Yes, everyone knows sharks live in the ocean, but that’s not the point
Something really bothered me this week.
I was reading our Facebook post about a large shark sighting and I saw the same type of sarcastic comments I always see in posts about sharks: “This just in: Sharks spotted in the Ocean.”
And you can’t have a thread without this classic: “Well, it is the ocean.”
Those were just a couple of comments left by readers on The Tribune’s Facebook post about a large shark, probably a great white, spotted swimming next to the Pismo Beach pier this week.
For those who don’t seem to understand, let me try to explain why a large fish that has been known to attack humans hanging out at a popular beach for swimmers and surfers is a newsworthy event, though I shouldn’t have to.
Surfers, like everyone else, know sharks live in the ocean just like surfers know that bears live in the woods and alligators live in lakes and rivers. Surfers also know the history and chances they take each time they step in the water, but surfers and people who like to swim and dive still deserve a proper warning if a large shark has been captured on video in the area, something that isn’t all that common, believe it or not.
The point is to make sure people trying to have fun and enjoy a Saturday don’t unknowingly put themselves in harm’s way.
It’s the same thing as a weather forecast. If I’m about to go on a hike, say in Kansas, I want to know if a deadly tornado is going to join me even if I know tornados have previously existed in the world.
And it’s not as if The Tribune is reporting something that is common. One surfer I spoke to said he hasn’t heard of this many sharks around in such short amount of time in the 30 years he has lived here.
Aside from the safety issue, there is always the undeniable cool factor of sharks that always piqued our interest. Last year Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, seven days of nothing but shows dedicated to the apex predator of the sea, racked up around 2.5 million viewers each day. Jaws, one of the most famous movies of all-time, was about a shark. There are nine aquariums in California alone whose whole business model is based on people’s desire to point and say ‘Look at that cool fish!’ Bottom line, people love sharks except you, bitter Facebook commenters.
If you were to see a whale swimming next to the pier would you say ‘Wow, look at that!’ or ‘Yeah, whales live in the ocean. Duh.” Why are sharks any different? Are their teeth too pointy?
Sharks are powerful, majestic, mysterious and scary creatures. So yeah, when one, or two or three show up swimming next to surfers at Pismo Pier, it’s kind of a big deal.
I was so bothered by the whole thing this week I had to talk to one of my friends about it.
“Can you believe these people on Facebook attacking us for this?” I asked.
He shrugged and said, “Well, it is the internet.”
