PONDICHERRY MARITIME ACADEMY

  Sharks Thanks to Hollywood, sharks have a very bad rap. No doubt they are dangerous, but almost all attacks on humans are due to mistaken identity. In most cases, they think humans are food so they have a taste. They then realize that we taste disgusting and leave. How to Fight a Shark The vast majority of shark attacks on humans are mistaken identity. Humans don’t taste good to sharks! Still, they are the king of the ocean, so you want to stay out of their way. Like most animals food is what will attract a shark, whether it is real or mistaken identity. Blood and fish are the biggest attractions. So is anything that resembles these, like shiny objects or human waste. Whether you are in a life raft or not, if you spot a shark, be loud and slap the water. If you don’t have a liferaft and are in a group, bunch together and face out. Everyone should shout underwater and slap the surface. When a shark starts circling you, it is a sign of attack. When it comes at you, strike at its gills,

Catching Food at Sea If you don’t get rescued or find land within a day, you will want to find food. Fishing is the obvious answer, but you can also eat seabirds, planktons, seaweed, etc. Small fish will gather underneath your raft. A simple handline, hook, and lure will do the trick. Even a simple survival kit will have a small fishing kit in it. If you don’t have fishing line, any string can work. Shoelaces, paracord, etc. If you do have fishing line, be careful not to cut yourself. Anything flashy makes a good lure. Be very careful with the hook or anything sharp if in an inflatable liferaft. When you do catch a fish, use its guts as bait. Do not hang around after spilling blood in the ocean. It may attract sharks. World's Most Dangerous Fish Puffer. puffer fish Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images Plus Red Lionfish. red lionfish Candiru. candiru © Morphart Creation/COMEO—Shutterstock. Great White Shark. great white shark Moray Eel. mosaic moray eel Tigerfish. Tigerfi

HOW TO SWIM LONG DISTANCE WITH SURVIVAL BACKSTROKE When you need to swim long distance and/or stay afloat in the water for a really long time, do survival backstroke.  Survival backstroke is floating on your back as you propel through the water. You use a simultaneous frog/breaststroke kick and a sculling motion with your hands. Your arms and legs move and come together at the same time. The main goal of the survival backstroke is to conserve energy and reduce heat loss. To maximize energy conservation, do the survival backstroke very slow. Take short strokes and glide for as long as possible. Only take the next stroke when you feel your legs dropping or you loose forward momentum. Take short strokes and glide for as long as possible. Short strokes minimize heat loss from under your armpits and between your legs. Your arms should not extend beyond your shoulders. Also, at the end of each stroke, bring your arms and legs together. Hold them close but comfortable against your body. A