperiled species in the ocean. There always seems to be a backlash after an incident like this. People tend to vilify sharks when all they’re doing is what they naturally do.
Shark attacks are infrequent; in fact, you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than being attacked by a shark. I read a statistic recently that more people die each year in vending machine accidents than by shark attacks. That should put the issue into perspective for people.
News of a shark attack brings out a very primitive response along with the fear. This is understandable.
None of us want to be eaten-that goes back to our evolutionary roots.
Yet, we get in our cars and the odds of being in an accident and dying on the way to work or running an errand are incredibly high in comparison to suffering a shark attack.
It’s really important that people keep this in perspective and if you’re out in the ocean, the best thing that you can do is keep an eye out for your own general safety by knowing where there’s lifeguard towers and surf and swim with a friend. I think in terms of preventing a shark attack, there’s not really anything you can do.
The ocean is the cradle of all life here on earth. And for those of us who are drawn to her shores, we are the ambassadors. Through your travels, please take the time to share her message with those who will listen.
Aloha.
Matt McClain works with the Surfrider foundation to continue to promote the ocean and marine life’s safety and upkeep. For more information on Surfrider, go to Surfrider.org.